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124-526: The underwater section of the tunnel is 90 feet below the surface of Boston Harbor, the deepest such connection in North America. The Ted Williams Tunnel (TWT) was the first major link constructed as part of Boston's Big Dig . It is constructed from twelve "binocular" shaped steel sections fabricated in a Baltimore shipyard. These sections were then brought to the Black Falcon Pier near the site and each

248-649: A 4 foot (1.2 m) by 319 foot (97 m) work by Matthew Hoffman that was installed in 2016. A zip-line opened on Parcel 12 for one season in June 2017. A wildflower meadow and beehives were added in 2019. Parcel 18 is located between the Wharf District Parks and the Fort Point Channel Parks. In 2004, The New Center for Arts and Culture proposed construction of a $ 40 million art and cultural center to be designed by Daniel Libeskind . The center

372-567: A Third Harbor Tunnel plan that was hugely controversial in its own right, because it would have disrupted the Maverick Square area of East Boston . It was never built. A major reason for the all-day congestion was that the Central Artery carried not only north–south traffic, but it also carried east–west traffic. Boston's Logan Airport lies across Boston Harbor in East Boston; and before

496-627: A bust of shipbuilder Donald McKay in East Boston ; blue interior lighting of the Zakim Bridge; and the Miller's River Littoral Way walkway and lighting under the loop ramps north of the Charles River . Extensive landscape planting, as well as a maintenance program to support the plantings, was requested by many community members during public meetings. The Big Dig separated the co-mingled traffic from

620-526: A concrete drop ceiling inside the I-90 Fort Point Channel tunnel leading to the Ted Williams Tunnel collapsed. A section of ceiling fell on top of a car traveling through the connector tunnel, killing 38-year-old passenger Milena Del Valle and slightly injuring her husband Angel Del Valle, who was driving. The cause of the collapse was later determined to be the failure of adhesives connecting

744-517: A hotel and market building on Parcel 9, adjacent to the Haymarket produce market , was approved in June 2016. No action has been taken on Parcel 11a or Parcel 11b; the latter is used as a parking lot for city employees. Parcel 24, near the southern end of the Greenway, is the site of the mixed-income residential building One Greenway, which opened in 2015. Parcels 25, 26, and 27, at the southern end of

868-399: A number of state-of-the-art construction techniques. Because the old elevated highway (which remained in operation throughout the construction process) rested on pylons located throughout the designated dig area, engineers first utilized slurry wall techniques to create 120-foot-deep (37 m) concrete walls upon which the highway could rest. These concrete walls also stabilized the sides of

992-411: A raised express highway running north–south through the downtown district in order to draw through traffic off the city streets. Commissioner of Public Works William Callahan promoted plans for the Central Artery, an elevated expressway which eventually was constructed between the downtown area and the waterfront. Governor John Volpe interceded in the 1950s to change the design of the last section of

1116-402: A short portion of I-93, but additional lanes and direct connections are provided for this traffic. The result was a 62% reduction in vehicle hours of travel on I-93, the airport tunnels, and the connection from Storrow Drive, from an average 38,200 hours per day before construction (1994–1995) to 14,800 hours per day in 2004–2005, after the project was largely complete. The savings for travelers

1240-424: A steel tieback suspending the concrete drop ceiling to the main ceiling above. Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney ordered the eastbound lanes of the Ted Williams Tunnel to be immediately shut down on July 20 after two ceiling supports showed signs of slippage. At a press conference, Romney stated that "pull tests" were to be conducted in the eastbound tube to test the stress load on the bolt/epoxy system that supports

1364-497: A traditional cut-and-cover method had been applied. Other challenges included existing subway tunnels crossing the path of the underground highway. To build slurry walls past these tunnels, it was necessary to dig beneath the tunnels and to build an underground concrete bridge to support the tunnels' weight, without interrupting rail service. The project was managed by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, with

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1488-518: A year by increasing economic productivity and decreasing motor vehicle operating costs. That study did not look at highways outside the Big Dig construction area and did not take into account new congestion elsewhere. Towards the end of the Big Dig in 2003, it was estimated that the demolition of the Central Artery highway would cause a $ 732 million increase in property value in Boston's financial district, with

1612-645: Is a linear park located in several Downtown Boston neighborhoods. It consists of landscaped gardens, promenades, plazas, fountains, art, and specialty lighting systems that stretch over one mile through Chinatown , the Financial District , the Waterfront, and North End neighborhoods. Officially opened in October 2008, the 17-acre Greenway sits on land created from demolition of the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway as part of

1736-478: Is dedicated to the victims of the Armenian genocide and acknowledges the history of Boston as a port of entry for immigrants worldwide, and celebrates those who have migrated to Massachusetts shores and contributed to American life and culture. The Park consists of two key features surrounded by seating, brick paving and landscaping. The Abstract Sculpture, a split dodecahedron, is mounted on a Reflecting Pool, represents

1860-636: Is located at the southern end of The Greenway. This one-acre park contains design elements drawn from Asian traditions and art work. Designed by Carol R. Johnson and Associates and May Sun , Chin Park has a large plaza, as well as a serpentine walkway edged by bamboo within bright red sculptural elements and a fountain that suggests a waterfall and shallow riverbed. In 2011, the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy partnered with local community groups, residents, and abutters to add

1984-524: Is responsible for the ongoing care. The Wharf District Parks connect Faneuil Hall and the Financial District with Boston Harbor. Designed by EDAW and Copley Wolff Design Group, the parks contain areas of paved surfaces for active public use and a gathering space for public events known as the Great Room. Three open lawn areas, surrounded with plantings, provide informal space for gatherings. During

