North Station Drawbridge Replacement / Draw One Project Comment Letter

June 14, 2024
Re: North Station Drawbridge Replacement / Draw One Project
Sent via email: drawone@mbta.com
Dear project team,

My name is Brendan Kearney, and I’m co-executive director of WalkMassachusetts, a statewide pedestrian advocacy organization previously known as WalkBoston. We have followed the slow progression and implementation of the New Charles River Basin Master Plan for decades. I’m commenting on the removal of the pedestrian river crossing as part of the North Station Draw 1 Bridge Replacement.

The drawbridge crosses over the Charles River directly behind North Station. It currently has two moveable spans with four tracks. Existing piers are supporting the spans already in place. The new drawbridge will have three moveable spans with additional tracks. We are concerned that the current draft of the design for the bridge does not include a pedestrian path, the 2nd of three important pedestrian connections within the Master Plan. This crucial pedestrian and bicycle connection was a commitment by the Commonwealth as part of the Central Artery project mitigation. It should be restored to the project and built on the same timeline as the rail crossing. 

WalkMassachusetts would like to remind the MBTA, the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs and MassDOT that the North Bank bridge which connects Cambridge and Charlestown and passes underneath the Zakim Bridge was also dropped at one point roughly 20 years ago – at the time, officials were sympathetic, but said the holdup was simply due to lack of funding. As we now know, that bridge is a heavily used, beautiful and well-loved part of the Charles River Reservation.
We should not make the mistake of leaving out the connection between the North Point Park and North Station which will also become a heavily used, and well-loved part of the Charles River Reservation.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Brendan Kearney
Co-Executive Director, WalkMassachusetts