The Northern Avenue Bridge, built in 1908, was constructed as an integral part of the development of South Boston as a maritime and industrial center for Boston and the region. The bridge continues to serve as a reminder of that part of the City's evolution.
The bridge was closed to cars in 1997 and foot traffic in 2014. Boston plans to spend at least $46 million to replace the now defunct span. LivableStreets currently serves on the Northern Ave Bridge Mayoral Advisory Task Force and strongly supports the vision for a bridge that will be an iconic destination that improves mobility, strengthens resiliency, and honors history.
Action E-lert for May 6, 2020 Meeting
The City of Boston is holding a virtual meeting this Wednesday, May 6th to share an updated design for the Northern Avenue Bridge project. Despite significant public support, the City has not committed to ensuring the bridge is reserved for people walking, biking and emergency use only.
Take 5 minutes now to let the project team and City Council know that this project should not be approved in the budget until the City commits to a Northern Avenue Bridge that prioritizes people and respects the historic legacy of this iconic structure -- email the City of Boston and at-large city councilors today (see suggested template below).
Note: We have already directly expressed our concerns to the project team that it is inappropriate to hold public meetings in this way during the COVID-19 crisis, but they have decided to continue moving forward so we feel it is important to speak up.
Sample email template
CC: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
Recommended email subject: Commit to a People-First Northern Avenue Bridge Design
Sample email text:
Dear Northern Ave Bridge Project Team and Boston City Councilors,
I am writing to express my disappointment in the updated design for the Northern Ave Bridge. The design does not reflect a commitment to a bridge that is open only to people walking, biking, and emergency vehicles, which is what many people, including myself, have spoken up for clearly and consistently throughout this process.
[Insert brief personal story or opinion here.]
This project should not be approved in the FY21 budget until the City commits to a Northern Avenue Bridge that prioritizes people and respects the historic legacy of this iconic structure.
The people of Boston deserve a design that reflects the extensive public input and community advocacy in support of a bridge that is rebuilt with a people-first approach.
Thank you,
[full name
street address
city/town, state, zip
Phone:
email: ]
Previous Updates:
- May 2019 | Read our Northern Ave Bridge "Action E-lert" email with sample phone and email script so you can take action and contact Mayor Walsh and city officials before the next task force meeting on May 23.
- April 2019 | Read an open letter to Mayor Walsh from LivableStreets Executive Director Stacy Thompson, summarizing data transparency and consistency issues and calling for the Mayor to recommit to a neutral and transparent process.
- View the Northern Avenue Bridge Correspondence Log, which includes public input submitted online for the project. Submit your own comments here.
- Northern Avenue Bridge: “People First” Design Presented To Wharf Council, North End Waterfront, May 2, 2020
- Bold design for a car-free span over Fort Point Channel would reflect a forward-looking city, Boston Globe, December 12, 2019
- Boston has dramatically reworked the design for a new Northern Ave Bridge, Boston Globe, December 11, 2019
- In the Northern Avenue Bridge Project, Some See a Test for Boston and its Transit Future, Boston Globe, May 30, 2019
- Use GE Money to fix the Northern Ave Bridge, Boston Globe, May 12, 2019
- City Unveils 4 Proposals for Northern Ave Bridge, Boston Globe, April 26, 2019
- Battle Brews Over Boston's Northern Avenue Bridge, NECN, August 13, 2018
- The Northern Avenue Bridge is being replaced, and the city is debating just who will be allowed to use it, Boston Globe, August 8, 2018
Why Now?
- For more than two decades, the community has worked to ensure this iconic historic bridge’s preservation and to maintain its important and unique role as a pedestrian refuge and active transportation link adjacent to a resilient Boston Harbor.
- With the development boom in the Seaport District, there needs to be more ways to move people in and out of the neighborhood. The inability for anyone to cross the bridge has been a pain point for local businesses and the growing number of people who live and work in the neighborhood.
- In October 2016, the Coast Guard warned that the bridge could collapse into Fort Point Channel if left in its current state. The City of Boston said it would spend up to $100 million either restoring or replacing the bridge.
What's Happening
- In 2016, the City of Boston and the Boston Society of Architects invited the public to participate in an Ideas Competition about the future of the Northern Avenue Bridge. Many of the concepts presented (including the "Peoples' Choice" winner pictured to the right), emphasized active transportation and creative placemaking.
- In 2018, a Mayoral Advisory Task Force was formed to assist in designing and programming for a new bridge.
- Public outreach has also included several community meetings and opportunities for public comments via email and an online form.
- The City hired AECOM, and its team of sub-consultants, to conduct analysis and advance several design alternatives for the bridge.
- Despite majority public support for preserving a people-centered bridge for walking and biking, none of the four designs presented to the Task Force in April 2019 align with this community vision.
- Last spring, LivableStreets, Boston Preservation Alliance, and other members of the Task Force asked Mayor Walsh to delay the process and commit to presenting for consideration a design and analysis of a bridge that is open to only pedestrians, bicycles, and emergency vehicles.
What's Next?
- LivableStreets, WalkBoston, and the Boston Cyclists Union are asking the City to commit to a design for a bridge that is open to only pedestrians, bicycles, and emergency vehicles. We are asking City Council not to approve this project in the budget until this commitment has been made.
- The City plans to present an updated design at a virtual meeting on May 6. Learn more: City of Boston - Northern Avenue Bridge Project Page.
What you can do
Can you take 5 minutes now to let the project team and City Council know that this project should not be approved in the budget until the City commits to a Northern Avenue Bridge that prioritizes people and respects the historic legacy of this iconic structure?
- Project team: [email protected]
- At-Large City Councilor Michael Flaherty: [email protected] | 617-635-4205
- At-Large City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George: [email protected] | 617-635-4376
- At-Large City Councilor Julia Mejia: [email protected] | 617-635-4217
- At-Large City Councilor Michelle Wu: [email protected] | 617-635-3115
- District 2 City Councilor Ed Flynn: [email protected] | 617-635-3203
Contact the project team and the City Council members and ask them to:
- Formally and publicly recommit to a neutral and transparent process that prioritizes the community.
- Commit to presenting for consideration a design and analysis of a bridge that is open only to people walking, biking, and emergency vehicles.
- Commit to working with the historic preservation community to follow required local, state, and federal reviews to demonstrate why a new bridge is the only viable alternative. The new bridge should reflect the spirit of this iconic structure and the historic context of Fort Point Channel.
Thank you for taking action!