2108-592: Is supported by two forked towers connected to the span by cables and girders. It was the first bridge in the country to employ this method and it was, at the time, the widest cable-stayed bridge in the world, having since been surpassed by the Eastern span replacement of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge . Meanwhile, construction continued on the Tobin Bridge approach. By the time all parties agreed on

2232-718: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 . Nashua Street Park on the Boston side was completed in 2003, by McCourt Construction with $ 7.9 million in funding from MassDOT. As of 2017, $ 30.5 million had been transferred to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to complete five projects. Another incomplete but required project is the South Bank Bridge over the MBTA Commuter Rail tracks at North Station (connecting Nashua Street Park to

2356-528: The Big Dig project. The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway is named after Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy , the matriarch of the Kennedy family who was born in the neighboring North End neighborhood, the daughter of the former Boston mayor for whom the demolished expressway was named. Her son, Senator Edward M. Kennedy , played an important role in establishing the Greenway. The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy

2480-664: The Central Artery soon became painfully clear, however. In 1991, after almost a decade of planning, construction began on the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, more widely known as the " Big Dig ", which was recognized as one of the largest, most complex, and technologically challenging highway projects in the history of the United States. With the elevated highway to be relocated underground, Boston would be rich in prime urban land. Community and political leaders seized

2604-641: The Central Artery/Tunnel Project ( CA/T Project ). Additionally, the project constructed the Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge over the Charles River , created the Rose Kennedy Greenway in the space vacated by the previous I-93 elevated roadway, and funded more than a dozen projects to improve the region's public transportation system. Planning for the project began in 1982; the construction work was carried out between 1991 and 2006; and

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2728-527: The Charles River crossing had been a source of major controversy throughout the design phase of the project. Many environmental advocates preferred a river crossing entirely in tunnels, but this, along with 27 other plans, was rejected as too costly. Finally, with a deadline looming to begin construction on a separate project that would connect the Tobin Bridge to the Charles River crossing, Salvucci overrode

2852-759: The Charles River Dam and lock, a maintenance facility, and a planned pedestrian walkway across the Charles River next to the MBTA Commuter Rail drawbridge at North Station (connecting Nashua Street Park and North Point Park). MassDOT is funding the South Bank Park, and replacement of the North Washington Street Bridge (construction Aug 2018–23). EF Education is funding public greenspace improvements as part of its three-phase expansion at North Point. Remaining funding may be used to construct

2976-581: The E-ZPass electronic toll collection system, formerly named the "Fast Lane" system. Vehicles with a Massachusetts E-ZPass transponder pay $ 1.75, and the tolls are higher for vehicles with an out of state E-ZPass or vehicles without an E-ZPass. Eligible East Boston residents for the E-ZPass discount program pay $ 0.20 for either direction. Commercial vehicles pay higher, depending on number of axles. On July 10, 2006, at approximately 11 p.m. four three-ton sections of

3100-581: The North-South Rail Link , which would have connected North and South Stations (the major passenger train stations in Boston), but this aspect of the project was ultimately dropped by the state transportation administration early in the Dukakis administration. Negotiations with the federal government had led to an agreement to widen some of the lanes in the new harbor tunnel, and accommodating these would require

3224-604: The Red and Blue subway lines, and to restore the Green Line streetcar service to the Arborway in Jamaica Plain have not been completed. The Red and Blue subway line connection underwent initial design, but no funding has been designated for the project. The Arborway Line restoration has been abandoned, following a final court decision in 2011. The original Big Dig plan also included

3348-462: The death of one motorist. The project was originally scheduled to be completed in 1998 at an estimated cost of $ 2.8 billion (US$ 7.4 billion adjusted for inflation as of 2020 ). However, the project was completed in December 2007 at a cost of over $ 8.08 billion (in 1982 dollars, $ 21.5 billion adjusted for inflation), a cost overrun of about 190%. As a result of a death, leaks, and other design flaws,

3472-597: The "New American Gardens" for their wide variety of trees and flowers that are often found in gardens of typical New England homes. The Fort Point Channel Parks, designed by Halvorson Design Associates, were planted in 2008 by the Massachusetts Horticultural Society , with help from many volunteers including the Massachusetts Master Gardener Association. The Greenway Conservancy has added significant additional planting and

3596-432: The 1.5-mile-long (2.4 km) road section carried approximately 75,000 vehicles a day, but by the 1990s, this had grown to 190,000 vehicles a day. Traffic jams of 16 hours were predicted for 2010. The expressway had tight turns, an excessive number of entrances and exits, entrance ramps without merge lanes, and as the decades passed and other planned expressways were cancelled, continually escalating vehicular traffic that

3720-486: The 70' x 76' wall of the air intake structure overlooking Dewey Square Park. In 2012, Brazilian twin brothers Otavio and Gustavo Pandolfo ( Os Gêmeos ) painted a mural on the wall, in conjunction with their first solo exhibition in the United States at Boston's Institute of Contemporary Art . In fall 2013, a new mural, "Remanence: Salt and Light (Part II)" by Matthew Ritchie replaced the Os Gemeos mural. The third mural on

3844-471: The Artery Arts Program was seen as a potential liability, even though there was support and interest from the public and professional arts organizations in the area. At the beginning of the highway design process, a temporary arts program was initiated, and over 50 proposals were selected. However, development began on only a few projects before funding for the program was cut. Permanent public art that

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3968-636: The Berklee College of Music Summer Concerts at the Greenway, and the Coolidge Corner Theatre's "Coolidge at the Greenway" movie series,. The Boston Public Market farmers market at Dewey Square is held twice weekly from May to November annually. Annually ~100 free fitness classes are held through the Greenway, including yoga, cardio dance, strength and conditioning circuits, and parkour workouts. The "Greenway Mobile Eats" program brought Boston's first gourmet food truck to Dewey Square Park in 2010;

