List of crossings of the Charles River
This is a list of the crossings of the Charles River from its mouth at Boston Harbor upstream to its source at Echo Lake. All locations are in Massachusetts.
Crossings
Crossing | Carries | Location | Built | Length | Notes | Coordinates | Image |
Charlestown Bridge | Boston to Charlestown | 1900 | The MBTA Orange Line used this bridge, before the upstream tunnel was completed in 1975. Site of a ferry established in 1630; obsoleted by the Charles River Bridge, built 1786 | ||||
Charles River Dam | pedestrians and bicycles | Boston to Charlestown | 1978 | Fish ladder, pumps and three locks for navigation. Site of the Warren Bridge, built 1828, demolished 1962. | |||
Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge | Boston to Charlestown | 2003 | Replaced Charlestown High Bridge, built 1956, demolished 2004 | ||||
Haymarket North Extension tunnel | MBTA Orange Line | Boston to Charlestown | 1975 | ||||
Leverett Circle Connector Bridge | Boston to Cambridge | 1999 | |||||
MBTA Commuter Rail Charles River Bridge | MBTA Commuter Rail at North Station | Boston to Cambridge | 1931 | Bascule drawbridge Site of Boston and Lowell Railroad Charles River Bridge, built 1835, first movable railroad bridge in the United States | |||
MBTA Green Line Lechmere Viaduct | MBTA Green Line | Boston to Cambridge | 1912 | ||||
Charles River Dam Bridge | Boston to Cambridge | 1910 | The Boston Museum of Science is located on this bridge | ||||
Longfellow Bridge | MBTA Red Line | Boston to Cambridge | 1907 | MBTA Red Line in median; built in 1907 as the Cambridge Bridge, renamed for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in 1927. Site of West Boston Bridge, built 1793 | |||
Harvard Bridge | Boston to Cambridge | 1891, 1909, 1924, 1990 | Longest bridge over the Charles. Northern terminus at MIT, not Harvard University. | ||||
Boston University Bridge | Boston to Cambridge | 1927 | built as the Cottage Farm Bridge, renamed in 1949 | ||||
Grand Junction Railroad Bridge | MBTA Grand Junction Branch | Boston to Cambridge | crosses the river under the Boston University Bridge | ||||
River Street Bridge | carries Cambridge Street in Boston on half of the bridge | Boston to Cambridge | 1926 | ||||
Western Avenue Bridge | Boston to Cambridge | 1924 | |||||
John W. Weeks Bridge | pedestrians | Boston to Cambridge | 1926 | the only footbridge across the basin, with a Harvard campus steam tunnel inside | |||
Anderson Memorial Bridge | N. Harvard Street/JFK Street | Boston to Cambridge | 1912 | A memorial to Nicholas Longworth Anderson donated by his son Larz Anderson Site of a ferry established 1635 at the foot of Dunster Street in Cambridge, at canal/creek; obsoleted by Great Bridge, built 1662, rebuilt 1862 | |||
Eliot Bridge | Boston to Cambridge | 1950 | a memorial to Charles W. Eliot, Harvard president 1869–1909, and his son Charles Eliot, landscape architect for the Metropolitan Park Commission | ||||
Arsenal Street Bridge | Brighton to Watertown | 1925 | |||||
North Beacon Street Bridge | Brighton to Watertown | 1917 | |||||
Watertown Bridge | Watertown | about 1907 | |||||
Watertown Dam | no crossing | Watertown | 1900 | ||||
Cpl. Joseph U. Thompson Footbridge | pedestrians and bicycles | Watertown | Demolished 2017 | ||||
Cpl. Joseph U. Thompson Footbridge | pedestrians and bicycles | Watertown | 2018 | Replaced old span | |||
Bridge Street Bridge | Newton to Watertown | ||||||
Bemis Dam | Newton to Watertown | 1821 | breached 1944 | ||||
Blue Heron Footbridge | Charles River Bike Path | Newton to Watertown | 2005 | ||||
Farwell Street Bridge | Waltham | ||||||
Bleachery Footbridge | Former pedestrian bridge site, demolished 1960s. | Waltham | |||||
