Tobin Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tobin Bridge |
|
|---|---|
The Tobin Bridge viewed from East Boston in 2009
|
|
| Coordinates | 42°23′05″N 71°02′51″W / 42.38483°N 71.04755°W |
| Carries | 6 lanes (3 upper, 3 lower) of  US 1 |
| Crosses | Mystic River |
| Locale | Charlestown–Chelsea, Massachusetts |
| Official name | Maurice J. Tobin Memorial Bridge |
| Maintained by | MassDOT |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | 3-span double-deck cantilevered truss |
| Material | steel |
| Total length | 11,906 feet (3,629 m) |
| Width | 36 feet (11 m) |
| Height | 254 feet (77 m) |
| Longest span | 800 feet (240 m) |
| Clearance below | 135 feet (41 m) |
| History | |
| Construction begin | April 12, 1948 |
| Opened | February 27, 1950 |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | $2.50 (E-ZPass); $3.00 (pay-by-plate) (2023) |
The Maurice J. Tobin Memorial Bridge, often called the Tobin Bridge, is a huge bridge in Massachusetts, United States. It used to be known as the Mystic River Bridge. This amazing structure stretches over 2 miles (about 3.2 kilometers) across the Mystic River.
It connects Boston to Chelsea. The Tobin Bridge is the longest bridge in all of New England. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation manages it, and it carries U.S. Route 1. Workers built the bridge between 1948 and 1950, and it opened on February 2, 1950. It took the place of an older bridge called the Chelsea Bridge. The bridge has two levels, each with three lanes for traffic. Cars heading north use the lower level, and cars heading south use the upper level.
Contents
What is the Tobin Bridge Like?
The Tobin Bridge is a special type of bridge called a cantilevered truss bridge. It has three main sections, or spans, that connect together. The longest part in the middle is about 800 feet (244 meters) long. The highest point of the bridge's frame is about 115 feet (35 meters) tall.
To reach the main part of the bridge, there are many smaller sections called approach spans. There are 36 of these on the north side and 32 on the south side. The road on the bridge is wide enough for seven lanes in some areas. This wider section used to be where people paid tolls.
A Look Back at the Bridge's History
The Old Chelsea Bridge
Long ago, people traveled between Boston and Chelsea using a ferry boat. In 1803, a road called the Salem Turnpike was built. It included a bridge over the Mystic River, which became known as the Chelsea Bridge. This bridge had parts that could open to let boats pass.
Over the years, the Chelsea Bridge changed a lot. In 1858, horse-drawn trolleys started using it. Later, electric streetcars replaced the horse trolleys in the 1890s. The bridge also became state property in 1869, so people no longer had to pay a toll to cross it.
Changes for Trains and Roads
In the late 1800s, train companies built new tracks and a large port near the bridge. This caused problems because the train tracks crossed the road, making it hard for cars and trolleys to get by. To fix this, a raised road, called a viaduct, was built.
This viaduct lifted the road about 20 feet (6 meters) above the train tracks. It was very long, about 2,777 feet (846 meters). The viaduct opened to streetcars in 1895 and to all traffic later that year. This made travel much smoother and safer for everyone.
New Opening Sections for Boats
Over time, the parts of the bridge that opened for boats (called draw spans) needed to be replaced and made wider. This was important because bigger ships needed to pass through the river. In 1900, a new, wider draw span opened.
Then, in 1913, an even bigger steel swing span was built. It was so large that it was called the biggest bridge span in New England at the time. This huge section could turn to create two wide channels for ocean-going ships. Later, in 1924, the south draw span was also replaced with a modern bascule bridge, which had leaves that lifted up.
By the 1930s, the north part of the Chelsea Bridge needed major repairs. It closed for a while in 1935 and reopened later that year. When it reopened, it no longer had tracks for streetcars. Buses took over the routes that the streetcars used to run.
Building the Tobin Bridge
The idea for a new, bigger bridge came about in the 1940s. The new bridge was first managed by a group called the Mystic River Bridge Authority. The plan was for the bridge to become part of the state highway system and be free of tolls once the construction loans were paid off.
The old Chelsea Bridge stayed in place for a while, but parts of it were eventually removed. In 1951, a sad accident happened when a car drove onto a closed section of the old bridge and fell into the river. The remaining parts of the old bridge were taken down in the mid-1950s.
Recent Events and Changes
In 1967, the Mystic River Bridge was renamed the Maurice J. Tobin Memorial Bridge. This honored Maurice J. Tobin, who was a mayor of Boston and governor of Massachusetts. He was governor when construction of the bridge began.
In 1983, the bridge started collecting tolls only in one direction to help with traffic. The toll for southbound traffic doubled. In 2010, the bridge's management moved to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT).
In 2014, the toll booths were removed, and the bridge switched to all-electronic tolling. This means cameras read license plates, or drivers use an E-ZPass transponder. Now, tolls are collected in both directions, but they are smaller.
MassDOT announced a big project in 2017 to fix up the bridge. This three-year project, costing over $41 million, involved repairing the bridge deck, fixing steel parts, and painting sections of the bridge. This work happened from April to November in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
Bridge Safety and Incidents
Bridges like the Tobin Bridge are very important for travel, but they also need to be safe. In 1973, an accident happened when a truck crashed into a support on the lower deck. This caused part of the upper deck to collapse. The bridge was closed for more than two months for repairs.
Authorities are always working to keep people safe on the bridge. MassDOT employees watch security cameras and look for any vehicles that stop on the bridge. This helps them respond quickly to any problems.
