The Longfellow Bridge, which underwent an extensive, $300-million-plus restoration that wrapped up in 2018 after five years of construction, will receive the prestigious Abba G. Lichtenstein Medal later this month in recognition of “a recent outstanding achievement in bridge engineering demonstrating artistic merit and innovation in the restoration and rehabilitation of bridges of historic or engineering significance.”
“As the Lead Architect for the restoration of the Longfellow Bridge, I am very proud that the bridge continues to win both national and international preservation awards,” wrote Miguel Rosales, president and principal of Boston-based Rosales + Partners, as well as a longtime resident of Beacon Hill. “I would like to congratulate the Mass DOT [the Massachusetts Department of Transportation] for their vision and commitment to completing the bridge restoration with the highest standards of aesthetic quality and historic preservation. With its panoramic views of the Boston skyline, iconic steel arches and its distinctive “salt-and-pepper” towers, the landmark bridge will continue to enhance the quality of life of Bostonians and visitors alike for generation to come.”
The Lichtenstein Medal will be awarded to the Longfellow Bridge during the 37th annual International Bridge Conference, which takes place virtually Oct. 21; the IBC is described as “the pre-eminent arena for the bridge industry in North and South America, Europe, Australia, Asia and Africa.”
The 2019 Lichtenstein Medal was awarded in recognition of the rehabilitation of the Frankford Avenue Bridge in Philadelphia, Pa., and the IBC also awarded its 2019 Arthur G. Hayden Medal to the Frances “Fanny” Appleton Bridge during the 36th annual IBC Awards Gala last June in Washington, D.C.
Construction of the approximately $12.5 million Appleton Bridge – the 230-foot-long, steel-arch pedestrian walkway that links Beacon Hill/Charles Circle to the Charles River Esplanade – was a critical component in the rehabilitation of the Longfellow Bridge, and Rosales served as Lead Architect on that project as well.