Bleachery Dam | No crossing | Waltham | 1794 | originally Gore Paper Mill dam | |||
Mary T. Early Footbridge | Waltham | 2004 | formerly Calvary Street Footbridge | ||||
Boston & Maine Railroad trestle | abandoned Watertown Branch Railroad | Waltham | Demolished in 2016 | ||||
Charles F. Graceffa Bridge | Newton Street | Waltham | 1877 | ||||
Elm Street Bridge | Waltham | ||||||
Boston & Maine Railroad trestle | abandoned Watertown Branch | Waltham | Demolished in 2015 | ||||
Richard Landry Park footbridge | Waltham | 1978 | |||||
Waltham Dam or Moody Street Dam | Waltham | 1836 | original Eden Vale dam built 1785 | ||||
Moody Street bridge | Waltham | 1946 | original built 1846, rebuilt 1871, 1921 | ||||
Gold Star Mothers Bridge | Waltham | 1889 | Carries Prospect Street; drawbridge 1882 | ||||
Commonwealth Avenue/South Avenue Bridge | Newton to Weston | site of old Norumbega Bridge | |||||
I-90/I-95 connector | Newton to Weston | original Mass Pike terminus until 1964 | |||||
Massachusetts Turnpike Boston Extension | Newton to Weston | ||||||
I-90/I-95 connector | Newton to Weston | ||||||
Footbridge from Riverside Rd., Newton to Recreation Rd., Weston | pedestrians - not suitable for bicycles due to bad condition | Newton to Weston | |||||
Road bridge from Riverside Rd., Newton to Recreation Rd., Weston | demolished 1960s around time of Massachusetts Turnpike Extension | Newton to Weston | |||||
CSX/MBTA railroad bridge | Framingham/Worcester Line | Newton to Weston | impressive single-arch concrete span | ||||
Riverside Park Footbridge | pedestrians - accessible from Riverside Park off Recreation Rd., Weston | Newton to Weston | |||||
I-95 offramp | Newton to Weston | northbound exits 23–25; originally Route 128 until 1964 | |||||
I‑95 / Route 128 | Newton to Weston | ||||||
Concord Street/Park Road bridge | Newton to Weston | ||||||
Leo J. Martin Golf Club Footbridge | Newton to Wellesley | ||||||
Newton–Wellesley Lower Falls Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge | Newton to Wellesley | rebuilt 2012 | formerly abandoned Boston & Albany RR Newton Lower Falls Branch bridge | ||||
Washington Street Bridge | Newton to Wellesley | ||||||
Finlay Dam | Newton to Wellesley | ||||||
Cordingly Dam and Falls | Newton to Wellesley | ||||||
Mary Hunnewell Fyffe Footbridge | Newton to Wellesley | 1983 | Previous bridges built in 1909 and before 1906 | ||||
Wales Street/Walnut Street Bridge | Newton to Wellesley | ||||||
Cochituate Aqueduct | Closed. | Newton to Wellesley | 1848 | ||||
I‑95 / Route 128 | Newton to Wellesley | ||||||
Boston-Worcester Turnpike Bridge | Newton to Wellesley | ||||||
Metropolitan Circular Dam | No crossing. | Newton to Wellesley | 2010s replacement for older dam | ||||
Echo Bridge | pedestrians, bicycles, and the Sudbury Aqueduct | Newton to Needham | 1876 | ||||
Silk Mill Dam | No crossing. | Newton to Needham | |||||
Elliot Street/Central Avenue Bridge | Newton to Needham | ||||||
rail bridge | Closed. | Newton to Needham | Formerly carried the Charles River Railroad | ||||
Needham Street Bridge | Needham Street, Newton / Highland Avenue, Needham | Newton to Needham | 1875 | ||||
rail bridge | Closed. | Newton to Needham | |||||
Kendrick Street/Nahanton Street Bridge | Newton to Needham | ||||||
MBTA Commuter Rail Needham Line bridge | West Roxbury to Needham | ||||||
Honorable Robert L. Cawley Bridge | Bridge Street, Dedham / Spring Street, West Roxbury | West Roxbury to Dedham | |||||
Ames Street Bridge | Dedham | ||||||
Bridge Street Bridge | Dedham | ||||||
Interstate 95/Route 128 | Needham to Dedham | | Between exits 17 & 18 on I-95 | ||||
Greendale Avenue/Lyons Street Bridge | Needham to Dedham | ||||||