4092-520: The Big Dig and the Turnpike's Boston Extension from the 1960s being financially and legally joined by the legislature as the Metropolitan Highway System . Design and construction was supervised by a joint venture of Bechtel Corporation and Parsons Brinckerhoff . Because of the enormous size of the project—too large for any company to undertake alone—the design and construction of the Big Dig

4216-618: The Big Dig was passed by the US Congress , but it was vetoed by President Ronald Reagan for being too expensive. When Congress overrode the veto, the project had its green light and ground was first broken in 1991. In 1997, the state legislature created the Metropolitan Highway System and transferred responsibility for the Central Artery and Tunnel "CA/T" Project from the Massachusetts Highway Department and

4340-580: The Big Dig, the only access to the airport from downtown was through the paired Callahan and Sumner tunnels. Traffic on the major highways from west of Boston—the Massachusetts Turnpike and Storrow Drive —mostly traveled on portions of the Central Artery to reach these tunnels. Getting between the Central Artery and the tunnels involved short diversions onto city streets, increasing local congestion. A number of public transportation projects were included as part of an environmental mitigation for

4464-557: The Big Dig. The most expensive was the building of the Phase II Silver Line tunnel under Fort Point Channel , done in coordination with Big Dig construction. Silver Line buses now use this tunnel and the Ted Williams Tunnel to link South Station and Logan Airport. Construction of the MBTA Green Line extension beyond Lechmere to Medford/Tufts station opened on December 12, 2022. As of 2023 , promised projects to connect

4588-577: The Boston Redevelopment Authority initiated a review of the three parcels. Preliminary studies have proposed landscaping and partial coverage of some of the ramps. Parcel 6 is located at the northern end of the Greenway, adjacent to the North End Parks . The entire site is covered by highway ramps. In 2003, the YMCA of Greater Boston was designated to build a community center and gym on

4712-660: The Central Artery became chronically gridlocked. The Sargent moratorium led to the rerouting of I-95 away from Boston around the Route ;128 beltway and the conversion of the cleared land in the southern part of the city into the Southwest Corridor linear park , as well as a new right-of-way for the Orange Line subway and Amtrak . Parts of the planned I-695 right-of-way remain unused and under consideration for future mass-transit projects. The original 1948 Master Plan included

4836-466: The Central Artery, putting it underground through the Dewey Square Tunnel . While traffic moved somewhat better, the other problems remained. There was chronic congestion on the Central Artery (I-93), the elevated six-lane highway through the center of downtown Boston, which was, in the words of Pete Sigmund, "like a funnel full of slowly-moving, or stopped, cars (and swearing motorists)." In 1959,

4960-555: The Conservancy has operated the park, leading the maturation of this new civic space, strengthening its physical beauty, and encouraging a sense of a shared community in Boston. The 2008 legislation established a 50%-50% public/private funding model. Through a multi-party funding agreement announced in June 2017, public funds from the State and City represent ~20% of the operating budget, a new Greenway Business Improvement District funds ~20% of

5084-461: The Financial District. The park has gardens, lawn areas, and the adjacent plaza, which was designed to draw in commuters and nearby workers and residents. The tables, chairs, and cluster of food trucks have made Dewey Square Park a popular lunch destination, especially in the warm seasons when the plaza features the twice-weekly Boston Public Market Association's farmers market. Food truck and other major festivals are hosted here. In 2011, Dewey Square

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5208-558: The Greenway (Parcels 6, 12, and 18) ramps to and from the underground highway occupy some of the surface. The Big Dig's 1991 environmental approval certificate committed the state to cover the ramps. Nonprofit organizations were designated to develop buildings on the three sites, and the Massachusetts Legislature authorized $ 31 million to help pay the costs of building on top of the ramps. However, all three proposals were abandoned due to high costs between 2009 and 2011. In 2014,

5332-479: The Greenway Carousel at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove, which opened on August 31, 2013. Instead of horses, the hand-carved creatures of this carousel are the wildlife found in and around Boston and its harbor; the animals are carved by local sculptor Jeff Briggs and inspired by the drawings of Boston school children. ~100,000 visits enjoy a spin on the carousel each year. One of the new additions to

5456-557: The Greenway Conservancy now works with 30+ rotating food trucks each year. The Greenway Conservancy has partnered since 2017 with the Trillium Brewing Company on a seasonal outdoor beer garden , located at Atlantic Avenue at High Street on the Greenway, with a half-dozen beers on tap and Westport Rivers Winery on offer. The Greenway Conservancy opened a second beer garden for the 2018 season on Dewey Square Plaza on

5580-528: The Greenway Wall was "Seven Moon Junction" by Shinique Smith , installed in 2014. "A TRANSLATION FROM ONE LANGUAGE TO ANOTHER" by Lawrence Weiner was installed on the Greenway Wall in 2015 and remained through September 2016. "Spaces of Hope," by Iranian artist Mehdi Ghadyanloo was installed on the wall in October 2016. Shara Hughes’ “Carving Out Fresh Options” was installed on the Greenway Wall in May 2018, and

5704-476: The Greenway are being developed with mixed-use, predominantly residential buildings, including The Victor, Parcel 1B, One Canal, and Avenir Apartments. As part of the Big Dig, a mixed use structure was built on Parcel 7 that contains a ventilation tower for the tunnel as well as a parking garage, state agency offices, part of the new Haymarket MBTA Station , and the Boston Public Market . Development of

5828-427: The Greenway, organized by the Greenway Conservancy in partnership with cultural institutions and businesses, have included art festivals, food truck competitions, concerts, markets, and more, and are geared toward multi-generational and multi-cultural audiences. Trackable visitation of the Greenway has increased from 96,000 visitors in 2009 to 800,000 in 2013 and to 1.38 million in 2016; many additional visitors enjoy

