List of crossings of the Charles River

Five bridges over the Charles River are visible in this photograph; in order from front to back, they are the Old Charles River Dam, Lechmere Viaduct, Commuter Rail Bridge, Zakim Bridge, and New Charles River Dam.
"Charles River Bridge" redirects here; see below for the historic structures or Charles River Bridge v. Warren Bridge for the lawsuit.

This is a list of the crossings of the Charles River from its mouth at Boston Harbor upstream to its source at Echo Lake (the four tunnels crossing the inner portion of Boston Harbor are not included). All locations are in Massachusetts.

Crossings

This transport-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.
Crossing Carries Location Built Length Notes Coordinates Image
Charlestown Bridge Route 99 Boston to Charlestown 1900 331.9 meters (1,089 ft)[1] The MBTA Orange Line used this bridge, before the upstream tunnel was completed in 1975.

Site of a ferry established in 1630;[2] obsoleted by the Charles River Bridge, built 1786

 42°22′08″N 71°03′36″W / 42.36889°N 71.06000°W
(New) Charles River Dam pedestrians and bicycles 1978 Fish ladder, pumps and three locks for navigation.

Site of the Warren Bridge, built 1828, demolished 1962.

 42°22′07″N 71°03′41.10″W / 42.36861°N 71.0614167°W
Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge I‑93 / US 1 2003 442.2 meters (1,451 ft)[1] Replaced Charlestown High Bridge, built 1956, demolished 2004 42°22′08″N 71°03′49″W / 42.36889°N 71.06361°W
Haymarket North Extension tunnel MBTA Orange Line 1975
Leverett Circle Connector Bridge Boston to Cambridge 1999 253 meters (830 ft)[1] 42°22′08″N 71°03′52″W / 42.36889°N 71.06444°W
MBTA Commuter Rail Charles River Bridge MBTA Commuter Rail at North Station 1931 Bascule drawbridge

Site of Boston and Lowell Railroad Charles River Bridge, built 1835, first movable railroad bridge in the United States[3]

 42°22′8.29″N 71°03′54.96″W / 42.3689694°N 71.0652667°W
MBTA Green Line Lechmere Viaduct MBTA Green Line 1912 42°22′2.32″N 71°04′8.29″W / 42.3673111°N 71.0689694°W
(Old) Charles River Dam Bridge Route 28 1910 25 meters (82 ft)[1] 42°22′01.66″N 71°04′08.87″W / 42.3671278°N 71.0691306°W
Longfellow Bridge Route 3
MBTA Red Line		 1907 650.7 meters (2,135 ft)[1] MBTA Red Line in median; built in 1907 as the Cambridge Bridge, renamed for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1927.

Site of West Boston Bridge, built 1793

 42°21′41″N 71°04′32″W / 42.36139°N 71.07556°W
Harvard Bridge Route 2A (Massachusetts Avenue) 1891, 1909 (rebuilt), 1924 (overhaul), 1990 (rebuilt) 659.9 meters (2,165 ft)[1] Longest bridge over the Charles. Northern terminus at MIT, not Harvard University. 42°21′15″N 71°05′28″W / 42.35417°N 71.09111°W
Boston University Bridge Route 2 1928 built as the Cottage Farm Bridge, renamed in 1949 42°21′09.12″N 71°06′38.26″W / 42.3525333°N 71.1106278°W
Grand Junction Railroad bridge MBTA Grand Junction Branch crosses the river under the Boston University Bridge 42°21′09.69″N 71°06′36.72″W / 42.3526917°N 71.1102000°W
River Street Bridge 1926 42°21′41″N 71°07′00″W / 42.36139°N 71.11667°W
Western Avenue Bridge 1924 85.3 meters (280 ft)[1] 42°21′51.25″N 71°07′01.13″W / 42.3642361°N 71.1169806°W
John W. Weeks Bridge pedestrians 1926 the only footbridge across the basin, with a Harvard campus steam tunnel inside 42°22′6.63″N 71°07′05.26″W / 42.3685083°N 71.1181278°W
Anderson Memorial Bridge N. Harvard Street/JFK Street 1912 70.7 meters (232 ft)[1] A memorial to Nicholas Longworth Anderson donated by his son Larz Anderson

Site of a ferry established 1635 at the foot of Dunster Street in Cambridge, at canal/creek;[4] obsoleted by Great Bridge,[5] built 1662, rebuilt 1862

