Longfellow Bridge

So happy that this bridge is open again and I have been taking advantage of it’s direct link to kendall and central square. Allows me to visit @Tosci after walking across without feeling guilty! For the trip back, I get to stop in at Clover for takeout dinner!
It will be better when all the construction on the south side of the bridge is taken down so we can enjoy the full view of the Charles River and the Boston panorama!

The guys working on the bridge definitely have job security.

Old bridge under reonvation. Beautiful ornamentation and embellishment. If your visiting their is only way to drive on it… which is confusing as gps will guide you regardless. Fun to walk over on your way to the North end or back bay.

it’s a bridge under construction for the last few hundred years. is anybody working on it? don’t give it your business!

Should be grand. One of the best views of the city (or any city) I’ve ever seen.
The issue is city maintenance, which is poor. The walkways are poorly maintained and narrow.
Great architecture requires upkeep. The city needs to do better.

Yes, that’s right. I have experienced better. This is the most cramped bridge connecting Boston and Cambridge. Parts of it are always under construction and walking the bridge does not accommodate 2 way people traffic. And god forbid some moron who rides a bike takes the sidewalk instead of the street uses it. The view is great but not that much different from any other bridge over the Charles. For regular traffic it’s more functional but this bridge is not pedestrian friendly.

This is my favorite of the three bridges to cross over into Cambridge on foot from. The Mass Ave bridge is too plain, the Science Park bridge is too small, but this one has character. It seems like there has been construction work on this bridge forever, and hopefully that will restore it to most of its former delightful appearance.

It’s all about the view while you’re riding the Redline into the city. Plain & simple.

As far as bridges go, i guess this is alright, but, i mean, is been under some sort of construction for like the past 6 years, my understanding is that its not very safe, at all.
it does have some nice sculptures and junk. i guess.
so, yeah, this is my review of… a bridge…
(i was surprised that it let me check in…)

Yes, I DO have a very real and sincere affection for a bridge. I walk over this bridge several times a week when the weather is decent. If I am in a hurry, I go over in a Red Line Train. I love this bridge.
Read Elmer’s factual description of the Longfellow for some very well-​written information. For me, it’s all about the view and about my delight in walking over the Charles River, with a panoramic scene that changes all the time. The walk from one side to the other takes about eight minutes and is so rewarding that it should be part of any tourist’s agenda while visiting the Boston/​Cambridge area. Why take the train from Kendall/​MIT to Charles/​MGH if you can walk it?
Now that the subject of Longfellow’s poem «The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere» has been immortalized by the unique syntax of a certain female Tea Party patriot, you may be interested in seeing the opening lines painted along the walkway for your reading pleasure. Sidewalk Sam was here.
I don’t let thoughts of mangled history lessons and narcissistic personalities interfere with my walk across the Longfellow Bridge. Instead, I watch the sail boats, kayakers and duck boats and the changing sky. I look at the architecture in Boston and Cambridge. The rumble of the Red Line and the cars that share the bridge with you remind you that you are not alone in sharing this space, but that’s cool. You’ll see lots of other walkers, runners and bikers enjoying the scenery, as well. This is a popular bridge.
Fortunately, the Longfellow Bridge is getting a badly needed makeover. It’s really been neglected and that is very sad. This facelift means some lane changes and minor inconveniences but it will be worth it to get this dignified old beauty back into shape. Hope they do some weeding and get rid of the graffiti and trash.
It may sound totally dumb to admit a genuine affection for an inanimate, non-​breathing structure that can’t carry on a conversation, feed you, entertain you or take you out dancing. But I really feel the love. Yes, I love this bridge.

I do feel quite silly for reviewing a bridge, especially after reading Jack M.‘s tells-​it-​like-​he-​sees-​it «why would you review a *bridge*?» review. Here’s my take on it for walking, running, and views.
Walking:
I like walking over the Longfellow Bridge from Kendall Square to Beacon Hill to my school. It’s a peaceful commute in nice weather, especially with the sunrise overlooking the Charles.
Running:
Good for bridge loops from the Central Square or Back Bay area. I like the hilly incline, though the narrowness of the sidewalks makes it hard to run two abreast (if with a running buddy).
Views:
Museum of Science, Boston skyline with Citgo sign, State House, Pru and John Hancock building. I like seeing the river completely iced over in winter and teeming with MIT sailboats in the summer.

You know the only thing you people should be saying when reviewing a bridge? «I drove my car over it and it didn’t fall down». That’s it. Why, WHY would you review a stupid bridge? Unless it’s one where Washington walked over himself and carved his initials in it, I don’t care! Sometimes this site makes my head hurt.

Distinguished from other bridges by the gigantic salt and pepper shakers and the constant stream of Boston Duck Tour boats. Better to run across than the Mass Ave bridge (a bit less windy). A lovely lovely view of Boston when crossing, either on foot on on the Red Line.

Some people call it Salt and Pepper shaker Bridge

Why do I love the longfellow bridge?
Is it because it allows me to venture into boston on my lunch break? Is it because I always think of salt and pepper shakers when I look at it? Is it because that the bridge is just beautiful, full of history? Is it because from this bridge you get one of the best views of boston? Is it because the bridge has a part in the opening of boondock saints and when I saw that in Kentucky, I got incredibly homesick?
ok… it’s the latter, but that doesn’t mean the former aren’t also true.

