Anderson Memorial Bridge
Rehabilitation Project
Boston/Cambridge
MEPA
MEPA Meeting,
Meeting, EEA#14702
EEA#14702
Wednesday,
Wednesday, March
March 2,
2, 2011
2011
6:30
6:30 PM
PM
Dr.
Dr. Martin
Martin Luther
Luther King,
King, Jr.
Jr. School
School
100
100 Putnam
Putnam Avenue,
Avenue,
Cambridge,
MA
Cambridge, MA
Rendering by: Walt Baranowski –
Brown, Richardson & Rowe
Anderson
Anderson Memorial
Memorial Bridge
Bridge
re
e
St
JF
K
Anderson
Memorial Bridge
t
Key
Key Plan
Plan
Charles River
No
rth
Ha
rv
ar
d
St
.
Harvard Stadium
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Weeks
Pedestrian
Bridge
Existing Bridge
• 100-year old three-span
earth filled concrete arch
• 440 feet long
• Two 10-foot lanes each way
• 10-foot sidewalks on each
side of the bridge
• Built in 1913
• Context and Historic
Significance of Bridge
– Listed on State and National
Registers of Historic Places
– Integral component of historic
Charles River Basin
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Existing Condition
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Cultural Resources
• Entire Area has Historic
Significance
– Charles River Basin – National
Register Historic District
– Anderson Memorial Bridge
– Area buildings and structures
– JFK Memorial Park
• Rehabilitation must meet
the ‘Standards for the
Treatment of Historic
Properties’
This
This isis the
the site
site of
of the
the “Great
“Great Bridge”
Bridge” (opened
(opened
in
in 1662)
1662) which
which was
was considered
considered the
the first
first
bridge
bridge of
of consequence
consequence built
built in
in America.
America.
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Bridge Alternatives
• Alternatives Considered:
–
–
–
–
No Build
New Concrete Arches
New Superstructure over Rehabilitated Arches
Rehabilitate Arches
• Preferred Alternative was
Rehabilitation of Existing Arches
– Most Cost Effective Alternative
– Meets User Needs
– Protects Historic Resources
Traffic Layout Options
Traffic Options Considered:
•
Two lanes southbound on bridge and one lane northbound with:
–
–
•
Two lanes northbound on bridge and one lane southbound with:
–
–
–
•
all turns allowed at JFK/Memorial Drive
turn prohibitions at JFK/Memorial Drive
all turns allowed at JFK/Memorial Drive
turn prohibitions at JFK/Memorial Drive
Southbound left turn prohibited at JFK/Memorial Drive
Closing Soldiers Field Road westbound on-ramp to Traffic (except
emergency use);
Note: All alternatives included 5 foot-wide bike lanes on bridge.
Preferred Alternative:
Two lanes northbound on bridge and one lane southbound. This
alternative enhances safety, minimizes vehicular conflicts at
intersections and provides cross section continuity along the North
Harvard Street corridor.
