Connect Downtown
Connect Downtown centers people — residents, commuters, and tourists — in a redesign of iconic streets in our downtown neighborhoods.
Project Vision
Walking will be pleasant and easy. Safe, separated bikeways will serve and connect residents, employers, and local businesses. Families will explore Boston's neighborhoods and iconic parks together, from the Esplanade to the Boston Common to the Southwest Corridor.
Through this project, we will:
- improve pedestrian crossings along the route
- provide comfortable, reasonably direct routes for bicyclists, and
- enhance pedestrian access to the Public Garden and Common.
We plan to design the project in a way that allows for faster construction.
-
Still have questions? Contact:
Transportation
-
1 City Hall Square
Room 721Boston, MA 02201-2026
-
Stay Connected
Sign up to receive email updates about this project.
Public Garden Crossings
We are considering design changes at five intersections near the Public Garden. Learn about our designs and share your thoughts.
In 2020, we made changes to walk signals and created permanent separated bike lanes on the streets around the Public Garden and other downtown streets. Our work in 2020 focused on changes that we could make quickly. But, we were not able to make all of the changes you requested at that time.
Now, we are considering design changes at five intersections near the Public Garden. With this phase of the project, we intend to build lasting changes. We will prioritize people walking and keeping travelers safe. Our work will include new curbs, accessible crosswalks, and traffic signal equipment.
- Boylston Street at Charles Street
- Charles Street crosswalk between the Public Garden and Boston Common
- Beacon Street at Charles Street
- Beacon Street at Arlington Street
- Commonwealth Avenue at Arlington Street
EXPLORE OUR DESIGN IDEAS
CONNECT DOWNTOWN: PUBLIC GARDEN CROSSINGS
CONNECT DOWNTOWN: PUBLIC GARDEN CROSSINGS (ESPAÑOL)
CONNECT DOWNTOWN: PUBLIC GARDEN CROSSINGS (繁体)
Project Location Map
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
TAKE OUR SURVEY
Meet with us during Office Hours
You can talk with a member of the project team one-on-one. We will be available between 3 and 7 p.m. every other Wednesday, starting in January 2022. Sign up for a 15-minute phone call or virtual meeting.
Send a note
You can mail your comments to us at:
Boston Transportation Department
ATTN: Stefanie Seskin
1 City Hall Square Room 721
Boston MA 02201
Or, send an email to connect-downtown@boston.gov.
Cambridge Street
Update October 17, 2022: Construction is underway on Cambridge Street.
Construction of the Cambridge Street pedestrian and bicycle safety improvements started this past weekend. Construction crews started by posting No Stopping signs along the north side (westbound) of Cambridge Street. Over the coming days, they will:
- Eradicte existing pavement markings that are not being retained
- Install thermoplastic pavement markings
- Put flexible plastic bollards in place
- Re-program traffic signals
Our work is weather dependent and schedules are subject to change. Please pay attention to posted signs and parking restrictions on Cambridge Street. Thank you for your patience.
We are making changes to Cambridge Street. These changes will focus on safety and comfort for people walking and biking while keeping all travelers moving safely.
We launched Connect Downtown in fall 2019 with Cambridge Street as one of our focus corridors. We have heard from hundreds of people to date. Many people spoke with us about their experiences on Cambridge Street. We heard about your safety issues and frustrations, the importance of the planted median, and how small businesses use the street. Cambridge Street is in the top 3% of streets citywide for injury-causing crashes involving people riding bikes. We need to provide safe, everyday accommodation for people on bikes.
Our aim is to make Cambridge Street a better place for walking and biking in the near term. We plan to use “quick-build” materials like flexible bollards, roadway striping, and signage. We also plan to make changes to signal timing and curb regulations.
DESIGN CONSTRAINTS
Read about the main constraints we're working within as we move forward. With any project we do, we look at existing conditions. This helps us understand what is and isn't possible.
View the Design
Join us at an upcoming event!
We are hosting a series of outdoor in-person "pop-up" sessions this summer. You can view project materials, share your comments, and ask questions.
We invite you to come by and talk to us at the intersection of Cambridge Street and Joy Street during the following dates and times:
- POSTPONED
Thursday, June 30: 7:45 - 9 a.m. (rain date: Wednesday, July 6: 7:45 - 9 a.m.) - Wednesday, July 6: 7:45 - 9 a.m.
- Tuesday, July 12: 3:30 - 6 p.m.
- Saturday, July 23: 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. MOVED TO WEST END LIBRARY DUE TO ONGOING HEAT ADVISORY
- Tuesday, July 26: 7:45 - 9 a.m. (rain date: Thursday, July 28: 7:45 - 9 a.m.)
