Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge

The Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge is a cable-stayed road crossing in Boston that carries Interstate 93 over the Charles River. Two inverted Y-shaped towers support cables that hold the roadway, while lanes run in two levels across the water.

The crossing opened in 2003 as part of the Big Dig, the largest urban construction project in American history. It replaced the Charlestown High Bridge from the 1950s and was named after a civil rights activist and the battle that took place nearby in the 18th century.

The structure connects Charlestown with downtown and has become a landmark that appears on postcards and in films. For locals and travelers alike, it marks the moment when you arrive in or depart from Boston, serving as a reference point across the cityscape.

The roadway runs on two levels that each serve one direction of traffic, so pedestrians do not have direct access. From the riverbanks, you can observe the structure closely, especially from the walkways along the Charles River.

The design of the towers echoes both the sails of ships that once entered Boston Harbor and the monument commemorating the battle nearby. At night, the structure is illuminated, highlighting the slender cables and towers that are visible from many parts of the city.

Location: Boston

Official opening: December 20, 2003

Length: 436.5 m

GPS coordinates: 42.36875,-71.06319

Latest update: December 5, 2025 16:33