5952-757: The Greenway. Commissions by the Greenway Conservancy have won 8 awards from Americans for the Arts’ Public Art Network, among the most in the country since 2012. Annually, PAN recognizes the best 50 new public art installations and has recognized Os Gemeos, “The Giant of Boston” (2012); Shinique Smith, “Seven Moon Junction” (2014); Kyu Seok Oh, “Wandering Sheep” (2015); Matthew Hoffman, “MAY THIS NEVER END” (2016); Mehdi Ghadyanloo, “Spaces Of Hope” (2017); Meredith James, “Far from this setting in which I now find myself” (2017); and Mark Reigelman , “The Meeting House” (2017); and Anne Lilly, "Temple of Mnemon" (2018). A series of temporary murals are rotated each fall on

6076-528: The Greenway; this was operated by Downeast Cider in 2018 and by City Winery in 2019. The Conservancy uses organic and sustainable landscape management programs to maintain the parks and features of the Greenway. The Greenway is Boston's only organically maintained public park and one of a handful of organically maintained urban parks in the United States. Organic maintenance means no expenditures for toxic chemicals, and lower expenditures for watering. Plants are healthier, more resilient, and better able to withstand

6200-683: The I-93 design, construction of the Tobin connector (today known as the "City Square Tunnel" for a Charlestown area it bypasses) was far along, significantly adding to the cost of constructing the US Route 1 interchange and retrofitting the tunnel. Boston blue clay and other soils extracted from the path of the tunnel were used to cap many local landfills , fill in the Granite Rail Quarry in Quincy , and restore

6324-582: The Inner Belt, was subsequently renamed Interstate 695 . (The law establishing the Interstate highway system was enacted in 1956.) The Inner Belt District was to pass to the west of the downtown core, through the neighborhood of Roxbury and the cities of Brookline , Cambridge , and Somerville . Earlier controversies over impact of the Boston extension of the Massachusetts Turnpike , particularly on

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6448-451: The MTA's representative. Eventually, MTA combined some of its employees with joint venture employees in an integrated project organization. This was intended to make management more efficient, but it hindered MTA's ability to independently oversee project activities because MTA and the joint venture had effectively become partners in the project. In addition to political and financial difficulties,

6572-529: The Massachusetts Governor's Office to the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA). The MTA, which had little experience in managing an undertaking of the scope and magnitude of the CA/T Project, hired a joint venture to provide preliminary designs, manage design consultants and construction contractors, track the project's cost and schedule, advise MTA on project decisions, and (in some instances) act as

6696-408: The Massachusetts Turnpike and the Sumner and Callahan tunnels. While only one net lane in each direction was added to the north–south I-93, several new east–west lanes became available. East–west traffic on the Massachusetts Turnpike/I-90 now proceeds directly through the Ted Williams Tunnel to Logan Airport and Route 1A beyond. Traffic between Storrow Drive and the Callahan and Sumner Tunnels still uses

6820-522: The North Point Inlet pedestrian bridge, and a pedestrian walkway over Leverett Circle . Before being replaced with surface access during the reconstruction of the Science Park MBTA Green Line station, Leverett Circle had pedestrian bridges with stairs that provided elevated access between the station, the Charles River Parks, and the sidewalk to the Boston Museum of Science . The replacement ramps would comply with Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and allow easy travel by wheelchair or bicycle over

6944-408: The Parsons Brinckerhoff and Bechtel consortium agreed to pay $ 407 million in restitution and several smaller companies agreed to pay a combined sum of approximately $ 51 million. This project was developed in response to traffic congestion on Boston's historically tangled streets which were laid out centuries before the advent of the automobile . As early as 1930, the city's Planning Board recommended

7068-568: The Turnpike Authority authorized the Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MassHort) to develop gardens and an indoor "Garden Under Glass" on Big Dig Parcels 19, 21, and 22, near Dewey Square . But MassHort was unable to raise sufficient funds for the $ 100 million project, and cancelled it in 2008. The parcels were then turned over to the Greenway Conservancy, which created Dewey Square Park (Parcel 22) and Fort Point Channel Parks (Parcels 19 & 21). Parcels 8 and 10 were reserved by Boston's zoning code to be "programmed, designed, and detailed for

7192-418: The Wharf District Parks, the Harbor Islands Pavilion is an open-air structure staffed by National Park Service rangers to welcome visitors and provide information about the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area . Ferry tickets and Boston Harbor Islands park merchandise are available for purchase at the pavilion. The Pavilion was designed by Utile and opened on June 2, 2011 The Armenian Heritage Park

7316-460: The busy intersection. While not a legally mandated requirement, public art was part of the urban design planning process (and later design development work) through the Artery Arts Program. The intent of the program was to integrate public art into highway infrastructure (retaining walls, fences, and lighting) and the essential elements of the pedestrian environment (walkways, park landscape elements, and bridges). As overall project costs increased,

7440-409: The circle. All southbound lanes of I-93 opened to traffic on March 5, 2005, including the left lane of the Zakim Bridge, and all of the refurbished Dewey Square Tunnel . By the end of December 2004, 95% of the Big Dig was completed. Major construction remained on the surface, including construction of final ramp configurations in the North End and in the South Bay interchange, and reconstruction of

7564-451: The city, not reduced or eliminated (although some trips are now faster). The report states, "Ultimately, many motorists going to and from the suburbs at peak rush hours are spending more time stuck in traffic, not less." The Globe also asserted that their analysis provides a fuller picture of the traffic situation than a state-commissioned study done two years earlier, in which the Big Dig was credited with helping to save at least $ 167 million

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7688-406: The crunch on Logan Airport traffic coming from the south. Cars heading to the airport northbound on the Southeast Expressway ( I-93 ) would get off at exit 15B (former exit 18) and take the South Boston Access (Haul) Road to Ramp A, eliminating the need to go through downtown Boston and U-turn at Storrow Drive to access the Callahan Tunnel . One eastbound lane of the connector tunnel which collapsed