Route 135/West Street/Dedham Avenue Bridge | Needham to Dedham | ||||||
Chestnut Street Bridge | Needham to Dover | ||||||
dam | No crossing. | Needham to Dover | A USGS flow gauge is located here. | ||||
dam | No crossing. | Needham to Dover | |||||
Willow Street/South Street Bridge | Needham to Dover | ||||||
rail bridge | Closed. | Needham to Dover | Formerly carried the Charles River Railroad | ||||
Central Ave/Centre Street Bridge | Needham to Dover | ||||||
missing bridge? | Needham to Dover | ||||||
Dover Road/Charles River Street Bridge | Needham to Dover | ||||||
Cheney Drive Bridge | Needham to Dover | Access road to Elm Bank Reservation. | |||||
Water Street Bridge | No longer extant. | South Natick | |||||
Pleasant Street Bridge | South Natick | ||||||
South Natick Dam | South Natick | ||||||
Sargent Bridge | South Natick | No public access. | |||||
Farm Road/Bridge Street Bridge | Sherborn to Dover | ||||||
rail bridge | CSX Mansfield Secondary | Sherborn to Medfield | |||||
South Main Street/North Meadows Road Bridge | Sherborn to Medfield | ||||||
former bridge? | Sherborn to Medfield | ||||||
rail bridge | Medfield to Millis | ||||||
Dover Road Bridge | Medfield to Millis | Bridge site going back to 1640s, including one burnt by Native Americans during King Philip's War in 1675. | |||||
Turner Bridge | Medfield to Millis | ||||||
Dwight's Bridge | Dwight Street Millis to Medfield | Medfield to Millis | Over the Charles River off Causeway Street on Dwight Street. This was so named and built so Timothy Dwight could get to land he owned in the area. This bridge was washed out in the Great 1936 Flood and never rebuilt. | ||||
Forest Road/Orchard Street Bridge | Medfield to Millis | ||||||
Norfolk Road Bridge | Millis | ||||||
Dean Street/Pleasant Street Bridge | Millis | ||||||
Myrtle Street bridge | Millis | ||||||
Walker Street Bridge | Medway | ||||||
Sanford Street Bridge | Medway to Franklin | ||||||
Sanford Mill Dam | Medway to Franklin | ||||||
Shaw Street/Elm Street Bridge | Medway to Franklin | ||||||
Woodland Park Bridge | Medway to Franklin | ||||||
dam | No crossing. | Medway to Franklin | |||||
Franklin Street/Pond Street Bridge | Medway to Franklin | ||||||
Pearl Street Bridge | Bellingham | ||||||
Plymouth Road Bridge | Bellingham | ||||||
Maple Street Bridge | Bellingham | ||||||
Maple Street Dam | Bellingham | ||||||
I-495 bridge | Bellingham | ||||||
High Street Bridge | Bellingham | ||||||
footbridge | Onetime road bridge site | Bellingham | |||||
North Main Street Bridge | Bellingham | ||||||
rail bridge | Bellingham | ||||||
Depot Street Bridge | Bellingham | ||||||
Hartford Avenue Bridge | Bellingham to Mendon/Hopedale | ||||||
rail bridge | Bellingham to Hopedale | ||||||
Mellen Street Bridge and Dam | Bellingham to Hopedale | ||||||
Howard Street Bridge | Hopedale to Milford | ||||||
rail bridge | Hopedale to Milford | ||||||
Howard Street Bridge | Milford | ||||||
rail bridge | Milford | ||||||
Central Street Bridge | Milford | ||||||
Main Street Culvert | Milford | ||||||
Milford Pond Dam and Footbridge | Milford | ||||||
Dilla Street Bridge | Milford | ||||||
Dilla Street Dam | Milford | ||||||
old road bridge | Milford | ||||||
culvert | Upper Charles Trail | Milford | |||||
I-495 culvert | Milford | ||||||
Wildcat Pond Bridge and Dam | Private road | Milford | |||||
footbridge | Milford | ||||||
bridge | Upper Charles River Trail | Milford | |||||
Route 85 bridge | Milford | ||||||
footbridge | Milford | ||||||
bridge | Upper Charles River Trail | Milford | |||||
footbridge | Milford | ||||||
footbridge | Milford | ||||||
Route 85 bridge | Milford | ||||||
Echo Lake Dam | No crossing. | Hopkinton |
Source: Echo Lake