Men and Women At Work
The iconic Longfellow Bridge was opened in 1906. Approximately 28,000 cars and 90,000 MBTA riders traverse the bridge on weekdays. The bridge is also heavily travelled by bicyclists and pedestrians. The bridge had some emergency repairs done to it in 2011 but no significant rehabilitation work has been done on it since 1959. The current reconstruction of the 1800 foot bridge is scheduled to last more than three years. As with all large urban construction projects, the planning for the Longfellow Bridge rehabilitation began well before the jackhammering began. In this case, the planning began eighteen months ago. Sergeant David Gallagher, Troop “H” Paid Detail Officer, represented the Department throughout the planning stages, working with MassDOT and the various construction firms to ensure that traffic would flow as safely and efficiently as possible. The bridge’s proximity to hospitals, the Fleet Center, Boston City Hall, the State House, the booming technology area of Kendall Square in Cambridge, and the residential areas of Beacon Hill provided planners with a diverse group of stakeholders with whom to collaborate. Mayor Menino’s office and the Boston Transportation Department were also active in the planning process. Traffic in this area is already heavy to begin with; this project will need a significant amount of MSP personnel to mitigate the impact of the loss of two travel lanes out of Boston. Troopers will be posted on the Longfellow Bridge, in Charles Circle, Leverett Circle, Land Boulevard and on O’Brien Highway to assist emergency vehicles into the hospital district, provide smooth and easy access to the State House and City Hall, and to maintain the free flow of commerce through the construction area. Throughout the project’s timeline, the Department’s levels of staffing will change with the needs of the project.