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Carlton Street Footbridge
park

The Riverway

address

42.343243, -71.107863

Neighborhood

Brookline

Hours

Dawn to dusk

Accessibility

The bridge is accessible via ADA-compliant ramps on both sides of the MBTA tracks. Bicycle runnels are provided alongside the stairs. Approach paths have also been regraded to improve accessibility, though visitors may encounter slopes along the surrounding park paths.

Bridge the Gap

About

Built in 1894 and spanning the railroad tracks of the MBTA's Green Line, the Carlton Street footbridge once provided a useful pedestrian link from Brookline into the Emerald Necklace. The bridge was closed in 1976 due to concerns over the bridge's structural integrity and deferred maintenance.

After more than four decades of closure, the historic bridge was carefully rehabilitated and reopened in August 2023. The restored bridge now provides a pedestrian and bicycle connection between Brookline and the Emerald Necklace, with accessible ramps, bicycle runnels, lighting, and improved approaches making it easier for visitors to cross into Riverway Park.

explore for

Train Watching

Runneling Away From It All

Old Bridge, New Tricks

did you know?

The historic bridge took a road trip to Rhode Island. Its steel trusses were lifted from above the Green Line, trucked away for restoration and painting, then returned to Brookline and lifted back into place.

  • Historic photo of the Carlton St Footbridge circa 1896.

    Credits:

    Public Library of Brookline

  • Historic photo of the Carlton St Footbridge circa 1896.

    Credits:

    Public Library of Brookline

  • Historic photo of the Carlton St Footbridge circa 1896.

    Credits:

    Public Library of Brookline

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Land & water
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

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Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partner & Volunteer

Careers

Publications

Contact Us

Land & water
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Subscribe for Necklace news, community events, and to enliven the parks.

Get Necklace News

Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partner + Volunteer

Careers

Publications

Contact Us

Land & water
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The world didn't start with Olmsted. For millennia before and in the centuries since Frederick Law Olmsted designed the Emerald Necklace park system for a rapidly industrializing city and metropolitan area, the lands and waters of and around Greater Boston have served as a site of exchange among communities including the Massachusett, Pawtucket, Wampanoag and Nipmuc peoples. The Emerald Necklace Conservancy acknowledges the Greater Boston region as their unceded ancestral territories. This acknowledgement is a starting point toward right relations with Indigenous neighbors and their understandings of land stewardship.

People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ People in Parks.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

Subscribe for Necklace news, community events, and to enliven the parks.

Get Necklace News

Shattuck Visitor Center

125 the Fenway
Boston, MA 02115

Year-Round

Mon-Fri 9:30am – 5pm

May-October

Sat-Sun 10am – 4pm

Learn More

Mailing address

350 Jamaicaway
Boston, MA 02130

+1 (617) 522–2700

The Emerald Necklace Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization and is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 04-3414988.

Donate

FAQ

Partners + Volunteers

Career

Publications

Contact Us