Traffic Improvements
• 3 Traffic Lanes (2 northbound / 1 southbound)
• Addition of Bikes Lanes on bridge to match
North Harvard Street
• Signal and Intersection Improvements
• Elimination of ‘delta islands’ to improve
pedestrian safety
• Prohibiting left turns at the JFK/Memorial Drive
intersection will eliminate conflicts and
improves safety at the intersection
Existing Cross Section
Existing Conditions
• 60 Foot Bridge Width
• 40 Foot Roadway Width (4 lanes)
• 2 – 10 foot Wide Sidewalks (For
Pedestrians and Bicyclists)
Volumes
• 1655/1810 VPH (AM/PM)
• 145/222 BPH (AM/PM)
• 355/877 PPH (AM/PM)
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Proposed Cross Section
LOOKING NORTH
Existing Conditions
• 60 Feet Bridge Width
• 40 Feet Roadway Width (4 lanes)
• 20 Feet for Pedestrians and
Bicyclists
Proposed
• 60 Feet Bridge Width
• 31.5 Feet for Vehicles (3 lanes)
• 28.5 Feet for Pedestrians and
Bicyclists
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Alternatives for Bike and
Pedestrian Accommodations
• Feasibility Study Conducted by FST to
evaluate Underpass Options
• Alternatives 1A, 1B, 3A, and 3B - concrete
underpasses through the approach walls
– Reduces conflict between bicycles and pedestrians and
vehicular traffic but has undesired effect of
• Adverse Effect to historical bridge and parkland (including loss
of stairway in Alternatives 1A & B)
• Increased impacts to bank, BLSF, Riverfront Area, and
potentially LUW
• Loss of parkland
• Anticipated increased cost and schedule delays
Underpass through Approach Wall
(Boston Side)
Underpass through Approach Wall –
(Cambridge Side)
Alternatives for Bike and
Pedestrian Accommodations
• Alternatives 2 and 4 - boardwalk options
– Reduces conflict between bicycles and pedestrians and
vehicular traffic but has undesired effect of
•
•
•
•
Adverse Effect to historic district
Increased impacts to River and LUW
Loss of navigable waterway and increased conflict for boaters
Anticipated increased cost and schedule delays
Boardwalk through Arch
Boardwalk through Arch
CROSS SECTION THRU EXTERIOR ARCH
Alternatives for Bike and
Pedestrian Accommodations
• No Build Alternative would not address recognized conflicts
between multiple users.
– MassDOT made the decision to expand the project scope to include the
intersections and bicycle and pedestrian improvements
• Preferred Alternative offers at grade improvements.
– Accommodates multiple uses and improves the safety of bicycle and
pedestrian users
– Avoids increased negative impacts to resources regulated under WPA,
Chapter 91, ACOE, and USCG
– Avoids an Adverse Effect to historic bridge and district
– Is consistent with MassDOT’s principals of Context Sensitive Design
– Has significantly less negative impacts to the adjacent parkland and the
Charles River and associated resource areas
Proposed Improvements
N
MEMORIAL DR
Memorial Drive/JFK Street
•Both Memorial Drive left turns
•JFK Street southbound left turns
•North Harvard northbound lefts
•Modify bridge cross section to
include bike lanes, 1 southbound
travel lane, and 2 northbound
travel lanes
JFK STREET
W
AT
BO
D SE
EL OU
H
CHARLES
RIVER
•Prohibit left turns
•Implement concurrent
pedestrian phasing and LPI,
rather than exclusive phasing
used today
•Modify traffic signal timing and
phasing and upgrade equipment
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Proposed Improvements
Soldiers Field Road/North Harvard Street
N
MP
P
ON-RAM
OFF-RA
•Modify bridge cross section to
include bike lanes, 1 southbound
lane, and 2 northbound lanes
•Add turn lane from Soldiers Field
Road eastbound off-ramp onto
North Harvard St northbound
NORTH HARVARD ST
MP
OFF-RA
P
ON-RAM
S FIELD
SOLDIER
•Improve corner radius and
eliminate raised “Delta” islands for
enhanced pedestrian mobility
CHARLES
RIVER
RD
•Modify signal timing, phasing, and
upgrade traffic signal to include
leading pedestrian intervals
Proposed Improvements
Soldiers Field Road/North Harvard Street
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Proposed Improvements
Soldiers Field Road/North Harvard Street
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Improved Pedestrian Access
5’-0”
Existing
6’’--6”
16’
Proposed
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Stormwater Improvements
• Existing roadway drainage directly
discharges to the Charles River
• Opportunity to improve water quality and
minimize impacts of stormwater runoff
• Address objectives of:
– MassDOT Impaired Waterbodies Program
– Lower the Charles River Total Maximum Daily
Load (TMDL) Implementation Plan
– DEP Stormwater Management Standards
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Stormwater Management
(Best Management Practices/BMP’s)
JFK Street
L D SE
WE HOU
AT
BO
Proposed Outlet
and Stone Apron
PART PLAN – CAMBRIDGE SIDE
• Deep Sump Catch
Basins with hoods
• Deep Sump Manholes
with hoods
• Subsurface Infiltration
System
– Leaching structures
• Replace outfall
– New pipe, outlet
treatment & stone apron
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Landscape
Restoration
Landscape Benefits
Restore park landscape after bridge
rehabilitation in manner consistent
with goals of DCR’s Master Plan for
the Charles River Basin.