 42°22′08″N 71°07′23″W / 42.36889°N 71.12306°W
Eliot Bridge 1950 91.4 meters (300 ft)[1] a memorial to Charles W. Eliot, Harvard president 1869–1909, and his son Charles Eliot, landscape architect for the Metropolitan Park Commission 42°22′18″N 71°07′59″W / 42.37167°N 71.13306°W
Arsenal Street Bridge Brighton to Watertown 1925 61.9 meters (203 ft)[1] 42°21′42″N 71°08′50″W / 42.36167°N 71.14722°W
North Beacon Street Bridge US 20 1917 62.5 meters (205 ft)[1] 42°21′32″N 71°09′42″W / 42.35889°N 71.16167°W
Watertown Bridge Route 16 (Galen Street) Watertown about 1907 27.4 meters (90 ft)[1] 42°21′53″N 71°11′08″W / 42.36472°N 71.18556°W
Watertown Dam no crossing about 1634 42°21′55.27″N 71°11′21.34″W / 42.3653528°N 71.1892611°W
Cpl. Joseph U. Thompson Footbridge pedestrians and bicycles 42°21′54.39″N 71°11′24.97″W / 42.3651083°N 71.1902694°W
Bridge Street Newton to Watertown 29.3 meters (96 ft)[1] 42°21′56.87″N 71°12′15.96″W / 42.3657972°N 71.2044333°W
Bemis Dam (breached) 1821[6] breached 1944 42°21′56.58″N 71°12′17.92″W / 42.3657167°N 71.2049778°W
Blue Heron Footbridge Charles River Bike Path 2005 42°21′53.33″N 71°12′45.85″W / 42.3648139°N 71.2127361°W
Farwell Street Waltham 33.4 meters (110 ft)[1] 42°22′51.47″N 71°13′5.12″W / 42.3809639°N 71.2180889°W
Bleachery Dam 1794 originally Gore Paper Mill dam 42°22′8.83″N 71°13′22.74″W / 42.3691194°N 71.2229833°W
Mary T. Early Footbridge formerly Calvary Street Footbridge 42°22′10.74″N 71°13′25.94″W / 42.3696500°N 71.2238722°W
Boston & Maine Railroad trestle (abandoned) abandoned Watertown Branch 42°22′11.11″N 71°13′26.29″W / 42.3697528°N 71.2239694°W
Charles F. Graceffa Bridge Newton Street (original built 1761) 27.4 meters (90 ft)[1] 42°22′21.10″N 71°13′43.51″W / 42.3725278°N 71.2287528°W
Elm Street Bridge 71.9 meters (236 ft)[1] 42°22′22.87″N 71°13′57.19″W / 42.3730194°N 71.2325528°W
Boston & Maine Railroad trestle (abandoned) abandoned Watertown Branch 42°22′22.21″N 71°13′59.12″W / 42.3728361°N 71.2330889°W
Richard Landry Park footbridge 1978 42°22′20.59″N 71°14′5.95″W / 42.3723861°N 71.2349861°W
Waltham Dam or Moody Street Dam 1836 original Eden Vale dam built 1785 42°22′22.87″N 71°14′10.24″W / 42.3730194°N 71.2361778°W
Moody Street bridge 1946 68.6 meters (225 ft)[1] original built 1846, rebuilt 1871, 1921 42°22′23.61″N 71°14′11.63″W / 42.3732250°N 71.2365639°W
Gold Star Mothers Bridge, Prospect Street 1889 40.2 meters (132 ft)[1] drawbridge 1882 42°22′7.91″N 71°14′36.93″W / 42.3688639°N 71.2435917°W
Weston Aqueduct Newton to Weston
Commonwealth Avenue, Newton / South Avenue, Weston Route 30 site of old Norumbega Bridge 42°20′38.27″N 71°15′41.01″W / 42.3439639°N 71.2613917°W
MetroWest Tunnel (aqueduct)
I-90/I-95 connector I‑90 / I‑95 original Mass Pike terminus until 1964 42°20′29.76″N 71°15′42.51″W / 42.3416000°N 71.2618083°W
Hultman Aqueduct
Massachusetts Turnpike Boston Extension (Interstate 90) I‑90 316.1 meters (1,037 ft)[1] 42°20′27.53″N 71°15′39.42″W / 42.3409806°N 71.2609500°W
