Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Northern Avenue Bridge has spanned the Fort Point Channel since 1908.
But now, it appears headed for the scrap heap.
The city's Department of Public Works has a plan to demolish the bridge, leaving only the concrete masonry piers that hold the bridge up. The bridge hasn't been fully functional for car traffic since 1997, and has been fenced off for pedestrian and bike traffic since 2014.
Whether the bridge would ever be replaced, remains undecided.
While there are people who see the old bridge as a rusting hulk staining Boston's waterfront, others see it as piece of history, evoking nostalgic memories of the city's maritime past. "I'm not sure what they're going to do, but I personally like the way it looks," said one bridge supporter.
"Certainly a reminder of what this area used to be. There's more to life than luxury condos and hotels," she said, in a nod to the Seaport's glitzy, if sterile, reputation.
Another agreed. "It's just kind of Boston and you hate to see something like that come down."
Others who spoke with WBZ NewsRadio called the bridge an eyesore, but virtually everyone wanted the space to become something useful. The concept of a walkway lined with small vendors came up more than once.
Some preservation societies have voiced their disapproval with previous plans to dismantle the bridge, blaming the City of Boston for not properly preserving what they consider a historic landmark.
WBZ NewsRadio's Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.