7812-516: The current mural, "Resonance" by Super A was installed in May 2019. In 2015, the Conservancy commissioned the installation of a work called "As If It Were Already Here" by Janet Echelman . The installation was attached to three adjacent high-rise buildings, so that it was suspended above the Fort Point Channel parks. In 2023, the Boston Society of Architects awarded the work its Harleston Parker Medal , which recognizes “the most beautiful piece of architecture, building, monument, or structure built in

7936-429: The development parcels, before dissolving in 2013. The Museum's first proposal for Parcel 9 also included a plan to build a pedestrian bridge extending the length of Parcel 12. Fencing keeps pedestrians off of the ramp structure of Parcel 12. The fencing on the west side of the ramps has been used by the Greenway Conservancy as the supporting structure for several temporary art exhibits, including "MAY THIS NEVER END",

8060-413: The drop ceiling. An independent contracting firm was to conduct that test. Romney said the shutdown should last "hours, not days". The next morning, the eastbound lanes of the tunnel were opened to MBTA Silver Line buses as well as commercial buses running to Logan Airport . Late in the evening of August 8, I-90 connector ramp A leading to the Ted Williams Tunnel was reopened to general traffic, easing

8184-400: The eastbound lanes on January 19. The next phase, moving the elevated Interstate 93 underground, was completed in two stages: northbound lanes opened on March 29, 2003, and southbound lanes (in a temporary configuration) on December 20, 2003. A tunnel underneath Leverett Circle connecting eastbound Storrow Drive to I-93 North and the Tobin Bridge opened December 19, 2004, easing congestion at

8308-415: The eastern edge offer public seating and a vantage point that overlooks both greenspace and historic buildings. The "canal fountain," a shallow water feature with fountain jets, reflects a period approximately a century ago when a canal connected the harbor to now defunct industrial operations. During the warmer months, the North End Parks host free fitness classes and other events. The Carolyn Lynch Garden

8432-435: The excavation and the possibility of disrupting the homes of millions of rats , causing them to roam the streets of Boston in search of new housing. By the time the federal environmental clearances were delivered in 1994, the process had taken some seven years, during which time inflation greatly increased the project's original cost estimates. Reworking such a busy corridor without seriously restricting traffic flow required

8556-450: The excavation to take place below. Construction crews also used ground freezing (an artificial induction of permafrost ) to help stabilize surrounding ground as they excavated the tunnel. This was the largest tunneling project undertaken beneath railroad lines anywhere in the world. The ground freezing enabled safer, more efficient excavation , and also assisted in environmental issues, as less contaminated fill needed to be exported than if

8680-580: The form of the automobile and the imaginative qualities of construction and movement through ideas of transportation. The Auto Show helped to mark the 10th anniversary of the non-profit Greenway Conservancy's care and management of The Greenway by leading visitors to reflect on the former elevated Central Artery and the history of site as a transportation corridor. Artworks included Erwin Wurm's UFO, Computer Generated Graphics (CGI) by Chris Labrooy, No Direction by Julie Libersat, and OPERANT (An Oldowonk Cataract) by Karl Unnasch. Public programs and events on

8804-408: The fountains, gardens, public art, and pathways. A free Wi-Fi network running the length of the park was added by the Conservancy in 2010. Over 400 free events are held on the Greenway annually. Recurring events include the FIGMENT participatory art festival in July, the Boston Local Food Festival in September, the Greenway artisan market from May through early October, World Labyrinth Day in May,

8928-602: The funding for the Greenway ended in 2012, and was replaced by year-to-year agreements until a six-year agreement in 2017. Now the Greenway Business Improvement District provides annual funding to the Greenway Conservancy, as do the City of Boston (from a fund established with proceeds from the sale of the Winthrop Square garage) and MassDOT. Auntie Kay & Uncle Frank Chin Park (formerly Chinatown Park)

9052-613: The heavily populated neighborhood of Brighton , and the additional large amount of housing that would have had to be destroyed led to massive community opposition to both the Inner Belt and the Boston section of I-95. By 1970, building demolition and land clearances had been completed along the I-95 right of way through the neighborhoods of Roxbury, Jamaica Plain , the South End and Roslindale , which led to secession threats by Hyde Park , Boston's youngest and southernmost neighborhood (which I-95

9176-413: The history and scale of the adjacent North End neighborhood. They were designed by two teams of landscape architects: Boston's Crosby, Schlessinger, Smallridge LLC and Seattle's Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd. Lawns surrounded by densely planted perimeter beds are designed to evoke a formal feel of past European style gardens with boxwood hedges enclosing an array of perennials. A trellis and "pergola" along

9300-693: The immigrant experience. The Labyrinth , a circular winding path paved in granite and set in lawn, celebrates life's journey. The Park and its endowed programs are a key initiative of the Armenian Heritage Foundation. The park opened in May 2012 The park is maintained by the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy under contract with the Armenian Heritage Fountain. The North End Parks (Boston Big Dig parcels #8 and #10, lying on opposite sides of Hanover Street) reflect

9424-578: The impact of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project on the community, representing the neighborhoods to government agencies, keeping the community informed, developing a list of priorities of immediate neighborhood concerns, and promoting responsible and appropriate development of the post-construction artery corridor in the North End and Waterfront neighborhoods. The political, financial and residential obstacles were magnified when several environmental and engineering obstacles occurred. The downtown area through which

9548-455: The mainline roadway. The Connector ultimately used a pair of ramps that had been constructed for Interstate 695 , enabling the mainline I-93 to carry more traffic that would have used I-695 under the original Master Plan. When construction began, the project cost, including the Charles River crossing, was estimated at $ 5.8 billion. Eventual cost overruns were so high that the chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, James Kerasiotes ,

