Some of the News stories about Echo Bridge that we have featured are archived here. They are being kept to give a sense of how various issues have evolved and been resolved..
ECHO BRIDGE REOPENS
Here are some photos of the interim railings taken in January, 2008, together with a few photos by the webmaster of Hemlock Gorge in Winter. Click on any photo for a larger image.
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The interim railings are black, and the open mesh allows one to see the original railings. |
From some angles, the fencing is more opaque. |
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This shows how the posts for the interim railing were installed in concrete pads resting on the the bridge walkway. |
Looking at the shadow of the bridge on the frozen river. |
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The new fencing and some of the old railing covered with what looks like rust inhibiting paint. |
This shows more clearly the new fencing in front of the old railins.
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The webmaster on the Bridge. |
The new footbridge and Ken Newcomb memorial bench at the center. |
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The silk mill and dam in winter. |
The silk mill in a 16:9 (HDTV-style) image. |
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Looking downstream in a 16:9 image. |
Another 16:9 image |
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On December 14, 2007, at the urging of Friends'
President Brian Yates, the
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) announced
that they will install new interim chain link fencing to replace the
deteriorated snow fencing along the existing railings at Echo Bridge. It necessitated brief closure of the bridge.
Click here to read the press release.
In early January, the interim fencing was in place. It is a substantial improvement over the snow fencing. As you can see the fencing is black and the open mesh allows one to see the original railings, which are still in place. See the photo nearby and click here to see additional photos.
The MWRA has compiled and released a detailed report on the Echo Bridge Railings. Some half dozen alternative approaches to repair and restoration are outlined in detail. Costs range from around $500,000 to $1 million. The report was discussed at length at our October meeting. There will be a public meeting to discuss the report and analyze options at Newton City Hall the evening of October 11. Details to follow. We will keep you posted. Click here to read or download the entire report.
The Newton Tab had an article in late 2007 on the problem of funding the Bridge repairs and restoration. Click here to read it.
Another story in the Globe on July 26, 2007. Click here to see it.
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The Promenade re-opens with the snow fences installed.
Looking towards the Stone Barn in winter |
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Hemlock Gorge on the day of the 2005 Fall Cleanup. Click on the photo for a larger version. Photo by the webmaster.
Walks on the bridge are again possible.
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March 18, 2006: Echo Bridge
Promenade Closed Pending Temporary Barrier Installation:
As explained in the next story, published here earlier, we have been
assured that The Echo Bridge Promenade will remain open during the
railing repair process. However, the Promenade was closed on
March 17 pending installation of temporary safety barriers. The
picture to the right shows how the closure was effected on the Newton
side by locked gate. There is a similar barrier on the Needham side
We don't know exactly when the gates you see in the photo will
re-open, but we believe it will be very soon. What we have learned is in the
following stories.
Echo Bridge was closed to pedestrians with this locked gate on March 17. It remained closed only a few days, until temporary safety barriers were installed soon after the photo was taken March 19, 2006.
Echo Bridge Promenade to Close
March 17, 2006: We have been informed by the
Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA)
that Echo Bridge will be closed temporarily to pedestrians beginning
March 17, 2006, fast upon the Ides of March. Et tu, MWRA? It is
to remain closed for an indeterminate length of time. The reason is
safety--the deterioration of the railings.
Click here to read the text of the official announcement from the
MWRA.
Click here to see the October 2005 inspection report that raised the
issue (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader). See the photos to the right for
illustrations of the past and present of the Promenade.
Click here to see Steve Clark's collection of Panoramas of Hemlock
Gorge taken from Echo Bridge.
Follow up: The Friends have discussed this matter at their March meeting
and are formulating plans to ensure timely repair and re-opening of the
bridge. The Newton Tab reported the closing on the front page of
the March 8 and March 15 issues.
The Restoration of the
Echo Bridge Railings has been on the
agenda of the Friends on our allies in the legislature since the
mid-1990s.
Click here to see a decade old
report of our valiant efforts and old cost estimates for bridge
restoration. You may also click here to see the
consequences of valiant efforts in the past to survey the Reservation
and prevent encroachment.
Echo Bridge Promenade Closing March 17, 2006: We were
informed at the beginning of March, 2006 by the Massachusetts Water
Resources Authority (MWRA) that Echo Bridge would be closed
temporarily to pedestrians on March 17.
It was to remain closed for an indeterminate length of time. The reason
is safety--the deterioration of the railings.
Click here to read the text of the official announcement from the
MWRA.
Click here to see the October 2005 inspection report that raised
the issue (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader). See the photos to the right
for illustrations of the past and present of the Promenade.
Click here to see Steve Clark's collection of Panoramas of Hemlock
Gorge taken from Echo Bridge.
The Friends discussed this matter at their March
meeting and formulated plans to keep the bridge open, or at least ensure timely repair and
re-opening of the bridge. The Newton Tab reported the closing
on the front page of the March 8 and March 15 issues.
The Restoration of the
Echo Bridge Railings
has been on the agenda of the Friends on our allies in the legislature
since the mid-1990s.
Click here to see a decade
old report of our valiant efforts and old cost estimates for bridge
restoration. You may also click here to see the
consequences of valiant efforts in the past to survey the Reservation
and prevent encroachment.
Friends President Brian Yates points out a deteriorated railing atop the Bridge in 2004.
Echo Bridge to Close to Pedestrians March 15, 2006
What follows is the text of a memorandum sent to the Hemlock Gorge Reservation Site Supervisor by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) that Echo Bridge will be closed temporarily to pedestrians. This text replaces (on March 8, 2006) a draft document that was previously posted on this page.
MWRA Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 6, 2006
CONTACTS:
Ria Convery, 617-788-1105 or
[email protected]
ECHO BRIDGE CLOSED TO PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC
Handrails a danger to public safety
In the interest of public safety, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) must close the top of Echo Bridge to pedestrian traffic. Built in 1896, Echo Bridge spans the Charles River from Newton Upper Falls to Needham. The closure will go into effect on March 15, 2006 until the historic handrails are repaired or replaced.
The historic cast iron handrails along the top of the 500-foot long bridge are original and are in very poor condition. Eight sections of rail and 18 ornamental tops are missing, sections of the handrails are detached and other sections are cracked or splitting. To protect public safety, the MWRA has determined that the top of the bridge must be closed to pedestrian traffic.
The MWRA will be installing a temporary chain link fence on either end of the bridge with warning signs to prevent public access to the top of the bridge. However, other areas of Hemlock Gorge, including the area surrounding the bridge and the recently completed Echo Bridge platform under the main arch, will remain open to the public.
The pedestrian bridge is actually a conduit for the MWRA�s Sudbury Aqueduct. The aqueduct is no longer used for daily water supply, but is an emergency back-up transmission line.
MWRA and its Advisory Board have determined that ratepayer money cannot be used to complete this work. However, since the hand rails are historic, MWRA has offered to work with elected officials and other interested parties to identify potential sources of outside funding.
For more information, please contact Tom Lindberg at (617) 788-1184 or [email protected].
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| Restored Echo Platform Dedicated
Summer 2004 On Tuesday, August 3, 2004 more than 30 Friends of Hemlock Gorge, members of the press, representatives of the MWRA, and State and Local Government officials gathered for our annual summer picnic and to dedicate the newly restored Echo Platform under Echo Bridge. To learn more and to see pictures of the platform under construction, the picnic and the dedication, click here. The image to the right shows the new platform, on the Newton side of the river, as seen from the opposite shore.
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Page last updated Wednesday, October 02, 2013
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