Boston Public Works crews were out Tuesday night and Wednesday inspecting light poles after one fell on a woman, sending her to a hospital. Crews ended up removing 23 light poles, mainly those with rust at the base.
NBC10 Boston has learned that the woman who was hurt Tuesday when a light pole fell and hit her on a bridge in Boston is a 35-year-old who is originally from out of state. She remains in a Boston hospital being treated for her injuries, according to sources.
She is expected to survive.
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The Boston Harbor Hotel, located a short distance from the Moakley Bridge, confirmed Wednesday that the injured woman is one of their employees.
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The woman was taken to the hospital by Boston EMS after police responded to the incident on the Moakley Bridge around 3 p.m. Tuesday. The bridge connects Boston's Seaport District with downtown.
The NBC10 Boston Investigators discovered that someone had previously filed a 311 complaint with the city that reported a rotted pole in the area. The report was filed Sept. 1. A photo shows a rotted out pole nearby.
A recent inspection report from January obtained by NBC10 Boston shows the state and city were aware that there may be issues with some of the street light poles. Those poles had been rated in "fair" condition, which is defined as all primary structural elements are sound but may have minor section loss, cracking, spalling or scour." None of them were rated "critical" or at risk for imminent failure.
The bridge was partially closed after the incident.
"The City of Boston prioritizes the safety of its residents and visitors, and out of an abundance of caution, the sidewalks and bike path have been closed and vehicular traffic has been reduced to one lane in each direction," a city spokesperson said in a statement. "Boston Public Works crews immediately responded and are on scene inspecting the site and evaluating all street poles for safety. These closures will be lifted once the inspection is complete and the area has been deemed safe."
Boston Public Works crews removed 23 lights after inspecting the poles Tuesday night. Temporary lights will be installed along the bridge. They will also inspect poles along Summer Street as a precaution.
The bridge and lights were built in the 1990s as part of the Big Dig project.
All bridges in Massachusetts are subject to bi-annual inspection as mandated by the federal government. The Moakley Bridge was last inspected in January of 2022. As part of that process, the condition of the light poles were reviewed and rated as a 5 on a 9-point scale, meaning they were determined to be in "fair" condition. No elements of the bridge were deemed "critical," or at risk of imminent failure.
The city received the report on Aug. 1, 2022 and directed a consulting firm to develop a work plan. That work plan is still in development as of this week.
“This is something that definitely slipped through the cracks,” said Jamaica Plain resident Michael Kriley.
Kriley was minding his business at Boston Seaport’s Barking Crab restaurant Tuesday afternoon when all of a sudden, he heard a loud noise coming from Moakley Bridge.
“There were probably six to seven people on the bridge that gathered around her and she was laying there still not moving,” he said.
The woman was taken to a hospital minutes later but the worry among those who walk on the bridge remains.
“Pole after pole had corroded through at the base that you could actually see from one side to the other,” noted Kriley.
Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn said in a statement Wednesday that he’s requesting a full audit of all bridges and light poles in the city.
The woman who was hit by the pole did not suffer life-threatening injuries. Her family told NBC10 Boston that they are not going to comment on the matter.
Cal Richardson and his partner, Heather Griffin, said they were walking behind the woman when the light post came crashing down
"Heather tended to the woman while myself and the other man lifted the pole up onto the railing above her," Richardson wrote in an email to NBC10 Boston. "Another older gentleman joined very soon after and was incredibly helpful in calling 911 and assisting in getting towels to calm her injuries."
"She was in very obvious pain, and suffering with a lot of shock and worry," Richardson also noted.
By Wednesday, the Moakley Bridge was bustling once again, despite a digital sign reading "No Pedestrians," along with caution tape and barricades off to the side.
