Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge |
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(2011)
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| Coordinates | 42°22′08″N 71°03′48″W / 42.36889°N 71.06333°W |
| Carries | 10 lanes of   I‑93 / US 1 |
| Crosses | Charles River, MBTA Orange Line |
| Locale | Boston, Massachusetts (North End-Charlestown) |
| Official name | Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge |
| Owner | Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
| Maintained by | Massachusetts Department of Transportation |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Hybrid Steel and Concrete Cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 1,432 ft (436 m) |
| Width | 183 ft (56 m) |
| Height | 270 ft (82 m) |
| Longest span | 745 ft (227 m) |
| Clearance below | 40 ft (12 m) |
| History | |
| Construction cost | $105 million |
| Opened | March 30, 2003 (northbound) December 20, 2003 (southbound) |
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The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge is a famous bridge in Boston, Massachusetts. It is often called the "Zakim Bridge" or "Bunker Hill Bridge". This cable-stayed bridge was finished in 2003. It crosses the Charles River and replaced an older bridge from the 1950s.
The Zakim Bridge is a very important part of Boston's road system. It carries ten lanes of traffic for Interstate 93 and U.S. Route 1. Four lanes go north and four lanes go south. Two extra lanes hang off the side, carrying traffic from the Sumner Tunnel and the North End. These lanes join the main highway north of the bridge. I-93 heads towards New Hampshire, and US 1 goes northeast towards Massachusetts' North Shore.
This bridge was a big part of the "Big Dig" project. The Big Dig was the largest highway construction project in the United States. The northbound lanes of the bridge opened in March 2003. The southbound lanes opened in December of the same year. The bridge's unique shape quickly became a symbol for Boston. You can often see it in the background of TV news or on souvenirs.
The Leverett Circle Connector Bridge was built at the same time as the Zakim Bridge. It helps some traffic get around the Zakim Bridge.
Contents
How the Bridge Was Designed
The Zakim Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge. This means its road deck is held up by strong cables that run directly from the road to tall towers. This is different from a suspension bridge, where the road hangs from cables slung between towers. Cable-stayed bridges have been common in Europe since World War II. However, they are newer to North America.
The idea for the bridge came from Swiss civil engineer Christian Menn. He worked with bridge designer Miguel Rosales. The engineering was done by Ruchu Hsu with Parsons Brinckerhoff. Wallace Floyd Associates helped with the architecture and got the community involved in the design. The main engineers were Theodore Zoli, Sajal Banerjee, and W. Denney Pate.
The bridge has a special design. Besides the eight main lanes that go through the towers, two extra northbound lanes hang outside the main cables. The bridge's look is meant to remind people of the Bunker Hill Monument tower, which is nearby. The white cables look like the ropes on the USS Constitution, a famous ship docked close by.
The MBTA Orange Line's Haymarket North Extension train tunnel runs underneath the bridge.
What's in a Name?
The bridge's full name honors two important things. It remembers Leonard P. Zakim, a leader from Boston who worked for civil rights. He believed in "building bridges between peoples." It also honors the Battle of Bunker Hill, a famous battle from the American Revolution.
At first, the governor wanted to name it the "Freedom Bridge." But in 2000, after Leonard Zakim passed away, many religious leaders asked for his name to be included. People from Charlestown wanted the name to focus on "Bunker Hill" because the bridge's design looked like the nearby monument.
After some discussions, the Boston City Council, the Massachusetts State Legislature, and community groups agreed on the current name. Just like the Hoover Dam, different people sometimes use different shorter names for the bridge.
Public Art and Green Spaces
Building the Zakim Bridge meant changing parts of the Charles River shoreline. This process also created new public spaces under the bridge. These areas were designed by Carol R. Johnson Associates.
Under the bridge, you can find a series of cool artworks made of stainless steel and lights. They are called Five Beacons for the Lost Half Mile.
People can walk or bike from Charlestown to Cambridge using the nearby North Bank Pedestrian Bridge. This bridge connects to North Point Park. It is also part of the Charles River Bike Path.
Dedication Ceremony
The bridge was officially dedicated on October 4, 2002. The ceremony took place right on the new bridge. Speakers included members of Leonard Zakim's family and government officials. The singer Bruce Springsteen also performed his song "Thunder Road" at the event.
Before his song, Springsteen spoke about Leonard Zakim. He said that Zakim was a person whose strong spirit you could feel, even when he was very sick. Springsteen added that people honor Zakim's memory not just with the beautiful bridge, but by continuing his fight for fairness and justice.
Gallery
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A night view of the bridge from the Lechmere Viaduct.
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A close-up of the cables and tower.
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A view of the bridge from the road.
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Looking south on the bridge towards Boston.
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Traffic on the bridge near the TD Garden.
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A view of the bridge from Paul Revere Park in Charlestown.
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Looking up at the bridge from underneath.
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The bridge seen from a Charles River tour boat.
Images for kids
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The bridge and the northern part of the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.
