Leverett Circle Connector Bridge

Leverett Circle Connector
Leverett Circle Connection, c. 2005
Coordinates42°22′09″N 71°03′53″W / 42.36909°N 71.06459°W / 42.36909; -71.06459
Carrieshighway access ramp
CrossesCharles River
LocaleBoston, Massachusetts
Characteristics
Designsteel box girder bridge
Total length1.7 miles (2.7 km)[1]
History
OpenedOctober 7, 1999 (October 7, 1999)
Location
Map

The Leverett Circle Connector Bridge is a 1.7 mile-long highway bridge over the Charles River in Boston, Massachusetts, carrying two lanes each of northbound and southbound traffic. It connects to Interstate 93 (I-93) at the northern end (exit 18, formerly 26 from I-93 south) and splits at the southern end, providing direct access to both Storrow Drive and Leverett Circle in Boston. Going northbound, there is also a fork which provides access to the City Square Tunnel under Charlestown to proceed on U.S. Route 1 (US 1) northbound via the Tobin Bridge.

The span was built in conjunction with the more dramatic Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge as part of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, widely known as the Big Dig. During construction, the Leverett Circle Connector Bridge was sometimes called "Baby Bridge".[2] The bridge opened for traffic on October 7, 1999,[3] at a cost of $22.27 million (equivalent to $38.3 million in 2023[4]).[5]

Also known as the Storrow Drive Connector, it is the largest steel box girder bridge in the United States. It was the winner of a July 2001 National Steel Bridge Alliance (NSBA) "prize bridge" award.[6] Its weaving design[further explanation needed] was determined by the other major structures involved in the Big Dig but unlike other parts of the project, it was finished eight days ahead of schedule.[5]

Major intersections

The entire route is in Boston, Suffolk County. All exits are unnumbered.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
West End0.00.0
 Route 28 north (O'Brien Highway) – Leverett Circle, North Station		At-grade intersection; North Station access via Nashua Street
0.20.32

 Route 28 south / Route 3 north (Storrow Drive)		Southbound exit and northbound entrance; no commercial vehicles
Charles River0.4–
0.5		0.64–
0.80		Bridge
Charlestown0.71.1
 US 1 north (Tobin Bridge) – Revere		E-ZPass or pay-by-mail tolls on bridge; loop ramp via City Square Tunnel
1.72.7
 I-93 north – Concord, NH		Exit 18 on I-93; Somerville city line
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
  • Leverett Circle as seen behind North Station during Big Dig construction.
    Leverett Circle as seen behind North Station during Big Dig construction.
  • Part of the rebuilt connector bridge at right.
    Part of the rebuilt connector bridge at right.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Leverett Circle Connector" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved June 2, 2019.
  2. ^ Howe, Peter J. (August 10, 1998). "Masterpiece or monster". Boston Globe. p. C3.
  3. ^ "Leonard P Zakim-Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge (I-93 and US 1)". Boston Roads.[self-published source]
  4. ^ Johnston, Louis; Williamson, Samuel H. (2023). "What Was the U.S. GDP Then?". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved November 30, 2023. United States Gross Domestic Product deflator figures follow the MeasuringWorth series.
  5. ^ a b "MTA - the Charles River Bridges". Archived from the original on November 21, 2008. Retrieved December 5, 2008.
  6. ^ "National Steel Bridge Alliance 2001 Prize Bridge Award Winner: Medium Long Span Storrow Drive Connector Bridge". Modern Steel Construction. October 2001. Archived from the original on May 6, 2003. Retrieved January 15, 2022.