BOSTON — Beneath the manicured parks and million-dollar brownstones of the Back Bay, a bridge hides a growing crisis. Inside the hollow of the Charlesgate East off-ramp, people are living among trash piles, syringes, and propane tanks stored under a highway that carries thousands of cars every day.

The tipster’s warning

“I am reaching out to alert you to a rapidly deteriorating public safety and health situation at the encampment INSIDE (yes they live in the bridge) the off-ramp at Charlesgate East,” a nearby resident wrote in an email to Mass Daily News. “Despite repeated calls for action, both the City of Boston and Mass DCR (its DCR property) have failed to take meaningful steps to address the issue. The site has become a hotspot for frequent criminal activity - state police, EMS, and fire personnel have been there almost nightly lately. Boston police won’t go there.”

The resident, who asked to remain anonymous for safety, provided dated photographs, videos, and email correspondence with DCR officials acknowledging the problem but offering no clear timeline for removal.

Propane tanks under traffic

“What I would like to emphasize from this set is the storage of propane tanks in the encampment directly under the offramp that thousands of cars a day use,” the resident wrote. “This is not a hypothetical concern: the offramp was actually set on fire in March 2024 with nearly identical conditions.”

The photos show ladders leading into the bridge’s underside, a moped or scooter parked near the structure, and multiple portable propane tanks stored directly beneath the roadway.

March 2024 blaze

In March 2024, Boston firefighters responded to a fire beneath the same Charlesgate off-ramp. According to a report from Universal Hub, the fire shut down the ramp and prompted MassDOT engineers to inspect the bridge for damage. The blaze was extinguished before it spread to the road deck.

Neighbors say the recent images show conditions nearly identical to those before the 2024 fire.

October 2025 photos

The tipster’s second set of photos, dated October 2, 2025, was taken the day after State Troopers responded to reports of “drug use and individuals from the encampment throwing objects at cars.” Several individuals were arrested that night. The resident said, “As you can see they are clearly making modifications, building the area up. If you zoom in you can see the ladder they use to get inside the offramp as well as a moped or scooter.”

Additional images show what the resident described as “the pile of needles,” a tree on Commonwealth Avenue where trash and used syringes have accumulated, and an area called “the circles,” where individuals are often seen using drugs in the open. “These photos are within the past 30 days,” the resident wrote.

Official silence

Emails reviewed by Mass Daily News show DCR staff acknowledging awareness of the encampment after an April 2024 police operation that led to one arrest. Eighteen months later, the encampment remains.

The resident said, “Given the lack of response from the responsible agencies, I believe this is a story that needs urgent public attention.”

Luxury above, danger below

The Charlesgate East bridge sits between the Back Bay and Fenway neighborhoods, surrounded by luxury condos and historic parkland. Above, commuters cross the bridge every day. Below, a growing encampment remains wedged between concrete walls — with fuel tanks stored just feet from the structure’s beams.

The resident told Mass Daily News they have continued contacting police and DCR but have seen no long-term solution. “As of today,” they said, “the encampment is still there.”