Carlton Street Footbridge
Video
Interview with Dr. Charles E. Beveridge about the Carlton Street Footbridge Dr. Charles E. Beveridge, an American social and urban historian, is the leading scholar and author on the work of Frederick Law Olmsted and the series editor of the 12-volume papers of Frederick Law Olmsted now in preparation. He has received numerous grants and awards, and has served as historical consultant for landscapes and master plans across the nation. Hugh Mattison |
Brief History
Written by Hugh Mattison, Brookline Activist and Town Meeting Member
The Carlton Street Footbridge, designed in 1894 by Alexis French, Brookline first Town Engineer, is a Pratt pony truss footbridge, 108' long and 10' wide. The bridge is the Olmsted-designed entrance connecting Brookline's Longwood neighborhood to Riverway Park, and has been closed for over 40 years.
Plans and funding are complete, with bidding to start in Fall 2020 through MassDOT (project #606316).
We are soliciting expressions of interest in bidding in whole or in part for this project. Send to hmattison@aol.com.
As of June 2021, the bridge is being restored by Aetna Bridge Co. (Warwick, RI). For updates, email hmattison@aol.com.
Facts
- Overview
- Pony truss bridge over the railroad tracks on a pedestrian walkway between Carlton Street and Riverway Park
- Location
- Brookline, Norfolk County, Massachusetts
- Status
- Closed to all traffic
- History
- Built 1894; closed to pedestrians in 1976
- Builders
- - Alexis French (Design)
- Frederick Law Olmsted (Architect)
- Railroads
- - Boston & Albany Railroad (BA)
- Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
- New York Central Railroad (NYC)
- Design
- Pratt pony truss
- Dimensions
-
Total length: 108.0 ft.
- Recognition
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +42.34321, -71.10779 (decimal degrees)
42°20'36" N, 71°06'28" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 19/326375/4690034 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Boston South
- Inventory number
- BH 44173 (Bridgehunter.com ID)
Update Log
- July 20, 2021: New photos from Hugh Mattison
- July 3, 2021: New photos from Hugh Mattison
- August 17, 2020: Essay added by Hugh Mattison
- July 28, 2020: New photo from Geoff Hubbs
- July 26, 2014: New Street View added by Luke
- July 26, 2014: New photos from Ian Martin
- February 19, 2010: Added by James Baughn
Sources
- Geoff Hubbs
- Opponents seek to derail funding for controversial Brookline footbridge - Feb. 18, 2010
- Ian Martin
- Luke
- Hugh Mattison - hmattison [at] aol [dot] com
Comments
See 7-minute video at www.tinyurl.com/csf-beveridge. Restoration is funded with construction planned for 2021.
Dr. Charles E. Beveridge, an American social and urban historian, is the leading scholar and author on the work of Frederick Law Olmsted and the series editor of the 12-volume papers of Frederick Law Olmsted now in preparation. He has received numerous grants and awards, and has served as historical consultant for landscapes and master plans across the nation.
Looks like restoration might be proceeding: http://www.mhd.state.ma.us/ProjectInfo/Main.asp?ACTION=ViewP...
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/ma/norfolk/bh44173/
May 15, 2021 UpdateL
In April-May 2021, the MBTA right-of-way area along Carlton Path has been cleared of trees. Fencing along the park side has been installed. Bridge and foundation removal is planned for June 12-20 by a crane operating from the Riverway Park side of the MBTA tracks. See overview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93coZWUj7xY