Riding Boston's Central Artery -- July 30, 1988 -- (1 of 5)

[SuperBeachgoer]

omg it looks way different

[copyright1982]

I actually miss the artery. I liked seeing the brick facades and buildings in the North End.

As far as I can tell, the tunnel's done nothing to appease traffic; huge waste of money, if you ask me.

[lJohnnyTheFoxl]

The main purpose of constructing the tunnel was to get rid of the highway cutting through the heart of Boston, a huge mistake in the first place.

[seinfeld120]

i supposed it wasnt feasible to widen it, there was just not enough room. someone fill me in please im not quite sure i am planning on moving to boston but for now im stuck in suck-ass fucking canada, which is just as crappy a country as everyone thinks it is, worse in my opinion, being stuck here

[moonspots01]

Wow! Much better now despite the cost (14,000,000,000 or so).

[Sylvanowicz]

Cjaguer you jackass boston garden was colsed in 1995 but was in gone 1997-98 you son of a bitch

[scottbikeguy]

Something that people should note about this roadway that many drove countless miles on, it was always in motion. It never failed, but when there was an accident by the Garden several years ago, it is no surprise that the road was unsafe very quickly. They fixed it almost overnight for the commute. I imagine most of these elevated highways will have to be shored up pretty soon.

[slmcgowan2003]

I'm from Wisconsin, living in Ohio. But dreaming of ending up in Boston. I visited " Beantown " back in 1991. I loved it !

[1x93cm]

Ah, the good old days...

[CJaguar265]

the good old boston garden at 2:02

[CJaguar265]

the good old boston garden is long gone since 1995. it then became the fleet center then the banknorth garden

[ashland1977]

I think this is just awesome.

[TheUPBNSF]

dude, you were in your mid 20's when you recorded this, you sure were younger back then, and now you're in your mid 40's, that's old. nothing personal, man.

[markjwil]

On 1:21 if you look closely to your right there is an off ramp that is closed. That was supposed to be the northern terminus of I-695 which was never built. The project was scrapped and cancelled after serious protests during the early 1970's as well as I-95 going through Boston.

[hkfreak]

The so-called "Chinese Wall" that would've displaced thousands and made bitter communities.

[markjwil]

Yes. That cancellation was the beginning of the end for "Robert Moses" style highway projects.

[copyright1982]

Is that where the Storrow Drive Connector is now? I seem to remember another off-ramp-like appendage near the Hood Tower (it was on the left) was that I-695 remnants, as well?

[markjwil]

No. It's a little north of that. The ramps were never used or recycled.

[TBird100636]

Could you do a present day set of videos going on the new artery??? Man, all those old building I remember when I was a kid just before being torn down. The Rapid Service Press building. The triple smoke stacks. The old garden. Only thing you don't catch fully in this video set is the old Sears warehouses where the South Bay Center is now.

[MSTS1]

I may very well do just that...

[mediadude08]

And you did!

[backlashLFE]

holy shit. the 93 connector going south right before storrow was only 1 lane? i totally forgot.

[smialek316]

Great video!!! I have been working in traffic since 2001, and this sure did bring back some memories. You can see the Dock Square lane restriction, what a treacherous merge that was, among others on the Artery, such as the old Tobin merge, and the merge from Atlantic Ave. into the old South Station tunnel. The driver in this video handled them all like a pro.

[MSTS1]

Glad you like the video. And thanks for your comment on my driving skills. I also had to contend with the camera operation as well, and, with following the Sox game that day.. :)

[zephyrtube]

Wow, incredible forsight. This is kinda weird.

[hkfreak]

RKO was Tunnel Radio? And AM or FM? You see, I'm not old enough to catch the best momnets back then.

[MSTS1]

WRKO-680 is AM. AM radio signals couldn't penetrate tunnel enclosures. Tunnel Radio broadcasted only at 100 milliwatts from, and within, the tunnel itself on the same frequency. In this case, it was 680 khz- 680 on the AM dial.

[mediadude08]

Thank you for this vid!  Old-school Boston!

[MSTS1]

You're welcome. I seem to specialize in capturing things before they disappear forever. Most of my YouT catalog is based on that premise...

[shoofirbin]

...like ken coleman, and the brewers from the american league for that matter.

[smialek316]

Everyone in my office has really enjoyed the video as well. It really is amazing how different everything looks since the old Artery was torn down, it really looks like a different city, and the video really brings that out. I give you credit for navigating the merges, etc., you did a Hell of alot better than I ever did.

[raginrajan]

however nostalgic it is to see this, can't you agree on the sentiment "good riddance" re: the central artery skyway?