Cleveland Circle Intersection And Safety Improvements

The Boston Transportation Department is working with you and your neighbors to plan changes at Cleveland Circle.

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Project Phase

Pending

Planning

Design

Construction

Complete

Project Information

Location

Cleveland Circle Brighton 02135

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Project Features

Accessibility

Mobility

Street Safety Improvements

Traffic mitigation

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Expected Year to be Completed

To be determined

Primary Project Type

Streets

Cleveland Circle is an important intersection for Brighton and for the City of Boston. Situated in the western section of Brighton, Cleveland Circle is an important transit hub. There are three Green Line stations in close proximity, as well as a destination for recreation at the Chestnut Hill Reservoir.

We've heard a lot from you and your neighbors about how dangerous Cleveland Circle can be. Many avoid the area because of dangerous crosswalks, confusing angle parking, and unsafe bicycle facilities. The City is planning changes to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety and calm vehicular movements through the intersection.

Currently, we are coordinating with the Planning Department's ongoing Allston-Brighton Community Plan and the MBTA's Green Line Transformation program to ensure this intersection is improved as part of future work in this area. Sign up to our mailing list for updates!

Current Safety Challenges

Unsafe Pedestrian Conditions

People walking or rolling through Cleveland Circle have to deal with:

faded pavement markings
long crossing distances, and
inconvenient crossing locations.

Curb ramps, sidewalks, and crosswalk surfaces are damaged in many places. These factors combine to make crossing Cleveland Circle on foot or while using a mobility device time-consuming and stressful.

Lack of Safe Cycle Infrastructure

Cleveland Circle is a critical connecting point for the City and the region. But, there are no protected bicycle facilities in the entire intersection. Painted lanes on Chestnut Hill Avenue and Beacon Street west of the intersection do not continue through the intersection. The western portion of Beacon Street does not have any bike lanes at all.

Bike parking also varies in quality and availability. While there are some racks available near the Cleveland Circle Green Line Station, there is often little parking near businesses and destinations. A BlueBikes dock exists to the southwest of the intersection, near Cassidy Playground. But, it is difficult to reach from other parts of the intersection. The current arrangement of bicycle infrastructure does provide a low-stress bike route through the intersection from any direction.

Hazardous Parking and Delivery

Currently, Beacon Street westbound has two aisles of front-in angle parking. This style of parking is dangerous. It results in increased pedestrian and vehicular crashes due to the inherent risks of reversing a vehicle into a travel lane.

Businesses also often receive deliveries from trucks parking in the travel lane due to the lack of dedicated delivery space at the curb.