Most Trucks Now Banned From Waltham Bridge

WALTHAM, MA — A historic but deteriorating bridge the city hopes to replace over the next five years is meanwhile off-limits to most trucks.

The state has imposed load limits on the Farwell Street Bridge, which crosses the Charles River between Waltham’s Bleachery and Southside neighborhoods.

The Department of Transportation now restricts travel on the 91-year-old span to vehicles under certain weights, according to a public notice Thursday.

“Any operators who exceed posted limits can be fined and liable for damages,” the notice said, and the restriction affects “most” trucks.

Semitrailers and other five-axle trucks can only cross if they weigh under 18,000 pounds. The typical semi – without cargo – tips scales at more than 30,000 pounds. With a payload, the weight can be triple that.

There’s now a limit of 10,000 pounds for two- and three-axle vehicles, like the box trucks you might see making local deliveries. But those haulers often weigh as much as 40,000 pounds.

The bridge isn’t a major thoroughfare for commercial traffic. But still, it carries about 20,000 vehicles a day, and 3% of them are trucks, according to a federal estimate. The Art Deco-structure also helps connect Waltham with Newton, which borders the 105-foot span.

The Farwell Street Bridge – officially known as the James J. Harold Bridge, in honor of a former Waltham City Council president – was built in 1935 under a Depression-relief program.

Concrete-and-steel bridges like this one typically have a lifespan of around 75 years, although weather, traffic and other factors can determine just how long a bridge endures. The Farwell Street Bridge was last restored in 2015.