I-90/I-95 connector 42°20′27.62″N 71°15′34.98″W / 42.3410056°N 71.2597167°W
Footbridge from Riverside Rd., Newton to Recreation Rd., Weston (closed) 42°20′28.36″N 71°15′29.73″W / 42.3412111°N 71.2582583°W
CSX/MBTA railroad bridge Framingham/Worcester Line impressive single-arch concrete span 42°20′26.45″N 71°15′25.44″W / 42.3406806°N 71.2570667°W
footbridge 42°20′24.16″N 71°15′21.39″W / 42.3400444°N 71.2559417°W
I-95 offramp 180.4 meters (592 ft)[1] northbound exits 23–25; originally Route 128 until 1964 42°20′15.466″N 71°15′26.56″W / 42.33762944°N 71.2573778°W
I‑95 / Route 128 I‑95 / Route 128 93.6 meters (307 ft)[1] 42°20′11.83″N 71°15′31.04″W / 42.3366194°N 71.2586222°W
Concord Street, Newton / Park Road, Weston 24.7 meters (81 ft)[1] 42°19′50.04″N 71°16′4.53″W / 42.3305667°N 71.2679250°W
Leo J. Martin Golf Club Footbridge Newton to Wellesley 42°19′42.16″N 71°16′12.29″W / 42.3283778°N 71.2700806°W
Newton–Wellesley Lower Falls Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge rebuilt 2012[7] formerly abandoned Boston & Albany RR Newton Lower Falls Branch bridge 42°19′36.34″N 71°15′40.58″W / 42.3267611°N 71.2612722°W
Washington Street Route 16 43 meters (141 ft)[1] 42°19′31.15″N 71°15′30.07″W / 42.3253194°N 71.2583528°W
Finlay Dam 42°19′31.74″N 71°15′15.78″W / 42.3254833°N 71.2543833°W
Cordingly Dam and Falls 42°19′32.91″N 71°15′15.28″W / 42.3258083°N 71.2542444°W
Mary Hunnewell Fyffe Footbridge 1983[8] Previous bridges built in 1909 and before 1906[8]
Wales Street, Newton / Walnut Street, Wellesley 17.9 meters (59 ft)[1] 42°19′36.39″N 71°15′11.42″W / 42.3267750°N 71.2531722°W
Cochituate Aqueduct 1848 42°19′27.48″N 71°14′59.95″W / 42.3243000°N 71.2499861°W
I‑95 / Route 128 I‑95 / Route 128 42°19′25.09″N 71°14′57.36″W / 42.3236361°N 71.2492667°W
Boston-Worcester Turnpike Route 9 23.2 meters (76 ft)[1] 42°19′00.5″N 71°13′41.2″W / 42.316806°N 71.228111°W
Metropolitan Circular Dam
Echo Bridge/Sudbury Aqueduct pedestrians and bicycles 1876 42°18′53.13″N 71°13′37.17″W / 42.3147583°N 71.2269917°W
Silk Mill Dam 42°18′49.76″N 71°13′34.82″W / 42.3138222°N 71.2263389°W
Elliot Street, Newton / Central Avenue, Needham Newton to Needham 42°18′44.30″N 71°13′37.37″W / 42.3123056°N 71.2270472°W
rail bridge (former Charles River Railroad) 42°18′26.08″N 71°13′26.32″W / 42.3072444°N 71.2239778°W
Needham Street Bridge Needham Street, Newton / Highland Avenue, Needham 27.7 meters (91 ft)[1] 42°18′23.51″N 71°13′1.02″W / 42.3065306°N 71.2169500°W
rail bridge made pedestrian bridge 42°18′21.65″N 71°12′46.73″W / 42.3060139°N 71.2129806°W
Kendrick Street, Needham / Nahanton Street, Newton 49.4 meters (162 ft)[1] 42°17′49.57″N 71°12′28.12″W / 42.2971028°N 71.2078111°W
MBTA Commuter Rail Needham Line bridge West Roxbury to Needham 42°16′46.17″N 71°11′6.89″W / 42.2794917°N 71.1852472°W
Honorable Robert L. Cawley Bridge Route 109