9672-644: The metropolitan Boston area in the past 10 years”. An exhibit of sculptures called " Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads ," by Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei , was installed in April 2016 at the Rings Fountain in the Wharf District Parks, and remained on exhibit until October. For the first time in 2017, The Greenway curated a year-long site-specific series of Public Art installations throughout our parks entitled Playful Perspectives . The surreal installations challenged visitors’ perception of reality while engaging

9796-436: The objections and chose a variant of the plan known as "Scheme Z". This plan was considered to be reasonably cost-effective, but had the drawback of requiring highway ramps stacked up as high as 100 feet (30 m) immediately adjacent to the Charles River. The city of Cambridge objected to the visual impact of the chosen Charles River crossing design. The city sued to revoke the project's environmental certificate and forced

9920-526: The opening ceremony was held for the I-90 Connector Tunnel, extending the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90) east into the Ted Williams Tunnel , and onwards to Boston Logan International Airport . The Ted Williams tunnel had been completed and was in limited use for commercial traffic and high-occupancy vehicles since late 1995. The westbound lanes opened on the afternoon of January 18 and

10044-460: The operating budget, and the Greenway Conservancy generates ~60%. In the 1940s, planning began for a "Highway in the Skies" that would alleviate traffic congestion and provide a direct route for moving goods in and out of Boston. Construction of the elevated Central Artery began in 1951 and was completed in 1959, displacing more than 10,000 residents and demolishing some 1,000 buildings. The limitations of

10168-512: The opportunity to enhance Boston's city life by providing additional parks and gardens to connect some of its oldest, most diverse, and vibrant neighborhoods. The creation of the Greenway was a joint effort of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Boston, and various civic groups. On October 4, 2008, tens of thousands of visitors came together for

10292-580: The original project plan were dropped due to the massive cost overruns on the highway portion of the project. $ 99.1 million was allocated for mitigating improvements to the Charles River Basin , including the construction of North Point Park in Cambridge and Paul Revere Park in Charlestown. The North Bank Bridge, providing pedestrian and bicycle connectivity between the parks, was not funded until

10416-536: The parcel. The estimated cost of the building, designed by Childs Bertman Tseckares , was $ 70 million. In 2011, the YMCA abandoned its plans for the site, citing the high cost of building over the active highway ramps. Parcel 12 is located just south of the North End Parks . In 2005, The Boston Museum was awarded the rights to build an $ 89 million museum designed by Moshe Safdie . The Museum gave up its plans in 2009. It made two unsuccessful bids for Parcel 9, one of

10540-598: The park's inaugural celebration with the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. The following year, on February 23, 2009 the Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy assumed operational responsibility for the parks. Today, the Greenway encompasses gardens, plazas, and tree-lined promenades. The Greenway is a key feature of the modern reinvention of Boston, Boston Harbor, the South Boston Waterfront, and the Harbor Islands. MassDOT's obligation under state law to provide 50% of

10664-645: The plaza tables, chairs and shade umbrellas, while the City of Boston renovated neighboring Mary Soo Hoo Park to the south. Large festivals, such as the Chinatown Main Street Festival, the August Moon Festival, and Films at the Gate, are hosted in the plaza. Mary Soo Hoo Park was added to the Greenway Conservancy's responsibilities in 2015. In 2016, the PlayCubes children's climbing structure was added to

10788-484: The plaza temporarily as part of the Design Museum Boston's Extraordinary Playscapes exhibit; a portion of the PlayCubes installation was made permanent based on community input. In 2019, the park was renamed from Chinatown Park to Auntie Kay & Uncle Frank Chin Park. Located between Congress and Summer Streets along Atlantic Avenue, Dewey Square Park joins the major transportation hub of South Station to

10912-560: The primary benefit of the adjacent North End community through the development of a series of spaces which invite both residents and visitors to use the park while clearly delineating a neighborhood presence and oversight of the park." They became the North End Parks . Parcel 13 became the Armenian Heritage Park . Parcels 14 through 17 became the Wharf District Parks. Parcel 23D became the Chinatown Park. At three locations along

11036-533: The project concluded on December 31, 2007. The project's general contractor was Bechtel and Parsons Brinckerhoff was the engineer, who worked as a consortium, both overseen by the Massachusetts Highway Department . The Big Dig was the most expensive highway project in the United States, and was plagued by cost overruns , delays, leaks, design flaws, accusations of poor execution and use of substandard materials, criminal charges and arrests, and

11160-488: The project planners to redesign the river crossing again. Swiss engineer Christian Menn took over the design of the bridge. He suggested a cradle cable-stayed bridge that would carry ten lanes of traffic. The plan was accepted and construction began on the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge . The bridge employed an asymmetrical design and a hybrid of steel and concrete was used to construct it. The distinctive bridge

11284-541: The project received resistance from residents of Boston's historic North End, who in the 1950s had seen 20% of the neighborhood's businesses displaced by development of the Central Artery. In 1993, the North End Waterfront Central Artery Committee (NEWCAC) created, co-founded by Nancy Caruso, representing residents, businesses, and institutions in the North End and Waterfront neighborhoods of Boston. The NEWCAC Committee's goal included lessening

11408-575: The proposed South Bank Park, which is currently a parking lot under the Zakim Bridge at the Charles River locks). Improvements in the lower Charles River Basin include the new walkway at Lovejoy Wharf (constructed by the developer of 160 North Washington Street, the new headquarters of Converse ), the Lynch Family Skate Park (constructed in 2015 by the Charles River Conservancy), rehabilitation of historic operations buildings for