- CANCELLED Tuesday, August 9: 3:30 - 6 p.m.
Meet with us during Office Hours
You can talk with a member of the project team one-on-one. We will be available between 3 and 7 p.m. every other Wednesday. Sign up for a 15-minute phone call or virtual meeting.
February 2022 Update
We summarized and answered your questions from fall 2021 about Cambridge Street. This was the first phase of community conversations about the project. You shared your questions with us during a series of in-person outdoor events, in one-on-one virtual appointments or phone calls, and through emails and letters.
Project launch
We began our outreach for Cambridge Street in the summer of 2021. Your feedback helped to guide us as we worked to develop a design for Cambridge Street. We created an interactive website that shared existing conditions and next steps for our work, hosted a series of outdoor drop-in sessions, sent postcards to residents, and shared flyers about the project with businesses.
Interactive Website
CONNECT DOWNTOWN: CAMBRIDGE STREET
Talking with You
We hosted five outdoor drop-in sessions us at the intersection of Cambridge Street and Joy Street during August, September, and October of 2021. We talked with over 170 people during our drop-in sessions. Thank you to everyone who dropped by! We gave out project materials, listened to your comments, and answered your questions.
We mailed 11,271 postcards to residential addresses in Beacon Hill and the West End. The postcards began arriving in late August 2021.
In August 2021, we visited businesses along Cambridge Street and gave them flyers about the project. We also posted the flyers along Cambridge Street.
Charles Street
We are considering design changes for Charles Street between Charles Circle and Beacon Street. Our goal is to support residents of, and visitors to, the vibrant Beacon Hill community while continuing to serve the operational needs of small businesses.
Charles Street is a critical link in our citywide bicycle network. It connects you to jobs, schools, open space, and civic resources in and around Downtown. Charles Street is already well-used by people on bikes throughout all seasons. During warmer months, bicyclists make up about 18 percent of peak hour traffic on average even during the COVID-19 pandemic. We need to provide safe, everyday accommodation for people on bikes.
The sidewalks and intersections on Charles Street bustle with people walking. During peak travel hours, between 800 - 1,400 people walk through the intersections on Charles Street. We also know that about 70 - 85 percent of Beacon Hill residents walk, take transit, or bike to work. As we look at design options, we will carefully consider the safety and comfort of people walking on Charles Street. We want to make sure that any changes will enhance Charles Street’s assets as a walkable business district.
February 2023 Update
Before we propose changes, we need to understand Charles Street better. In our initial outreach, the Beacon Hill community asked us to talk directly with each business on Charles Street and conduct a robust data collection and analysis effort. This month, we are sharing data and findings from our work to better understand Charles Street.
- We spoke with the majority of businesses on Charles Street to get a deeper understanding of their operational needs.
- We looked at who is using Charles Street and how, using both traffic counts and observational studies.
- We analyzed parking study data from fall 2019.
January 2023 Update
In 2022, we wrapped up our work to collect data and talk with you about curbside use on Charles Street. This included the following activities:
- Charles Street Walk with City Leadership
- Double Parking and Loading Study
- Business Survey
We’re thankful to all the businesses who responded to our survey and to the City staff who helped us study loading and curb use activity. In the next month, we will share the results of our work and our analysis. Your input and the data we collected will inform design options. We look forward to beginning those conversations soon.
We sent an email update to the Connect Downtown email list on January 5, 2023. It included a recap of our work to date and information about next steps.
Summer 2022 Update
Starting in August 2022, we will meet with businesses along Charles Street. Our goals are to understand their needs and hear about their ideas.
Meet City of Boston leadership. We will be visiting businesses on Wednesday, August 3. You will have the opportunity to meet with leaders from the Streets Cabinet, the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, and with Councilor Kenzie Bok. This is not the only opportunity for business owners and managers to talk with us.
City staff will continue to visit Charles Street. We want to learn more about your needs and experiences with deliveries and transportation. We want to hear from every business. If you'd like to make an appointment for us to visit with you, please email us.
Charles Street South and Tremont Street
Let’s design a safer Charles Street South and Tremont Street! We aim to begin making changes this year.
Our vision for Charles Street South and Tremont Street between Marginal Road and Stuart Street
Pedestrian safety. We want to improve safety and comfort for people crossing Charles Street South and Tremont Street.
Accessible curb ramps. We will rebuild curb ramps that do not meet accessibility standards.
Connected bicycle network. We will add separated bike lanes on Tremont Street and Charles Street South between Marginal Road and Stuart Street. This will close the gap between Tremont Street south of Herald Street, where separated bike lanes are currently under construction, and the existing separated bike lanes on Stuart Street.
