Talk:Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge

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Design/construction defects

I'm surprised that there is no mention of the safety defects in the bridge's design and construction.

I'm not sure that either of those links fully describe all of the voids found in the bridge's poured concrete.

AHMartin (talk) 15:39, 20 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Interesting. I suppose you can edit the article, yes? - Denimadept (talk) 18:39, 20 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

No need for the cable-stayed span

This article should mention that the mere existence of the Leverett Circle Connector Bridge running parallel to Zakim bridge proves that the cable-stayed span of the Zakim bridge is an unnecessary architectural extravagance. The Zakim bridge could have been built like the Leverett Circle bridge at half the cost. The purpose of a cable-stayed bridge is to span a canyon or a wide shipping channel with a road bed high enough above the water to allow ships to pass. The Charles River has no such requirement, as the Leverett Circle bridge demonstrates. HowardMorland (talk) 16:23, 20 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

There would need to be WP:RS in order to include this. It is also not as straightforwards as it seems at first. Although I know that aesthetics was a factor in determining the design of the bridge. I presume that the Boston media has discussed this at length at some point though so you could start there building a well sourced paragraph. XFEM Skier (talk) 17:44, 20 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

They wanted a signature bridge. The likelihood that they could have had a regular bridge cheaper doesn't enter into it. Remember all the different plans they came out with for that crossing, which were rejected? Also, tell it to Dallas, which hired Santiago Calatrava for crossings (plural!) of the Trinity River, for crying out loud. They wanted signature bridges (PLURAL!!!!) by one of the world's premier bridge architects to cross a trickle like the Trinity! Talk about a waste of money. But they want to get Dallas a personality, like applying a new façade to an ugly structure. So far, as far as I can tell, they've not succeeded. Boston, OTOH, has personality in spades.

If it were only about cost, nothing made by government would get a second glance. It'd all be reinforced, undecorated Brutalism. Want that? I personally don't mind it, in limited quantity, but Boston has already been there, done that. Boston City Hall, for one. And I went to school at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, which was authorized by Massachusetts state government, before the campus diversified its architectural style.

I consider this bridge to be another expression of Boston's attitude and prominence, which is, I think, what they wanted. It's not only about engineering. I suggest you read Henry Petroski's Engineers of Dreams, ISBN 978-0679760214 to get a more comprehensive idea of what's involved in this kind of thing. - Denimadept (talk) 19:55, 20 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Also note that this bridge is less then 1% of the project cost. XFEM Skier (talk) 20:25, 20 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

I just noticed the following: Eastern span replacement of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge#Replacement. An original proposal was for a bare-bones concrete highway bridge, like we see just about everywhere. I'm sure it would have been the cheapest solution, though boring. The decision made was similar to the one in Boston, it seems. What they built is certainly not boring! San Francisco also has personality in spades. Eat your heart out, Dallas. - Denimadept (talk) 18:41, 21 August 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Naming and Nazis

Let's bring the discussion here. The Nazi reference from the Boston Globe seems like a legitimate citation for this, to me. - Denimadept (talk) 22:11, 26 December 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Where is this Boston Globe reference. The link looks like it is from Boston.com sort of but it is not it is from Change.org. I thought it was a boston.com reference originally but then realized when I clicked the link that is was just the petition page not a reliable source. If I am missing the link please provide it. XFEM Skier (talk) 22:20, 26 December 2014 (UTC)[reply]

Yeah, sorry. I misread it. - Denimadept (talk) 00:36, 27 December 2014 (UTC)[reply]

External links modified

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Requested move 27 January 2017

The following is a closed discussion of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. Editors desiring to contest the closing decision should consider a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.

The result of the move request was: not moved. (non-admin closure) JudgeRM (talk to me) 02:53, 3 February 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge → Zakim Bridge – For consistency with the Big Dig, Central Artery, and O'Neill Tunnel articles, which are titled by their common names rather than their official ones. Note that "Zakim Bridge" returns 99,300 Google results, versus 50,100 for "Bunker Hill Bridge", solidifying the former as the more widely-used name. WikiRedactor (talk) 02:19, 27 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose move. I do NOT think that kind of 'consistency' is required here.

I think of the adage from Ralph Waldo Emerson: 'Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.'

I live in Boston. I know Josh Zakim. This bridge is NOT named for Josh Zakim. The bridge was named for Leonard Zakim. Over time, there could be confusion with the vigorous public political career of Josh Zakim. I suggest that I'm not the only Bostonian who wouldn't want that. MaynardClark (talk) 03:15, 27 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Oppose - no. Full name belongs here. - Denimadept (talk) 05:10, 27 January 2017 (UTC)[reply]

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of a requested move. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on this talk page or in a move review. No further edits should be made to this section.