The John W. Weeks Memorial Bridge, usually called the Weeks Footbridge or simply Weeks Bridge, is a pedestrian bridge over the

Charles River The Charles River ( Massachusett: ''Quinobequin)'' (sometimes called the River Charles or simply the Charles) is an river in eastern Massachusetts. It flows northeast from Hopkinton to Boston along a highly meandering route, that doubles b ...

, located four miles northwest of downtown

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

on the

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

campus. The bridge connects Harvard’s original

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...

campus with the

Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate business school of Harvard University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world and offers a large full-time MBA p ...

and many of the school’s athletic facilities in

Allston Allston is an officially recognized neighborhood within the City of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was named after the American painter and poet Washington Allston. It comprises the land covered by the zip code 02134. For the most part ...

. The Weeks Bridge opened in 1927 to carry pedestrian traffic between the

's newly built Allston campus and Harvard's main campus in Cambridge. It is named for

John W. Weeks John Wingate Weeks (April 11, 1860July 12, 1926) was an American banker and politician from Massachusetts. A Republican, he served as Mayor of Newton from 1902 to 1903, a United States representative from 1905 to 1913, United States Senator fr ...

, a longtime

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

and later

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

, and the

U.S. Secretary of War The secretary of war was a member of the U.S. president's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War", had been appointed to serve the Congress of the ...

in the Harding and Coolidge administrations. The bridge's concrete underbelly conceals branches of the University's steam, electrical, and communications networks. The bridge is a popular vantage point from which to enjoy the

Head of the Charles Regatta The Head of the Charles Regatta, also known as HOCR, is a rowing head race held on the penultimate complete weekend of October (i.e., on the Friday that falls between the 16th and the 22nd of the month, and on the Saturday and Sunday immedia ...

. An abrupt bend in the river prompts most boats to crowd through the bridge's center span, and collisions have occurred when coxswains could not make themselves heard above the cheering of the crowd.

Renovation

On September 21, 2015, the Massachusetts

Department of Conservation and Recreation The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is a state agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, situated in the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. It is best known for its parks and parkways. The DCR's mission is ...

held a ribbon cutting to mark completion of a $3 million renovation that made the Weeks bridge handicap accessible in compliance with the

Americans with Disabilities Act The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 or ADA () is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. It affords similar protections against discrimination to Americans with disabilities as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ...

. Stairs at either end were replaced with ramps and accessibility-compliant railings were installed on the bridge. Other improvements included new accessible approach paths, new lighting using replicated historic fixtures, restoring the eroded river bank adjacent to the bridge, and repairs to the bridge masonry and structure. Harvard University contributed $150,000 to the project.DCR Commissioner Opens Newly Renovated Weeks Bridge During Annual RiverSing Celebration
/ref>

References

{{Crossings navbox , structure =

Crossings Crossings may refer to: * ''Crossings'' (Buffy novel), a 2002 original novel based on the U.S. television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' * Crossings (game), a two-player abstract strategy board game invented by Robert Abbott * ''Crossings'' ...

, place =

, bridge = John W. Weeks Bridge , bridge signs = , upstream =

Anderson Memorial Bridge Anderson Memorial Bridge (commonly but incorrectly called Larz Anderson Bridge) connects Allston, a neighborhood of Boston, and Cambridge. The bridge stands on the site of the Great Bridge built in 1662, the first structure to span the Charles ...

, upstream signs = , downstream =

Western Avenue Bridge The Western Avenue Bridge is a bridge carrying Western Avenue over the Charles River between Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a College town, university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approxi ...

, downstream signs =

Weeks A week is a unit of time equal to seven days. It is the standard time period used for short cycles of days in most parts of the world. The days are often used to indicate common work days and rest days, as well as days of worship. Weeks are oft ...

Buildings and structures in Cambridge, Massachusetts Harvard University Pedestrian bridges in Massachusetts Bridges in Middlesex County, Massachusetts Bridges over the Charles River Concrete bridges in the United States Arch bridges in the United States