Bridge Street, Dedham / Spring Street, West Roxbury

 West Roxbury to Dedham 21.3 meters (70 ft)[1] 42°16′15.02″N 71°10′23.90″W / 42.2708389°N 71.1733056°W
Ames Street Dedham 35.7 meters (117 ft)[1] 42°15′8.61″N 71°10′34.37″W / 42.2523917°N 71.1762139°W
Bridge Street Route 109 21.3 meters (70 ft)[1] 42°15′14.85″N 71°10′51.60″W / 42.2541250°N 71.1810000°W
Interstate 95/Route 128 I‑95 / Route 128 Needham to Dedham 98.5 meters (323 ft) (SB)
89 meters (292 ft)[1] (NB)[1]		 42°16′1.96″N 71°12′10.20″W / 42.2672111°N 71.2028333°W
Greendale Avenue, Needham / Lyons Street, Dedham 17.1 meters (56 ft)[1] 42°16′1.33″N 71°12′17.42″W / 42.2670361°N 71.2048389°W
Route 135 / West Street, Dedham / Dedham Ave, Needham Route 135 17.1 meters (56 ft)[1] 42°16′3.67″N 71°13′4.89″W / 42.2676861°N 71.2180250°W
Chestnut Street bridge Needham to Dover 33.8 meters (111 ft)[1] 42°15′35.40″N 71°14′13.48″W / 42.2598333°N 71.2370778°W
dam 42°15′31″N 71°15′46.8″W / 42.25861°N 71.263000°W
Willow Street, Dover / South Street, Needham 17 meters (56 ft)[1] 42°15′32.66″N 71°15′47.26″W / 42.2590722°N 71.2631278°W
rail bridge (former Charles River Railroad) 42°15′26.97″N 71°16′14.26″W / 42.2574917°N 71.2706278°W
Central Ave/Centre Street bridge 20.7 meters (68 ft)[1] 42°15′32.37″N 71°16′17.31″W / 42.2589917°N 71.2714750°W
missing bridge? 42°15′48.07″N 71°17′5.55″W / 42.2633528°N 71.2848750°W
Dover Road/Charles River Street bridge 38.6 meters (127 ft)[1] 42°16′9.50″N 71°17′59.43″W / 42.2693056°N 71.2998417°W
Cheney Drive bridge 19.5 meters (64 ft)[1] 42°16′32.68″N 71°18′34.38″W / 42.2757444°N 71.3095500°W
Pleasant Street bridge South Natick 34.4 meters (113 ft)[1] 42°16′18.13″N 71°18′54.52″W / 42.2717028°N 71.3151444°W
South Natick Dam 42°16′17.27″N 71°18′56.57″W / 42.2714639°N 71.3157139°W
pedestrian crossing 42°16′01″N 71°19′16″W / 42.26696°N 71.32112°W
Farm Road/Bridge Street bridge 42°13′57.45″N 71°19′48.67″W / 42.2326250°N 71.3301861°W
rail bridge CSX Mansfield Secondary 42°12′53.43″N 71°20′53.79″W / 42.2148417°N 71.3482750°W
South Main Street/North Meadows Road bridge Route 27 (Hospital Road) Medfield 21.9 meters (72 ft)[1] 42°12′35.98″N 71°21′6.23″W / 42.2099944°N 71.3517306°W
former bridge? 42°12′28.00″N 71°21′7.20″W / 42.2077778°N 71.3520000°W
rail bridge Medfield/Millis line 42°11′18.38″N 71°20′3.54″W / 42.1884389°N 71.3343167°W
Dover Road bridge Bridge site going back to 1640s, including one burnt by native Americans during King Philip's War in 1675. 42°11′19.41″N 71°19′59.76″W / 42.1887250°N 71.3332667°W
Turner Bridge (Main Street bridge) Route 109 20.1 meters (66 ft)[1] 42°10′52″N 71°19′21.52″W / 42.18111°N 71.3226444°W
Forest Road/Orchard Street bridge 17.7 meters (58 ft)[1] 42°9′28.26″N 71°19′55.43″W / 42.1578500°N 71.3320639°W
Norfolk Road bridge Route 115 Millis/Norfolk line 21.9 meters (72 ft)[1] 42°8′35.80″N 71°20′57.42″W / 42.1432778°N 71.3492833°W
Dean Street/Pleasant Street bridge 42°8′17.64″N 71°21′31.08″W / 42.1382333°N 71.3586333°W
Myrtle Street bridge Millis 22.1 meters (73 ft)[1] 42°8′0.63″N 71°21′42.86″W / 42.1335083°N 71.3619056°W
Walker Street bridge Medway/Franklin line 24.4 meters (80 ft)[1] 42°8′24.32″N 71°23′22.39″W / 42.1400889°N 71.3895528°W
Sanford Street bridge 42°8′17.96″N 71°23′54″W / 42.1383222°N 71.39833°W