Join us at an upcoming event
- Community walk. Saturday, April 29, at 10:30 a.m.: Talk to us about Charles Street South and Tremont Street. Cantonese interpretation provided. Meet at Charles Street South and Melrose Street.
- Drop by. Corner of Charles Street South and Warrenton St. / Melrose St., from 4 - 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 27
- Tuesday, July 18
- Tuesday, August 15
- Virtual office hours. Every other Wednesday from 3 - 7 p.m. Chat one-on-one with the project team
Community Walk
On Saturday, April 29 we hosted a community walk. We gathered at the corner of Charles Street South and Melrose Street at 10:30 a.m. An interpreter was available for Cantonese speakers. We shared "starter ideas" for Charles Street South and Tremont Street. And, you shared your experiences and goals for the corridor:
- Charles Street South is "like a highway that has no traffic." Drivers go too fast and the street is wider than it needs to be.
- It should feel easier and safer to cross the street, especially at the crosswalk at Melrose Street and Warrenton Street.
- Changes to the number of parking spaces should be minimized as much as possible.
Thank you to all who attended.
If you couldn't attend, we still want to hear from you. What do you like about these ideas? What are your questions? Send us an email at connect-downtown@boston.gov
You can also join us at an upcoming event:
- Drop by. Corner of Charles Street South and Warrenton St. / Melrose St. from 4 - 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, June 27
- Tuesday, July 18
- Tuesday, August 15
- Virtual office hours. Every other Wednesday from 3 - 7 p.m. Chat one-on-one with the project team
We mailed 2,104 postcards to addresses in Chinatown and Bay Village. It includes information in English and Traditional Chinese. The postcards will begin arriving the second week of April 2023.
We are distributing flyers to abutters, posting them in high-visibility locations, and sending them electronically to community groups.
Columbus Avenue
We want to hear your ideas and needs for Columbus Avenue.
We launched our Connect Downtown project in fall 2019. We sent mailers to 5,800 South End residents who live near Columbus Avenue. We hosted a South End community walk on November 13, 2019 and met with many neighborhood organizations in late 2019 and early 2020. During that time, we heard about 140 comments about Columbus Avenue and nearby streets in the South End. But, we paused engagement in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the summer of 2022, we relaunched engagement. We want to hear from you!
Join us at an upcoming event!
We are hosting outdoor, in-person "listening sessions" this September. You can view project materials, share your comments, and ask questions.
We invite you to come by and talk to us at the following days and locations:
- Monday, September 12 | 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Columbus Avenue and Dartmouth Street
Spanish interpretation available - Thursday, September 15 | 7:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Crite Park - Sunday, September 18 | 1:00 - 4 p.m.
Chester Park Festival - Wednesday, September 21 | 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Columbus Avenue and Clarendon Street
Cantonese interpretation available - Sunday, September 25 | 12:30 - 2:30 p.m.
Columbus Avenue and West Rutland Square - RAIN DATE: Wednesday, September 28 | 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Location TBD
In August 2022, we sent out postcards to 7,600 households in the South End to get the word out about the project and the upcoming listening sessions. We also posted flyers around the neighborhood.
MEET WITH US DURING OFFICE HOURS!
You can talk with a member of the project team one-on-one. We will be available between 3 and 7 p.m. every other Wednesday. Sign up for a 15-minute phone call or virtual meeting.
Design changes in fall 2020
In fall 2020, we made changes to walk signals and created permanent separated bike lanes on streets downtown. The map below shows where we made these changes:
CONNECT DOWNTOWN: PHASE 1
(ENGLISH)
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Additional streets under study
Connect Downtown is a multi-year project that will happen in phases. Right now, we are focused on:
- Cambridge Street in Beacon Hill and the West End,
- Charles Street in Beacon Hill,
- Columbus Avenue in the South End, and
- Public Garden Crossings.
Our study area includes many more streets. As we continue with our work, we will contact residents, neighborhood associations, businesses, and other relevant organizations. Your input will guide how we redesign streets. Every street has many needs, from safe crosswalks to family-friendly bike lanes to access to the curb. We will not undertake work nor make decisions without an open and transparent process.
We have not begun engagement nor design for these Focus Corridors:
- Arlington Street, Charles Street South, and Tremont Streets in Bay Village
Project updates
UpdatesStarting in August 2022, we will meet with businesses along Charles Street. Our goals are to understand their needs and hear about their ideas.
