I am pleased to announce that the much-needed renovation and restoration of the historic Longfellow Bridge is finally underway. Drivers and cyclists planning to use the bridge this summer should be aware that construction started yesterday and will begin to ramp up on June 24, when work begins on shifting traffic patterns. Then, in mid-July, significant changes to traffic will occur, like shifting all Cambridge-bound traffic to the Craigie Bridge. Public meetings are being planned for late June and early July in order to provide details on traffic management and monitoring.

Once construction is completed, the new and improved Longfellow Bridge will be significantly more pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly. The big change will be for motorists, as outbound traffic will be confined to one lane to make room for pedestrians and cyclists. Needless to say, this project will protect a historical piece of infrastructure and allow it to continue serving 28,000 vehicles and 90,000 MBTA Red Line commuters per day.

To report issues or concerns or for questions related to construction, please call 617-519-9892 or email longfellowbridge@state.ma.us. You can read more about MassDOT’s rehabilitation of the Longfellow Bridge here. Also, if you have a few minutes, watch the video below to learn more about how the Longfellow will be repaired.