29 May 2003
Buro Happold develops designs for Boston bridges
Buro Happold bridge engineers are involved in developing designs for two complementary elegant and memorable pedestrian bridges as part of the Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) Project in Boston, the massive public infrastructure scheme currently underway in the US city. Aiming to reduce traffic congestion and improve Boston’s environment, the CA/T Project has been described as ‘the largest, most complex and technologically challenging highway project ever attempted in American history.’
A joint venture of Carol R. Johnson Associates, Greenman-Pedersen, Vollmer Associates and Ammann & Whitney invited Buro Happold to assist in developing concepts for the two bridges as part of the $20m New Charles River Basin Surface Restoration and Pedestrian Bridges Project for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority and the Metropolitan District Commission. Comprising the design of two pedestrian/cycleway bridges and about 19 acres of parkland along the north and south banks of the Charles River the project will connect the Northern Gateway to Boston with parks above the new underground CA/T Project highway.
The landmark bridges, each about 40m long, will cross two railway lines and the Charles River in Boston. The cost of the bridges is estimated to be between $7m and $9m. Concept design will be complete by the end of summer 2003, detailed design should be complete by spring 2004 and construction of the bridges is likely to commence in early 2005. The Buro Happold bridge engineering team is assisted by Hakes Associates Architects.
Background information for editors:
More information on the CA/T Project at http://www.bigdig.com
Press office and practice information
Buro Happold is a multi-disciplinary international practice of consulting engineers established in 1976 offering civil and structural engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, quantity surveying, building services and environmental engineering, health and safety management, infrastructure and traffic engineering, ground engineering, façade engineering, fire engineering, computational fluid dynamics analysis, disability design consultancy, project management, urban design and a range of specialist CAD services.
