Boston University Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Boston University Bridge (originally the Cottage Farm Bridge), and commonly referred to as the BU Bridge, is a steel
truss bridge
with a suspended deck carrying Route 2
over the Charles River
, connecting Boston
to Cambridge, Massachusetts
. According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
route log, the bridge also carries U.S. Route 3
across the river to its southern terminus at U.S. Route 20
(also known as Commonwealth Avenue). However, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation does not consider the bridge to be a part of US-3; it continues the route along Memorial Drive in Cambridge until it meets Route 2A at the end of the Harvard Bridge
.
It was renamed for Boston University
, which lies at the south end of the bridge, in 1949.
known as the Brookline Bridge. Canzanelli also designed the Weeks footbridge
and the first shell constructed on the Esplanade
.
The bridge crosses diagonally over an older bridge carrying the CSX Transportation
Grand Junction Line.
During the period of planning for the Inner Belt
, the BU Bridge represented the planned crossing point of the highway from Boston to Cambridge. Several plans were discussed for the area; had the road been built over the river, the bridge would have been demolished and replaced with a high-level highway overpass, while if the road had been built as a tunnel, the bridge would have been left standing as a crossing for surface route traffic.
were rusted through. These deficiencies triggered the bridge to be categorized as "structurally deficient" under the federal NBIS standards. Nevertheless, the main structural elements of the bridge have been determined to be sound.
The approximately twenty million dollar rehabilitation project has been among the first undertaken in the Commonwealth's Accelerated Bridge Program by the bridge owner, the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
As of June 2008, one traffic lane and the west-side sidewalk had been closed so that this work could begin. The designated alternate route goes over the Harvard Bridge
, downstream. The project will be done in 3 phases to keep traffic open throughout construction. The project is expected to wrap up in late November 2011.
The BU Bridge is undergoing the first phase of a planned renovation. The first phase is the replacement of the sidewalk with work being performed by Unified Construction Inc. The design consultant is STV Inc. of Boston.
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
truss bridge
Truss bridge
A truss bridge is a bridge composed of connected elements which may be stressed from tension, compression, or sometimes both in response to dynamic loads. Truss bridges are one of the oldest types of modern bridges...
with a suspended deck carrying Route 2
Route 2 (Massachusetts)
Route 2 is a major east–west state highway in Massachusetts, parts of which are sometimes known as the Cambridge and Concord Turnpike. Along with Route 9 and U.S. Route 20 to the south, these highways are the main alternatives to the Massachusetts Turnpike/I-90 toll highway...
over the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
, connecting Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
to Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
AASHTO, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols and guidelines which are used in highway design and construction throughout the United States...
route log, the bridge also carries U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3 is a north–south United States highway that runs from its southern terminus in Cambridge, Massachusetts through New Hampshire to its terminus near Third Connecticut Lake at the Canadian border, where the road continues north as Quebec Route 257.In New Hampshire parts of US 3 are...
across the river to its southern terminus at U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
(also known as Commonwealth Avenue). However, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation does not consider the bridge to be a part of US-3; it continues the route along Memorial Drive in Cambridge until it meets Route 2A at the end of the Harvard Bridge
Harvard Bridge
The Harvard Bridge carries Massachusetts Avenue from Back Bay, Boston to Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is the longest bridge over the Charles River....
.
It was renamed for Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, which lies at the south end of the bridge, in 1949.
Construction
It was built in 1928, on a design by Andrew Canzanelli, replacing an 1850s drawbridgeDrawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
known as the Brookline Bridge. Canzanelli also designed the Weeks footbridge
John W. Weeks Bridge
The John W. Weeks Bridge, usually called the Weeks Footbridge , is a pedestrian bridge over the Charles River connecting Cambridge, Massachusetts with the Allston section of Boston.John W. Weeks was a longtime U.S...
and the first shell constructed on the Esplanade
Hatch Shell
The Edward A. Hatch Memorial Shell is an outdoor concert venue adjacent to the Charles River Esplanade near downtown Boston....
.
The bridge crosses diagonally over an older bridge carrying the CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
Grand Junction Line.
During the period of planning for the Inner Belt
Interstate 695 (Massachusetts)
The Inner Belt in Boston was a planned six-lane, limited-access highway that would have run through parts of Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville.-History:...
, the BU Bridge represented the planned crossing point of the highway from Boston to Cambridge. Several plans were discussed for the area; had the road been built over the river, the bridge would have been demolished and replaced with a high-level highway overpass, while if the road had been built as a tunnel, the bridge would have been left standing as a crossing for surface route traffic.
Rehabilitation
As of 2008, the bridge deck, including the sidewalks and vehicular surface, were in severe disrepair; the water below was visible through holes in the deck, and the iron stairs leading from Storrow DriveStorrow Drive
Storrow Drive is a major cross town expressway in Boston, Massachusetts, running south and west from Leverett Circle along the Charles River. It is a parkway—it is restricted to cars; trucks and buses are not permitted on it...
were rusted through. These deficiencies triggered the bridge to be categorized as "structurally deficient" under the federal NBIS standards. Nevertheless, the main structural elements of the bridge have been determined to be sound.
The approximately twenty million dollar rehabilitation project has been among the first undertaken in the Commonwealth's Accelerated Bridge Program by the bridge owner, the Department of Conservation and Recreation.
As of June 2008, one traffic lane and the west-side sidewalk had been closed so that this work could begin. The designated alternate route goes over the Harvard Bridge
Harvard Bridge
The Harvard Bridge carries Massachusetts Avenue from Back Bay, Boston to Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is the longest bridge over the Charles River....
, downstream. The project will be done in 3 phases to keep traffic open throughout construction. The project is expected to wrap up in late November 2011.
The BU Bridge is undergoing the first phase of a planned renovation. The first phase is the replacement of the sidewalk with work being performed by Unified Construction Inc. The design consultant is STV Inc. of Boston.