Meet City of Boston leadership. We will be visiting businesses on Wednesday, August 3. You will have the opportunity to meet with leaders from the Streets Cabinet, the Office of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, and with Councilor Kenzie Bok. This is not the only opportunity for business owners and managers to talk with us.
City staff will continue to visit Charles Street. We want to learn more about your needs and experiences with deliveries and transportation. We want to hear from every business. If you'd like to make an appointment for us to visit with you, please email us.
We are considering design changes for Cambridge Street. Join us at an upcoming event to learn more.
We launched Connect Downtown in fall 2019 with Cambridge Street as one of our focus corridors. We have heard from hundreds of people to date. Many people spoke with us about their experiences on Cambridge Street. We heard about your safety issues and frustrations, the importance of the planted median, and how small businesses use the street.
Cambridge Street is an anchor for major employers and supports a vibrant small business community. We are looking at ways to add separated bike lanes and to improve walking along and across it. We do not have a preferred design for Cambridge Street yet. We look forward to talking with you more this fall.
learn more about existing conditions ON CAMBRIDGE STREET:
CONNECT DOWNTOWN: CAMBRIDGE STREET
Connect Downtown: Cambridge Street (Español)
Talk with us!
Drop-by in person
We will be at the intersection of Cambridge Street and Joy Street. Come by and talk to us anytime during the following dates and times:
- Tuesday, August 31, 7:45 - 9 a.m.
- Thursday, September 9, 3:30 - 6 p.m.
- Saturday, September 18, 11 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
- Thursday, September 23, 7:45 - 9 a.m.
- Tuesday, September 28, 3:30 - 6 p.m.
- Thursday, October 7, 3:30- 6 p.m.
If we need to postpone because of the weather, we will post an update on @BostonBTD on Twitter. We will also send an update to our email list. You can sign up for emails in the "Stay Connected" section of this web page.
Meet with us during Office Hours
You can talk with a member of the project team one-on-one. We will be available between 3 and 7 p.m. every other Wednesday, starting September 1. Sign up for a 15-minute phone call or virtual meeting.
Send a note
You can mail your comments to us at:
Boston Transportation Department
ATTN: Stefanie Seskin
1 City Hall Square Room 721
Boston MA 02201
Or, send an email to connect-downtown@boston.gov.
We mailed 11,271 postcards to residential addresses in Beacon Hill and the West End. The postcards began arriving in late August 2021.
In August 2021, we visited businesses along Cambridge Street and gave them flyers about the project. We also posted the flyers along Cambridge Street.
We held a series of virtual office hours during Fall 2020. You were invited to sign up for a 15-minute appointment during the listed hours with a member of the project team. Appointments were available online or over the phone. You brought your questions and reviewed information related to the project
Appointments were available on Wednesday afternoons during September and October:
- September 16, 3 - 7 p.m.
- September 23, 3 - 7 p.m.
- September 30, 3 - 7 p.m.
- October 7, 3 - 7 p.m.
- October 14, 3 - 7 p.m.
- October 21, 3 - 7 p.m.
- October 28, 3 - 7 p.m.
We hosted three outdoor information sessions. We shared information about the upcoming changes to traffic signals and new bike lanes. We answered questions and gathered your feedback. We engaged with people in English, Spanish, and Cantonese.
Meeting announcements were shared via a direct mailing, our email list, a press release, and City social media accounts. We followed state and City guidelines for meetings. All attendees wore a face covering and stood six feet apart.
We planned a series of Open Houses in March and expanded Office Hours into the spring. We were able to hold one Open House before in-person meetings were suspended. More than 45 people stopped by the event on March 5 at the Central Library.
The content shared at this Open House is available to explore online.
You were invited to drop in any time during office hours and talk one-on-one with us. You could review project materials, ask questions, and share your feedback. We hosted Office Hours weekly between January 8 and March 4 at the Boston Public Library’s Central Library and West End Library. We talked with 257 community members during our office hours. You shared almost 200 comments with us. We suspended Office Hours in early March because of COVID-19.
View the project fact sheet (PDF)
We hosted a series four of community walks during the fall of 2019. The walks covered neighborhoods and streets we are looking at as part of Connect Downtown. We invited community members to attend and share their experiences walking and biking in the study area.
Scroll down to read about each walk.
Beacon Hill
Saturday, November 2, 2019
- Intersections like Beacon Street at Charles Street and Charles Circle feel like barriers for people walking because of long wait times or unclear pedestrian signals.
- Desire for more pedestrian space and pedestrian-only events on Charles Street north of Beacon Street.
- Concern about excessive speeding on Charles Street south of Beacon Street and Beacon Street east of Charles Street.
