Traffic Pattern Changes and Bridge Construction update.

Please share this information with your memberships and anyone else who may be interested. It is that time if year again, starting this Monday on Labor Day, when the standard use of the River and Western Ave bridges changes for the rowing community. See the excerpt from the traffic pattern document below. Please be sure that you know and understand this traffic pattern, and row accordingly. Power boaters will continue to use the center arches in both directions. (*) Powerhouse Stretch / Western Ave. and River Street Bridges: This area is used heavily by crews racing side-by-side, for high school and club races, and seat racing. Racing crews and scullers have right of way in this stretch. All crews and scullers, upstream and downstream, must use the right-hand arches of both bridges, going single file if not racing. The center arches are two-way to accommodate racing, with one boat in the right-hand arch, and the other to the right-hand side of the center arch. (*) Racing crews and scullers are only allowed to use the center arches if the right hand arches are concurrently used, and preferably with a coach. From Labor Day through Thanksgiving, from 5 am until 1 pm, the center arches of Western and River street bridges are upstream only, to accommodate crews and scullers training for the Head of the Charles regatta. In the afternoon, the center arches resume being bi-directional. Anderson The Boston arch remains closed and will be for some weeks. We are working with the State (DOT in this case) to try to get an idea of how many more weeks, as this is head race season, and we will have many visitors to the river over the next 2 months. You will know more when we know more. But in the meantime, the center arch remains a downstream arch only for the rowing community. upstream traffic should continue to use the Cambridge arch. Powerboaters will continue to use the center arch in both directions. we have 2 requests for all rowing clubs and programs: please be sure to share this information with your members and ask them to follow the recommended traffic pattern. Please be sure to alert persons requesting launch access from your club, to row the Head of the Charles course, of this situation and ask for their compliance as well. Since the race course uses that arch as THE racing arch in an upstream direction, and because most boats swing wide to Boston to get a good line on this arch, this presents significant opportunity for collision. It may be wise to recommend to anyone requesting launch access to practice the course, that they wait until the Boston arch is open. Please take every opportunity to be sure that all visitors are aware of this situation. Be advised that it is possible that visitors will launch for sites other than boathouses and may not be aware of the change in traffic pattern. In particular, people who wet-launch from Magazine Beach may not even be aware that the Boston arch is closed. Everyone should use caution when using the center arch of Anderson bridge. All three arches will be open for the Head of the Charles Regatta. Weeks Several boaters have attended the Weeks meetings to advocate to the State (dcr in this case) that the Charles River remains safe and accessible for boating throughout construction. We are awaiting word on the start date of work and order of arch closings. When we know more, you'll know more. Longfellow Currently, the Cambridge side spans of the Bridge are closed, but that is slated to change September 2, according to the advisory sent by the State. Rowers are encouraged to turn before the bridge. When we know more, you'll know more. and finally, the ever evolving CRAB fine print and legalese.... CRAB is not the boss of you. We cannot tell you what to do. We offer information that we believe to be true in a good faith effort to improve awareness, communication and boating safety. And we do this because we believe that the boaters of the Charles River want a safe boating environment for all. This is not an official document from CRAB, it is informational only.