11532-423: The rapidly evolving concept of light and art, helping to shape our sense of place, and our collective and individual identities. Commissioned artworks included Anne Lilly's Temple of Mnemon and Luftwerks Transition. The Greenway's 2019 Public Art exhibition, titled The Auto Show , was an exhibition consisting of both loaned and commissioned works by nationally & internationally-renowned artists that explored

11656-581: The removal of the elevated highway. Proposals in 1985 by the state and in 1988 by the Boston Society of Architects suggested that most of the land should be used for mid-rise buildings. But in 1991, the Boston Redevelopment Authority's "Boston 2000" plan called for 75% of the land "to be developed as a series of parks and urban plazas." The 1991 environmental certificate for the project adopted this idea, mandating that not more than 25% of

11780-500: The replacement parks providing an additional $ 252 million in value. Additionally, as a result of the Big Dig, a large amount of waterfront space was opened up, which is now a high-rent residential and commercial area called the Seaport District . The development of Seaport alone was estimated to create $ 7 billion in private investment and 43,000 jobs. Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway The Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway

11904-422: The site, preventing cave-ins during the continued excavation process. The multi-lane Interstate highway also had to pass under South Station 's seven railroad tracks, which carried over 40,000 commuters and 400 trains per day. To avoid multiple relocations of train lines while the tunneling advanced, as had been initially planned, a specially designed jack was constructed to support the ground and tracks to allow

12028-435: The surface could be developed, with the rest maintained as public open space. The certificate specifically required that three parcels near South Station, encompassing about four acres of land, be turned over to the Massachusetts Horticultural Society (MassHort) for outdoor gardens and an enclosed winter garden. And the certificate required that the three ramps at Parcels 6, 12, and 18 be covered "to mitigate their impacts on

12152-405: The surface environment." The 2001 Central Artery Corridor Master Plan followed the 1991 mandate by designating specific parcels for open space or for development. A map showed the location of each open space and development parcel. Parcels 19, 21, and 22 were assigned to MassHort. The three parcels containing highway ramps were designated for development. All of the other parcels directly above

12276-653: The surface of Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area . The Storrow Drive Connector , a companion bridge to the Zakim, began carrying traffic from I-93 to Storrow Drive in 1999. The project had been under consideration for years, but was opposed by the wealthy residents of the Beacon Hill neighborhood. However, it finally was accepted because it would funnel traffic bound for Storrow Drive and downtown Boston away from

12400-515: The surface streets. The final ramp downtown—exit 16A (formerly 20B) from I-93 south to Albany Street —opened January 13, 2006. In 2006, the two Interstate 93 tunnels were dedicated as the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel , after the former Democratic speaker of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts who pushed to have the Big Dig funded by the federal government. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

12524-487: The tunnel to be deeper and mechanically vented; this left no room for the rail lines, and having diesel trains (then in use) passing through the tunnel would have substantially increased the cost of the ventilation system. The project was conceived in the 1970s by the Boston Transportation Planning Review to replace the rusting elevated six-lane Central Artery. The expressway separated downtown from

12648-517: The tunnel without endangering the existing elevated highway above. Eventually, they created horizontal braces as wide as the tunnel, then cut away the elevated highway's struts, and lowered it onto the new braces. Three alternative construction methods were studied with their corresponding structural design to address existing conditions, safety measures, and constructability. In addition to codified loads, construction loads were computed to support final design and field execution . On January 18, 2003,

12772-476: The tunnel, were the subject of unsuccessful requests for proposals in 2004 and in 2011. Plans to develop the land, now called the South Bay Kneeland Street Parcels, were revived in 2016. A permanent installation, Harbor Fog, by Boston artist Ross Miller , is located in the Wharf District Parks. The Conservancy has a program to install rotating exhibitions of contemporary public art on

12896-542: The tunnels were to be dug was largely land fill , and included existing Red Line and Blue Line subway tunnels as well as innumerable pipes and utility lines that would have to be replaced or moved. Tunnel workers encountered many unexpected geological and archaeological barriers, ranging from glacial debris to foundations of buried houses and a number of sunken ships lying within the reclaimed land. The project received approval from state environmental agencies in 1991, after satisfying concerns including release of toxins by

13020-569: The underground highway from Parcel 17 north to Parcel 7 were designated as parkland. All of the parcels not located directly above the new tunnel were designated for development. A surface road carrying local traffic existed underneath most of the length of the elevated Central Artery. Big Dig plans called for the creation of a pair of one-way surface roads extending the length of the Greenway, to handle local traffic. Greenway parks and development sites would be bordered by these surface roads as well as by cross streets separating each parcel. In 1991,

13144-482: The viewer in a playful manner. Works of artwork included Mark Reigelman's Meeting House , Meredith James' Far from this setting in which I now find myself, Aakash Nihalani's Balancing Acts I/II and Chris Templeman's Make and Take 3D printing Rooster Machine. In 2018 The Greenway installed GLOW , a public exhibition of commissioned light-based artworks, historically significant Massachusetts light based roadside architecture, and interactive experiences that showcases

13268-695: The warmer months, the Wharf District Parks host the Greenway Open Market, food vendors, concerts and fitness classes. Large events also occur across the Wharf District Parks, such as the Boston Local Food Fest and the FIGMENT participatory art festival. The Wharf District Parks are home to the Mothers’ Walk, a curving pathway that consists of pavers engraved with names and personal messages. The Greenway Conservancy raised funds to design and construct

13392-415: The waterfront, and was increasingly choked with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Business leaders were more concerned about access to Logan Airport , and pushed instead for a third harbor tunnel. Planning for the Big Dig as a project officially began in 1982, with environmental impact studies starting in 1983. After years of extensive lobbying for federal dollars, a 1987 public works bill appropriating funding for

