Well, here’s some comforting news.
In compiling a list of America’s most dangerous bridges, Travel and Leisure Magazine came to the conclusion that the worst of the lot is right here in Boston at Storrow Drive Westbound.
The magazine analyzed 2012 data from the Federal Highway Administration for some 700,000 bridges, “focusing on the subset with an average daily traffic volume (ADT) of more than 50,000 vehicles.” Travel and Leisure then ranked the bridges according to their “sufficiency rating (SR)” from 0 to 100 (best).
Here’s what they concluded about Storrow Drive, which finished with an ADT of 57,770, and a SR of zero.
“This double-decker roadway abutting Back Bay has been a headache practically since it opened in 1951. The problem: the pavement of the upper deck is too thick, straining the corroding steel beams that support the structure from underneath. Numerous rounds of costly interim repairs (most recently in 2012–13) have kept the artery open, but they’re merely stopgaps to extend its life through 2018 while longer-term solutions are weighed.”
Route 145 in Revere was also tied for 11th while 495 Northbound in Amesbury was 20th.
