Anderson Memorial Bridge

Anderson Memorial Bridge connects Allston, a neighborhood of Boston, and Cambridge. The bridge stands on the site of the Great Bridge built in 1662, the first structure to span the Charles River. It brings Boston traffic into Harvard Square and was finished in 1915.NameOften assumed to be named after Larz Anderson, the bridge was actually built by him as a memorial to his father, Nicholas Longworth Anderson. To do so, Anderson was helped by the huge family fortune of his wife, Isabel Weld Perkins. According to the Metropolitan Park Commission of 1913:ConstructionThe bridge was designed by the architectural firm of Wheelwright, Haven and Hoyt and completed under the direction of John R. Rablin, chief engineer for the Metropolitan District Commission.RehabilitationMassDOT rehabilitated the Anderson Memorial Bridge as part of its Accelerated Bridge Program. The project repaired the arches and replaced the parapets, sidewalks, lighting, and the bridge deck. Work began in Spring 2012 and was originally expected to be completed by late 2014. However, delays pushed the full-use date to February 2016, with final completion anticipated in June 2016. The rehabilitated bridge has three lanes of traffic (two northbound and one southbound) and one bicycle lane. The project was projected to cost $19.9 Million.