The famous Longfellow Bridge, an iconic symbol of Boston, connects Boston with Cambridge, Massachusetts. Some people call it the «Salt and Pepper» Bridge because it has four stone towers that could be said to resemble salt shakers.
The Red Line subway comes above ground before stopping at the Charles/​MGH station; it then crosses this bridge to Cambridge. On that side, the Red Line goes immediately back underground again and then stops at the Kendall/​MIT station.
In addition to the Red Line, which runs in a fenced-​off area in the center, the Longfellow Bridge carries two lanes of vehicular traffic in each direction, and pedestrian sidewalks on both outer sides.
Tragically, in 2008, sections of beautiful, historic ironwork were stolen by Department of Conservation and Recreation employees and sold as scrap metal for a few thousand dollars, where it was melted down and destroyed! Replacing the stolen art-​metal is now estimated to cost nearly a million dollars. (I uploaded pictures that show the bridge before and after the ironwork was removed.)
This senseless and preventable destruction makes me very sad, but it exemplifies the disrespect if not outright contempt those who are charged with overseeing our public infrastructure have for it. It appears obvious to me that their objective is to deliberately allow as much deterioration as possible so that eventually well-​connected friends get handed nice fat contracts for the major reconstruction projects that are ultimately required.
Pedestrian access from Charles Circle is poor, forcing people to walk into the roadway as the bridge ends. However, a construction project currently underway may improve that. (my advice is to cut through the MEEI parking lot if headed towards MGH) The sidewalk on the Eastern side of the bridge (facing the Museum of Science) is much wider than the Western side, but the stairs leading to the Esplanade only connect on that side. There are multiple sets of steps at either end which at first are a little confusing, but once you figure them out become very grand and elegant access points.
I am a fan and frequent crosser of the Longfellow Bridge, usually on foot or bike, sometimes in a car, and occasionally on the Red Line. It is the only bridge in Massachusetts that carries so many modes of transportation. It rates four of my stars for it’s beauty and the generally good service it affords cars, subways, and to a large extent pedestrians. Perhaps one of the things everyone notices are the spectacular panoramic views all crossers are treated to, even while stuck in a stalled Red Line train!

And I thought I’d be the first one to review a bridge! Glad to see there are other nerds on here who at some point had the same idea as I did today: Review a bridge on Unilocal.We should all meet up at the bridge and marvel at its awesomeness. And ours.
For me, there is nothing like the Longfellow Bridge. Well, as far as bridges go, anyway. I mean, I enjoy chocolate, Apple products, rock concerts, and even certain episodes of the Bachelorette more than I enjoy bridges. But for bridge standards, the Longfellow receives highest honors.
Of course it’s a good view. But it’s also a comfortable, walkable bridge. And I have found that the walk between Fenway Park after a ballgame to Central Square (where I live) utilizing the Longfellow Bridge is the most perfect post-​game chill out.
I take this bridge on my way in and out of work every day, and I actually look forward to going in to work simply because I get a few minutes on the bridge. It’s those few minutes where I can just lose myself and stare at the scenery and forget that I have a long day ahead. Yay, conveniently-​located bridge!

Darn right I’m reviewing a bridge. It’s Tuesday. That’s Bridge Review Day.
I take the T or walk over the Longfellow every morning, and it affords me one of my favorite views of the city. The breeze coming over the Charles carries the sounds of the Back Bay and washes over the innumerable runners that make this landmark part of their route.
The issue with the bridge is one of maintenance. One lane is closed on either side as the powers that be test the bridge’s structural integrity. Once they open back up, it’ll be a bridge with a lot of good character and none of that bad character. I hope that day comes soon.

Quoting a reliable source, posted elsewhere on the interweb**…
It’s not just that the Longfellow Bridge is broken and the trains are required to creep over it at 5mph. Not just that you can expect multi minute waits at multiple stations on most rides. Or the uncanny frequency of «electrical problems» or «switching issues» causing thousands of frustrated, sweating riders to squirm uncomfortably in intimate proximity as they waste their mornings and evenings trapped underground. Again.
Nope. It’s that this is happening on a vital piece of urban technology running through one of the densest populations of big brains on the planet (amazingly, less than 200m from the Volpe Transportation Center). And no one can manage to plan and execute a solution that will, in the most optimistic of circumstances, take less than five years and $ 250 million to deliver. In the midst of an incipient energy crisis. Where dependence on efficient and dependable mass transit can only grow.
…The poor, hapless Longfellow looks longingly downstream at the lithe, majestic Zakim/​BHB. You can hear it mumble the litany of neglect, even over the creaking, groaning, stop-​and-​go redline service that drags you across its rusted spine: «Have I not served you faithfully all these long decades? Have I not been beautiful as well as essential to your comings and goings, your countless concerts and celebrations, your daily commutes? Why, oh why have you let it come to this? Why have you mistreated me so? And when are you going to help make me better?»
**

I should point out that the Longfellow’s west side sidewalk (the one on the side where the cars are going into Boston) is blocked off until further notice. In walking the other side, I’ve found that the «going into Cambridge» side is even more expansive, and the walk is still nice. So this is more of an informative thing than anything else, because my review remains for the most part unchanged.