The New Bedford Pedestrian Bridge in New Bedford Massachusetts is a community connector at all levels. At a neighborhood level, the new bridge provides a vital pedestrian connection from the City’s Acushnet neighborhood to a new commuter rail station across a state highway. This provides walking and biking access to public transportation across eight lanes of traffic — a healthier and more sustainable option for passengers that incorporates universally accessible design with twin elevators and bicycle-friendly stairs at the Acushnet Avenue landing. The bridge’s 240-foot span incorporates dual arches supporting a 10-foot wide walkway via a networked array of steel cables. The arches, which reach to 47 feet above the walking surface, are lighted at night, providing a spectacular visual gateway to the waterfront and Downtown New Bedford.

At a city-level, the design and construction of the bridge was a feat of remarkable collaboration. A task force was implemented to engage stakeholders early on in the process to weigh in on station siting and design, establishing local context as an impactful design driver, and providing an excellent model for regional participation and collaboration. The City of New Bedford’s engineering, planning, public works, mayoral offices, and residents collaborated closely with our consultant team and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) to design a landmark bridge that reinforces the City’s vision for a rejuvenated and vibrant waterfront area. The pedestrian experience across the bridge is an inviting, accessible, safe, and varied experience — one that often brings together rallies of like-minded citizens who appreciate the visibility in an environment that feels safe. The design team collaborated with local artists to create the “four seasons” art transposed on the elevator’s glass panels. Uniformly lit stairs and walkway enhance the sense of safety. On the bridge itself, a nautically inspired wooden handrail lines both sides of the walkway, creating a perch to view the city skyline and harbor. The transition from bridge span to sidewalk is animated by a stepped plaza with seating and landscape.

Statewide, the New Bedford Pedestrian Bridge plays a part in connecting New Bedford to the rest of Massachusetts as part of the MBTA South Coast Rail (SCR) project — a decades long commuter rail extension project that reconnects five southeast Massachusetts communities to the greater Boston region, establishing an equitable, sustainable, and economical transportation option for this under-served region of Massachusetts. This advantage has not been offered to the region since rail service ceased in the 1950s, so the new line also represents a connection to the region’s past. This impactful project enhances opportunities, access to jobs, education, and visitation to the area’s historic fishing and industrial attractions, as well as to its abundant natural beauty.