AASHTO Journal - MassDOT Unveils Rose Kennedy Greenway Improvements

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation – in partnership with the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy and Greenway Business Improvement District – recently wrapped up a project that installed new lighting along pedestrian paths and gathering areas between Seaport Boulevard and Dewey Square; helping make the park areas within Boston’s Rose Kennedy Greenway safer, more accessible, and easier to enjoy year-round.

[Above photo by MassDOT]

MassDOT said the project also installed new permeable pathways in Parcels 19 and 21 of the Greenway, replacing stone-dust surfaces with smoother, more accessible routes that improve stormwater drainage and can be cleared of snow and ice. For the first time since the Greenway opened in 2008, these heavily traveled sections of the park will be able to remain open throughout the winter.

Other improvements include: New interior park lighting along pedestrian routes and gathering areas that previously had limited illumination; dedicated lighting for the Dewey Square mural wall, allowing the public artwork to be viewed and enjoyed at night; and upgraded electrical infrastructure and permanent power to support events and performances while reducing reliance on temporary generators.

“The Rose Kennedy Greenway is one of Boston’s great public spaces, bringing together residents, workers and visitors from across Massachusetts and around the world,” saidGovernor Maura Healey (D) in a statement. “These improvements will make the Greenway safer, more accessible and easier to enjoy throughout the year, while supporting the events, public art and local businesses that make this area so special.”

“The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a living and evolving public space that brings people together while supporting the economic vitality of downtown Boston,” said Phil Eng, interim MassDOT secretary and general manager of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, which is a division of MassDOT.

“These improvements will allow residents, workers and visitors to spend more time enjoying the Greenway’s parks, public art, food, performances and community programming, whether they are visiting during the day, after sunset or in the winter,” he noted.

“Transforming highway infrastructure into open and accessible public space is an aspiration for cities across the country, and the Rose Kennedy Greenway continues to demonstrate what can be achieved,” said Jonathan Gulliver, MassDOT’s undersecretary of transportation and state highway administrator. “This project combines practical improvements with important public benefits by providing better lighting, more accessible pathways, improved stormwater management and year-round pedestrian access.”

MassDOT noted that the Greenway transformed the former Central Artery highway corridor into public open space connecting downtown neighborhoods with Boston’s waterfront. Today, it features gardens, fountains, public art, food and beverage vendors, markets, a carousel and year-round community programming.

The agency said that this project began with a design study funded by the Greenway Business Improvement District. MassDOT then worked with the Greenway Conservancy and project partners to deliver the lighting, electrical, and pathway upgrades.