DCR Closes Longfellow Sidewalk For The Fourth

The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Friday closed the sidewalk on the west side of the Longfellow Bridge until further notice, after an inspection late Thursday night discovered a support beam in need of immediate repair. Pedestrians will be detoured to the opposite sidewalk, which remains open.

The inspection was conducted by DCR engineers after a consultant’s report determined that load distributions on the sidewalks should continue to be evaluated. The DCR inspection revealed that the upstream sidewalk (the side carrying Cambridge-to-Boston vehicular traffic) needed to be closed to all pedestrians due to serious deterioration of a steel support structure under the sidewalk.

“Nothing is more important to this agency than public safety,” said DCR Commissioner Richard K. Sullivan Jr. “We have been conducting inspections and repairs on the Longfellow bridge nearly every day since last August, and the minute we see a problem, we take the action necessary to protect the public.’’

On April 30, the engineering firm of Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH) began conducting load testing on the Longfellow Bridge sidewalks. The portions of the bridge tested, which did not include the segment where the deteriorated support beam was discovered last night, showed they were capable of supporting normal loads. But in a report DCR received this week, SGH suggested large crowds should not be allowed to gather on the sidewalks without further load testing. Specifically, SGH recommended that the sidewalks be closed for the Fourth of July celebration.

“Based on the SGH recommendation and today’s decision on the sidewalk, DCR will close the entire Longfellow Bridge to spectators on July 4,” Sullivan said. “We recognize this is an enormously popular local, and even national, event, but our top priority is ensuring public safety.”

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