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Trees in Cambridge
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Trees in Boston
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Landscape Restoration
N
• Plant new
deciduous
shade trees to
replace trees
that need to be
removed in
order to
rehabilitate
bridge.
• Protect trees to
remain.
Plant new trees
along path.
Replace paths damaged
during construction.
Protect Plane Trees
along Memorial
Drive.
Protect 3 Lindens
near boathouse
Plant new
trees to one
side of bridge.
• Aerate soil.
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
MEPA ENF Thresholds
• Tree removal - more than 5 trees with
a diameter at breast height of 14
inches or more
• State permits required and impacts to
Riverfront Area that exceed 0.5 acres
Environmental Impacts
Charles River
TEMP & PERM
IMPACTS, TYP
PLAN – PROJECT LIMITS
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
PROJECT LIMIT
OF WORK
LEGEND:
PERM ALT.
TEMP ALT. LUW
TEMP ALT. 25’ RFA
Environmental
Impacts
TEMP ALT. BLSF
Charles River
PLAN – ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
(BOSTON SIDE)
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Environmental
Impacts
LEGEND:
PERM ALT.
TEMP ALT. LUW
TEMP ALT. 25’ RFA
TEMP ALT. BLSF
D SE
EL OU
W H
AT
O
B
Charles River
PLAN – ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
(CAMBRIDGE SIDE)
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
RFA
100
FT
LEGEND:
PERM ALT.
TEMP ALT. 25’ RFA
25 F
T
TEMP ALT. BLSF
RFA
TEMP ALT. LUW
BLSF (EL. 4.0)
OWH (EL. 2.2)
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Summary of Environmental Impacts
• Permanent Alterations
required for:
– Protection of bridge abutment
– Outlet and stone apron for
outfall
• Temporary Alterations:
– LUW required for restoration of
stone along riverbank
– 25’ RFA required for loam and
seeding
– BLSF resetting and
supplementing displaced and
missing riverfront stones
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
List of Anticipated Permits
• MA Wetlands Protection Act Order of
Conditions (Boston and Cambridge)
• Section 106 Federal Historic Review
• MWRA 8(m) Permit
• ACOE Category 2 Programmatic General
Permit
– Required because the outfall consists of new
construction below ordinary high water
• MA DCR Construction Access Permit
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Summary of Project Benefits
• Rehabilitate deteriorated historic
bridge structure
• Improve traffic intersections
• Provide bike lanes across bridge and
improve bike and pedestrian
movement along river corridor
• Stormwater Improvements
• Landscaping and park restoration of
impacted areas consistent with the
Charles River Basin Master Plan
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
Project Contact
Information
• Tracy Osimboni, MassDOT Highway Division Project
Manager: Tracy.osimboni@State.ma.us
• Stephanie Boundy, Public Outreach Coordinator:
Stephanie.Boundy@State.ma.us
•
•
•
•
www.mass.gov/massdot
www.mass.gov/blog/transportation
www.twitter.com/massdot
www.mass.gov/massdot/charlesriverbridges
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011
MEPA PROCESS
Comments due to MEPA on Friday, March 4, 2011.
Secretary Certificate issued on March 11, 2011.
Written comments on the ENF should be sent to:
Secretary Richard K. Sullivan, Jr.
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Attn: MEPA Office
Deidre Buckley, EEA No. 14702
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114
Written comments on the ENF should be sent to:
MassDOT, Highway Division
Environmental Services
Attn: Beth Suedmeyer
10 Park Plaza, Room 4260
Boston, MA 02116-3973
Secretary’s Certificate
Discussion
Anderson Memorial Bridge Rehabilitation Project
MEPA Public Meeting I March 2, 2011