The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will close the sidewalk along the Land Boulevard and Memorial Drive westbound in the vicinity of the Longfellow Bridge through Friday, January 6. The sidewalk will be closed from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. each day.
The daytime closures are necessary to allow the contractor to safely work on the Longfellow Bridge overhead. Detour routes will be available.
Detours for Pedestrians destined for Land Boulevard and Memorial Drive from Kendall Square area, follow the signed detour to Third Street, or to Memorial Drive eastbound.
From the Longfellow Bridge, turn left immediately after the bridge and continue straight across the crosswalk to the bike/ pedestrian path. From there use the crosswalk at Land Boulevard westbound to access the sidewalk along Memorial Drive eastbound. Follow Memorial Drive eastbound to the intersection with Cambridge Parkway, use the crosswalks to reach Land Boulevard westbound, and then turn right onto the off-ramp to Main Street.
MassDOT will also close the Land Boulevard and Memorial Drive westbound roadway and sidewalk overnight through Friday, January 6, from 11:00 p.m. each night to 5:00 a.m. the following morning.
Vehicular traffic will be alternating single lane on Storrow Drive east and westbound through Friday, January 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Memorial Drive east and westbound will also be alternating single lane through January 6 from 9:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.
Full closure of Memorial Drive westbound will run through January 6 from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00a.m. the following morning.
The Longfellow Bridge has been under construction since 2013 and is scheduled to finish by 2018.
The bridge joins Cambridge Street in Boston with Main Street in Cambridge and carries the MBTA Red Line and two-way vehicular traffic across the Charles River. The bridge according the MassDOT, presently carries 28,000 motor vehicles, 90,000 transit users, and significant numbers of pedestrians and bicyclists each day.
The primary goal of the rehabilitation is to address the bridge’s current structural deficiencies, upgrade its structural capacity, and bring the bridge up to modern code. The project also includes replacing the MBTA Red Line tracks, and other work in close proximity to them.
In this design, the bridge’s distinctive architectural features will be preserved or restored, while the deteriorated structural elements of the bridge are carefully rehabilitated. All of the new elements will be designed to complement the bridge’s historic character.
The Longfellow Bridge is one of the most architecturally distinguished bridges in Massachusetts. It is located on the site that once held the 1793 West Boston Bridge and is known for its steel and granite structure that was completed in 1908. It was renamed to honor Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1927.
To report issues or concerns or for questions related to construction, use the dedicated project hotline, 617-519-9892 or e-mail [email protected].