13516-424: The wear of public use. The Conservancy's practice of using composting and compost tea instead of herbicides and toxins also ensures that run-off from the parks will not pollute Boston Harbor or harm the delicate marine life. Children and pets can freely and safely play on the park lawns without the worry of pesticides. The Conservancy has planted a series of new garden spaces, including a wildflower meadow, to create

13640-476: The whole expressway underground. Another important motivation for the final form of the Big Dig was the abandonment of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works' intended expressway system through and around Boston. The Central Artery, as part of Mass. DPW's Master Plan of 1948, was originally planned to be the downtown Boston stretch of Interstate 95 , and was signed as such; a bypass road called

13764-564: Was also slated to go through). By 1972, with relatively little work done on the Southwest Corridor portion of I-95 and none on the potentially massively disruptive Inner Belt, Governor Francis Sargent put a moratorium on highway construction within the Route ;128 corridor, except for the final short stretch of Interstate 93. In 1974, the remainder of the Master Plan was canceled. With ever-increasing traffic volumes funneled onto I-93 alone,

13888-510: Was broken up into dozens of smaller subprojects with well-defined interfaces between contractors. Major heavy-construction contractors on the project included Jay Cashman , Modern Continental , Obayashi Corporation , Perini Corporation , Peter Kiewit Sons' Incorporated , J. F. White , and the Slattery division of Skanska USA. (Of those, Modern Continental was awarded the greatest gross value of contracts, joint ventures included.) The nature of

14012-451: Was dedicated by the Greenway Conservancy in a ribbon-cutting ceremony with The Lynch Foundation in August 2018. The garden's name is attributed to Carolyn Hoff Lynch, an avid gardener and philanthropist, who died in 2015. The dedicated gardens are part of a $ 1.4 million gift from The Lynch Foundation. Big Dig planners debated the mix between open space and buildings on the land to be freed up by

14136-462: Was designated as the developer of this site, but abandoned the plans in 2010. Unlike Parcels 6 and 12, Parcel 18 has a relatively small portion of its area devoted to the highway ramps. The rest of the parcel was intensively landscaped , and has a pedestrian walkway that extends its full length. All of the parcels in the Bulfinch Triangle (Parcels 1, 1a/b/c, 2, and 2a/b) at the northern end of

14260-629: Was established as an independently incorporated non-profit organization in 2004 to guide the emerging park system and raise funds for an endowment and operations. In 2008, the State Legislature confirmed the Conservancy as the designated steward of the Rose Kennedy Greenway; the Conservancy operates with a lease from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (now Massachusetts Department of Transportation). Since February 2009,

14384-443: Was estimated at $ 166 million annually in the same 2004–2005 time frame. Travel times on the Central Artery northbound during the afternoon peak hour were reduced 85.6%. A 2008 Boston Globe report asserted that waiting time for the majority of trips actually increased as a result of demand induced by the increased road capacity. Because more drivers were opting to use the new roads, traffic bottlenecks were only pushed outward from

14508-403: Was fired in 2000. His replacement had to commit to an $ 8.55 billion cap on federal contributions. The total expenses eventually passed $ 15 billion. Interest brought this cost to $ 21.93 billion. Several unusual engineering challenges arose during the project, requiring unusual solutions and methods to address them. At the beginning of the project, engineers had to figure out the safest way to build

14632-464: Was fitted with a large surrounding mass of concrete (so that the tunnel section was more neutrally buoyant). Using additional flotation, the tunnel sections were then floated into place, lowered into a dredged channel, and joined to the other sections. At this point, the steel panels sealing the now-joined sections could be cut out and the finishing operations could be completed. When the TWT opened in 1995 it

14756-407: Was funded includes: super graphic text and facades of former West End houses cast into the concrete elevated highway abutment support walls near North Station by artist Sheila Levrant de Bretteville ; Harbor Fog, a sensor-activated mist, light and sound sculptural environment by artist Ross Miller in parcel 17; a historical sculpture celebrating the 18th and 19th century shipbuilding industry and

14880-479: Was only available to authorized commercial traffic. Later, non-commercial traffic was allowed to access the tunnel on weekends and holidays. In 2003, with the substantial completion of the I-90 portion of the Big Dig, the tunnel was opened to all traffic at all times. The tunnel is 8,448 feet (2,575 m) long, of which approximately 3,960 feet (1,210 m) are underwater. A toll is collected in both directions, through

15004-455: Was reopened to traffic on September 1. Big Dig (Boston, Massachusetts) The Big Dig was a megaproject in Boston that rerouted the then elevated Central Artery of Interstate 93 that cut across Boston into the O'Neill Tunnel and built the Ted Williams Tunnel to extend Interstate 90 to Logan International Airport . Those two projects were the origin of the official name,

15128-596: Was required under the Federal Clean Air Act to mitigate air pollution generated by the highway improvements. Secretary of Transportation Fred Salvucci signed an agreement with the Conservation Law Foundation in 1990 enumerating 14 specific projects the state agreed to build. This list was affirmed in a 1992 lawsuit settlement. Projects which have been completed include: However, some projects were removed: Some surface treatments that were part of

15252-456: Was the site of the Occupy Boston movement. The subsequent redesign of the planting includes pollinator garden, raised beds planted with edibles, a rain garden , and a small orchard; produce harvested from the edible garden is donated to hunger-relief charities. The Fort Point Channel Parks are located between Oliver and Congress Streets along Atlantic Avenue, they are often referred to as

15376-480: Was well beyond its design capacity. Local businesses again wanted relief, city leaders sought a reuniting of the waterfront with the city, and nearby residents desired removal of the matte green-painted elevated road which mayor Thomas Menino called Boston's "other Green Monster " (as an unfavorable comparison to Fenway Park 's famed left-field wall). MIT engineers Bill Reynolds and (eventual state Secretary of Transportation) Frederick P. Salvucci envisioned moving

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