dam
Shaw Street/Elm Street bridge 42°8′11.40″N 71°25′6.72″W / 42.1365000°N 71.4185333°W
Woodland Park bridge 42°8′19.39″N 71°25′18.92″W / 42.1387194°N 71.4219222°W
dam 42°8′20.62″N 71°25′27.07″W / 42.1390611°N 71.4241861°W
Franklin Street / Pond Street bridge Medway/Franklin line 10.1 meters (33 ft)[1] 42°8′17.36″N 71°25′51.87″W / 42.1381556°N 71.4310750°W
Pearl Street bridge Bellingham 20.5 meters (67 ft)[1] 42°7′51.52″N 71°26′38.53″W / 42.1309778°N 71.4440361°W
Plymouth Road bridge 12.5 meters (41 ft)[1] 42°7′22.07″N 71°26′51.69″W / 42.1227972°N 71.4476917°W
Maple Street bridge 12.2 meters (40 ft)[1] 42°7′10.32″N 71°27′12.35″W / 42.1195333°N 71.4534306°W
I-495 bridge I‑495 10.1 meters (33 ft)[1] 42°06′27″N 71°27′30″W / 42.10750°N 71.45833°W
High Street 10.7 meters (35 ft)[1] 42°5′50.69″N 71°27′33.07″W / 42.0974139°N 71.4591861°W
rail bridge (ruin?) 42°5′22.91″N 71°28′13.16″W / 42.0896972°N 71.4703222°W
North Main Street Route 126 9.4 meters (31 ft)[1] 42°05′39″N 71°28′34″W / 42.09417°N 71.47611°W
rail bridge 42°5′39.54″N 71°28′50.71″W / 42.0943167°N 71.4807528°W
Depot Street 16.5 meters (54 ft)[1] 42°5′38.39″N 71°28′55.65″W / 42.0939972°N 71.4821250°W
Hartford Ave 42°6′12.41″N 71°29′59.19″W / 42.1034472°N 71.4997750°W
Mellon Street 42°07′0.8″N 71°30′5″W / 42.116889°N 71.50139°W
Howard Street 42°07′5.30″N 71°30′17.88″W / 42.1181389°N 71.5049667°W
rail bridge 42°7′7.22″N 71°30′20.97″W / 42.1186722°N 71.5058250°W
Howard Street Milford 42°07′32″N 71°30′33″W / 42.12556°N 71.50917°W
Central Street 42°08′21″N 71°30′45″W / 42.13917°N 71.51250°W
Main Street Route 16 42°08′37″N 71°30′47″W / 42.14361°N 71.51306°W
Dilla Street 42°09′41″N 71°30′43″W / 42.16139°N 71.51194°W
I-495 bridge (Exit 20) I‑495 42°10′04″N 71°30′41″W / 42.16778°N 71.51139°W
Route 85 bridge Route 85 42°10′26″N 71°30′30″W / 42.17389°N 71.50833°W
Route 85 bridge Route 85 42°10′55″N 71°30′22″W / 42.18194°N 71.50611°W

Source: Echo Lake 42°11′35″N 71°30′43″W / 42.193012°N 71.5119°W

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 1.33 1.34 1.35 1.36 1.37 1.38 1.39 1.40 1.41 1.42 1.43 1.44 1.45 1.46 1.47 1.48 1.49 1.50 1.51 1.52 1.53 Massachusetts Bridges Spanning the Charles River. Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDoT).
  2. ↑ "Some Events Around Boston". Kellscraft.com. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
  3. ↑ "HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD - Boston & Maine Railroad: Charles River Bridges - MA-22". Retrieved 2014-03-04.
  4. ↑ "Publications - Cambridge Historical Society (Mass.) - Google Books". Books.google.com. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
  5. ↑ Paige, Lucius Robinson (1877). History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630–1877: With a Genealogical Register. Hurd and Houghton. p. 195. Retrieved August 4, 2008.
  6. ↑ "The Bemis Dam: A forgotten Link to Our Industrial Past". Historic Newton. City of Newton. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  7. ↑ "Newton Lower Falls bridge". Newton Bicycle/Pedestrian Task Force. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Mary Hunnewell Fyffe Footbridge". Newton Conservators. Retrieved 16 June 2014.

External links

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