LONGFELLOW BRIDGE Replacement Project

J.F. White has undertaken a design and construction project to rehabilitate and restore the historically significant Longfellow Bridge over the Charles River.  Built in 1907 the bridge features iconic “salt and pepper” granite towers. Additionally, the project scope includes the replacement of the adjacent pedestrian bridge that spans from the Charles Circle intersection over Storrow Drive to the Esplanade parkland.

The primary objective of the Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation Project is to upgrade the structural and seismic capacity of the bridge and acheive an improved functionality. The rehabilitation work includes in-place structural repairs to the steel arches spanning between the granite piers as well as the refurbishment and/or replacement of the existing spandrel columns. The steel stringers, floor beams and concrete roadway deck of the superstructure will be completely removed and replaced in sequential stages during the three and one-half years of the phased construction process. The restoration and rehabilitation of the bridge will be in accordance with the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, which includes the restoration of the cast iron fascia elements previously removed and the restoration of the existing cast iron pedestrian railings. The four granite “salt and pepper” towers will also be removed, cleaned, repaired and reinstalled as a part of the historic restoration process.

Upon final completion the bridge will provide two southbound vehicular travel lanes, one northbound vehicular travel lane and maintain the two MBTA Red Line tracks. Pedestrian and bicycle accommodations shall be improved by providing widened sidewalks and bicycle lanes located on both sides of the roadway. The Bridge shall retain its iconic character without major change upon completion of the project. The proposed pedestrian bridge shall be designed to complement the historic setting within the Charles River Basin and Esplanade, as well as its proximity to the Longfellow Bridge.

 Roadway and landscape improvements associated with the work to restore the Longfellow Bridge and the adjoining parkland spaces are proposed to make connectivity improvements into the parklands and roadways off the bridge. The majority of the traffic work associated with this project is for the monitoring and adjusting of the functionality of key intersections that may be affected by the reconstruction work and any associated traffic diversions required for the bridge reconstruction activities. Additionally, improvements to the roadway of route 3 are proposed to be extended from the Cambridge end of the bridge to the intersection of Main Street and Third Street. As a part of these roadway improvements landscaping, bicycle, pedestrian and other architectural improvements will also be implemented in Cambridge.