Boston honors late Celtics legend – NBC Boston

A bridge in the heart of Boston will be renamed after Boston Celtics legend and civil rights pioneer Bill Russell, the city announced Friday.

The North Washington Street Bridge, which connects Charlestown to the west and north ends of the city – about a block from TD Garden – is currently being rebuilt. The work is expected to be completed this spring. The new name of the bridge will be the William Felton “Bill” Russell Bridge.

“Renaming the bridge will honor his commitment to civil rights and the advancement of youth and young athletes in Boston,” Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s office said Friday.

In the NBA, Russell won 11 NBA titles and five MVPs. He then became the first black coach of a major US sport.

Russell's widow, Jeannine Russell, current and former Celtics players and team executives were expected to be present at an announcement Monday, along with Wu and other officials. The Celtics begin their title defense on Tuesday.

Russell, who won 11 championships in 13 seasons, became the first black head coach to break the color barrier in major US sports and, with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. died on August 1, 2022 at the age of 88.

The bridge named for Russell spans the same body of water as another crossing named for a Boston sports legend, the Ted Williams Tunnel, which was part of the infamous Big Dig.

When officially completed, the William Felton “Bill” Russell Bridge will feature the city's first dedicated bus lane on a bridge as well as “hearty local landscaping,” according to the city, which is calling the feature a “first on a bridge” in New -England Bridge. The well-known Freedom Trail runs across the structure.