Bridging the Gap

The steel vertical lift replacement of the temporary Fore River Bridge is taking shape at an estimated  cost of $244 million.  It is scheduled to open for traffic at the end of 2017.

Long Island Bridge Is Falling Down . . .

Looking across frozen Quincy Bay you can now see the egg-shaped digesters that are part of the Deer Island Sewerage Treatment facility.  The Long Island Bridge is coming down, one span at a time and will gradually reveal a new seascape for Wollaston Beach goers.

Singing In The Rain

"Brelli" in hand, this man is taking a rainy day stroll on Spectacle Island . . . I can help but think of that song that Gene Kelly made famous.  Long Island Bridge in Quincy Bay can just barely be seen through the fog.

Rusty Trusses

The Long Island Bridge is a 16-span, approximately 3,500 foot-long structure carrying a two-lane road between Long Island to the north and Moon Island to the south in Boston Harbor. One must drive through Quincy to get there. The bridge not only looks to be in need of paint but inspection work performed from a barge-mounted bucket and from snoopers working from the roadway found that many of the vertical members of the trusses were rusted through. Several floor beams were no longer supporting the deck above. Severe load restrictions and partial lane closures have been instituted to help prevent any future structural failures.

There were missing pieces of concrete 4 decades ago when I rode my bike across the bridge . . . making for a scary bike ride. Wouldn't it be great to put some people back to work fixing bridges like this one? There are so many public works projects that need to be done.

The Neponset

The Neponset River separates Quincy and Boston. More than 70,000 people commute across the Neponset River Bridge on work days. The bridge was built in 1970 and is undergoing major repair work slowing everyone's commute.

Icy Reflection

This is the area where commuter boats depart for Boston. Yesterday, I took a winter harbor cruise of the Boston Harbor Islands. It was fun, frigid, and photo filled. I will share a few of my captures in upcoming posts.

For more information on the Fore River Bridge click here.

Down Under

Bridge work is very disruptive to 70,700 vehicles that cross this bridge daily, but it is long overdue. The new piers are in place and now the 40-year-old Neponset River Bridge, which connects Quincy to Boston, will receive a new deck along with some other work.

You can get more information on local road and bridge work HERE.

Repair Down Under

A 3-year repair project has begun on the 40-year old Neponset River Bridge connecting Quincy to Boston. You are looking at a jacked-up stairway to the bridge.

Industrial photos seem to lend themselves to monochrome. This is my entry to the Monochrome Weekend group. You can see other monochrome images from around the world HERE.

Fog and Steel

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The Fore River bridge connects Quincy with the neighboring coastal town of Weymouth. The vertical lift bridge looks a bit eerie as the late afternoon sun penetrates a fog bank. Click here to view more "Monday monochromes".

Metal Too

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This picture of the Fore River Bridge was my runner up for "Metal" theme day photo yesterday. The angle of this vertical lift bridge is from the water underneath.

Portage

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This stairway is on the side of the Neponset Bridge. It looks like it could use some maintenance work.

Fore River Bridge

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Fore River Bridge heading over to Weymouth. The current bridge, a vertical lift bridge, is technically a temporary structure, replacing the old draw bridge. It consists of 22 approach spans, 210 - foot (64 meter) – long vertical lift spans, and a total length of over 2500 feet (763 meters). The lift spans rise to 172 feet (52 meters) above the water.

Theme Day - Bridges

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Today is theme day for over 100 Daily City Photoblogs. My bridge is the Neponset River Bridge which connects Quincy with Boston. Below are the photoblogs participating in theme day. Visit as many as you can, leave comments, and have fun.

Boston (MA), USA - San Diego (CA), USA - Stayton (OR), USA - New York City (NY), USA - Portland (OR), USA - Montego Bay, Jamaica - Inverness (IL), USA - Singapore, Singapore - Stockholm, Sweden - Setúbal, Portugal - Brussels, Belgium - Phoenix (AZ), USA - Seattle (WA), USA - Hyde, UK - Manila, Philippines - Fort Lauderdale (FL), USA - London, England - Austin (TX), USA - Toulouse, France - Weston (FL), USA - Sesimbra, Portugal - Selma (AL), USA - Silver Spring (MD), USA - Saarbrücken, Germany - Cleveland (OH), USA - Crystal Lake (IL), USA - American Fork (UT), USA - Seoul, South Korea - Kyoto, Japan - Tokyo, Japan - Norwich (Norfolk), UK - North Bay (ON), Canada - Arradon, France - Paderborn, Germany - Durban, South Africa - Philadelphia (PA), USA - Cypress (TX), USA - Cottage Grove (MN), USA - Prague, Czech Republic - Portland (OR), USA - Greenville (SC), USA - Boston (MA), USA - Port Angeles (WA), USA - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Wichita (Ks), USA - Saint Paul (MN), USA - Petaling Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Grenoble, France - New York City (NY), USA - Nottingham, UK - Hobart (Tasmania), Australia - Arlington (VA), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Miami (FL), USA - Cheltenham, UK - Albuquerque (NM), USA - Saratoga Spgs. (NY), USA - Las Vegas (NV), USA - Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Nashville (TN), USA - Torun, Poland - New Orleans (LA), USA - Port Elizabeth, South Africa - Melbourne, Australia - Moscow, Russia - Trujillo, Peru - Château-Gontier, France - Quincy (MA), USA - Melbourne, Australia - Port Vila, Vanuatu - Joplin (MO), USA - Bellefonte (PA), USA - Brookville (OH), USA - Chateaubriant, France - Chandler (AZ), USA - Stavanger, Norway - Baziège, France - Auckland, New Zealand - Wellington, New Zealand - Ocean Township (NJ), USA - Subang Jaya (Selangor), Malaysia - Detroit (MI), USA - Riga, Latvia - Nelson, New Zealand - Budapest, Hungary - Cape Town, South Africa - Sydney, Australia - Dunedin (FL), USA - Sofia, Bulgaria - Radonvilliers, France - Turin, Italy - Montpellier, France - Kansas City (MO), USA - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Haninge, Sweden - Wailea (HI), USA - Lubbock (TX), USA - Rabaul, Papua New Guinea - Terrell (TX), USA - Mexico City, Mexico - Saint-Petersburg, Russian Federation - Budapest, Hungary - Montréal (QC), Canada - Sharon (CT), USA - Le Guilvinec, France - Jefferson City (MO), USA - Saigon, Vietnam - London, UK - Crepy-en-Valois, France - Orlando (FL), USA - Maple Ridge (BC), Canada - Paris, France - Mainz, Germany - Newcastle (NSW), Australia - Wassenaar (ZH), Netherlands - Menton, France - Monte Carlo, Monaco - Darmstadt, Germany - Naples (FL), USA - Torino, Italy - Saint Louis (MO), USA - Bogor, Indonesia - The Hague, Netherlands - Minneapolis (MN), USA - Anderson (SC), USA - Melbourne (VIC), Australia - West Sacramento (CA), USA - Christchurch, New Zealand

Entering Quincy

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On the Neponset River bridge entering Quincy.

Water under the bridge

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Watery reflections and graffiti under the Neponset River Bridge.