“Salt-and-Pepper Bridge” is what locals call the Longfellow Bridge. It stands before us. This name comes from the shape of its central towers. But before we delve into the Longfellow Bridge’s story, let’s clear up the name confusion. The Longfellow Bridge was once known as the Cambridge Bridge. A predecessor went by the name West Boston Bridge. Boston even continued to use West Boston Bridge officially for the new bridge.
The Longfellow Bridge links Boston’s Beacon Hill with Cambridge’s Kendall Square. It carries Route 3, the MBTA Red Line, bicycles, and pedestrians. Imagine the hustle. Approximately 28600 cars and 90000 mass-transit passengers cross it each weekday.
The Longfellow Bridge officially opened on July 31 1907. But its story began much earlier. A ferry service started here in the 1630s. Later, in 1793, the West Boston Bridge appeared. Private investors built it as a toll bridge.
East Cambridge had few buildings back then. The bridge spurred a building boom along Main Street in Cambridge. New streets emerged. Land was reclaimed from Charles River swamps. The Cambridge and Concord Turnpike connected to the bridge around 1812.
The Longfellow Bridge became toll-free on January 30 1858. In 1898, the Cambridge Bridge Commission formed. Its mission was to build a new bridge suitable for all traffic. This included elevated and surface cars. William Jackson became Chief Engineer. Edmund M Wheelwright was appointed Consulting Architect. They studied European bridges. They considered stone and steel arch designs.
Regulations required a draw bridge at the time. However, a fixed bridge proved cheaper and better-looking. Congress approved the change. President William McKinley signed the act in 1900. Construction began that July.
The bridge we see today got its current name in 1927. The Massachusetts General Court honored Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. He wrote about the old West Boston Bridge in his 1845 poem “The Bridge”.
Look closely at the large central piers. They feature four carved stone towers. Viking ships decorate these towers. They represent Leif Erikson’s voyage up the Charles River around 1000 AD. Harvard professor Eben Horsford promoted this theory. The piers also display the city seals of Boston and Cambridge.
The Longfellow Bridge offers a fantastic Boston skyline view. The Boston Globe praised the view from the Red Line. It called it a “view of Boston’s beauty in a single satisfying gulp”.
Sadly, the Longfellow Bridge suffered from neglect. By 2011, it was in disrepair. A major reconstruction project began in 2013. It aimed to replace structural elements and restore the bridge’s historic character. The project cost over 300 million dollars. It finished in 2018.
During the project, crews widened sidewalks and bike lanes. They kept two motor vehicle lanes inbound. Only one lane went outbound. The Longfellow Bridge is considered Boston’s most important historic bridge. Its location and architecture are outstanding. The restoration preserved its visual appeal. Workers dismantled, cleaned, and re-erected the 58-foot towers.
Consider the Longfellow Bridge’s long history as you cross it. From ferry to toll bridge to the landmark we see today, its story reflects Boston’s growth. Remember its nicknames too. Whether you call it the Cambridge Bridge, the West Boston Bridge or the “Salt-and-Pepper Bridge”, its arches represent a vital link between Boston and Cambridge.