- Some people want to bike but don't feel comfortable with the busy streets and intersections. People who bike now sometimes use the Common and sidewalks because they don't feel safe on the street.
- The curbside on Charles Street north of Beacon Street should be better managed to reduce double parking and provide space for commercial loading and passenger pickup and dropoff.
"People come [to Charles Street] for the pedestrian experience."
"This [crosswalk between the Boston Common and Public Garden] is a special place, a major gateway between two iconic, historic open spaces—and should look like it!"
"Biking from the West End to Copley Square is easy but biking back is very hard because of one-way streets."
"I don't usually have sympathy for bikers, but this area needs bike lanes!"
Back Bay
Thursday, November 7, 2019
- Walk signals are different at each intersection. Locals have learned how they work, but visitors find them confusing. The inconsistency erodes confidence in the signals. People make their own decisions about when to cross.
- The Beacon Street, Arlington Street, Mugar Way intersection is stressful for people walking because of long wait times, confusing signals, and multi-stage crossings via small islands.
- Many people bike in the area but the streets and intersections are not designed for them. As a result, people who bike have developed their own strategies to navigate the area. Some feel like the only "safe" option is to go during the pedestrian signal to avoid stressful interactions with vehicles.
- People often bike across the plaza on the southwest corner of Charles Street South and Boylston Street to get to Columbus Ave and continue to the Southwest Corridor. They are avoiding the stressful weave from Stuart Street to Charles Street South to Park Plaza.
"Consistency in walk signals is important. It gives pedestrians confidence."
"Can we put a big crosswalk in the middle of the intersection so you can cross directly from the Public Garden to the Commonwealth Ave Mall?"
"Being on the island in the middle of the intersection [of Beacon Street and Arlington Street] is like being a penguin on an iceberg with rising sea levels."
"It's common to see bicyclists cut across the intersection [of Boylston Street at Charles Street] and use the sidewalk to get to Columbus Ave [heading southwest]."
South End
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
- Walk signals are inconsistent. Some are concurrent with vehicles while others are exclusive. People find this confusing. Some make their own choices about when and where to cross.
- The sidewalks on Columbus Ave are narrow and feel congested, especially during peak travel hours. Nearby Back Bay Station is a major draw for people walking.
- Columbus Ave is an important bike route through the city. In the South End, bike commuters choose Columbus Ave over the Southwest Corridor Park because it's a direct connection between downtown and neighborhoods to the southwest.
- Desire for better bike lanes on Columbus Avenue. The existing bike lanes on southwest of Dartmouth Street feel too narrow and are often blocked by doubled-parked cars. Northeast of Dartmouth Street, there are no bike lanes.
"We should embrace the cold weather. Can we have car-free street events during the winter?"
"Can we make the intersections more compact and feel human-scaled?"
"Sidewalks [on Columbus Ave] between Clarendon and Berkeley are very congested, particularly when trains let out at Back Bay Station."
"Can we reduce the number of travel lanes on Columbus Ave northeast of Dartmouth Street so we can have separated bike lanes? There could be a left turn lane at Berkeley Street for the [Route 39] bus and drivers going to Storrow Drive."
Bay Village/Chinatown
Tuesday, December 10
- Walk signals are too short and infrequent. People who aren't able to walk fast have to wait for two full cycles.
- Some unsignalized crosswalks are stressful to use because there are many lanes and drivers go fast. Examples include Tremont Street at the Tufts Medical Center garage, Charles Street South at Melrose Street, and Arlington Street at Isabella Street.
- In some places, many people cross the street but there is no crosswalk. Examples include Boylston Street mid-way between Tremont Street and Charles Street, Stuart Street at Warrenton Street, and Charles Street South at Park Plaza.
- Stuart Street, Charles Street South, Boylston Street, and Tremont Street are important bike routes in the city but don't have bike facilities.
- People who bike find some intersections very stressful because of turning or weaving traffic. To avoid conflicts with vehicles, some choose to go during the pedestrian phase.
"The north-south crossing on the east side of Arlington Street at Stuart Street has a staggered pedestrian crossing. You get stuck in the middle. It's difficult."
"Exclusive pedestrian phases are too short with too long of a wait in between."
"The turn from Stuart Street onto Charles Street South is scary as a bicyclist. You have to weave across a bunch of lanes. This results in people going when they feel safe based on their ability level, including on the walk signal."
"This area is very very loud because of cars, trucks, and sirens. We have had to shout to hear each other this entire walk!"
"Can we do something to manage pickup and dropoff traffic? Tremont Street south of Stuart Street gets really congested with Ubers when theater shows start or finish."
