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Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan

We are planning safety improvements and better crosstown access for all users along Columbia Road.

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The City of Boston’s Transportation Department (BTD) is leading a project called the “Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan.” Over the next 12-18 months, the City will lead a process to redesign Columbia Road.

The City and its consultant team will collect community feedback at different points throughout the process. Then, it will take this feedback to create potential options for the way the road could be redesigned. Next, it will bring these proposed options to the community for additional feedback. Then the City will select a final design.

This project is about more than just repaving the street and fixing sidewalks and crosswalks. A road redesign will consider the full experience of residents and commuters using the corridor. The project team will consider potential changes to the street’s travel lanes, sidewalks, and bus stops. We will work to make the experience of traveling along Columbia Road better for everyone

Call for Artists
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We're seeking local artists to design and install street murals at three intersections along Columbia Road:
Learn More

Why Now?

Columbia Road is one of Boston’s great main streets. The 2.5-mile long road connects Franklin Park at Blue Hill Avenue to Moakley Park and the waterfront. It is lined with houses, small businesses, places of worship, health centers, and beautiful historic buildings.

But Columbia Road’s existing design makes it hard for people to travel safely. The road is wide and the crosswalks are long. Cars and bicyclists share space on the road and traffic causes delays for bus riders and drivers. Columbia Road has fewer trees and greenspaces than other streets in the City making it a less pleasant place to walk.

Project Goals

  1. More ways to get around. The City envisions a future with better transportation options for everyone. The City wants to improve the experience of traveling along Columbia Road. Almost 6,000 people ride the MBTA 16 bus every weekday. This project will take into account the needs of public transit users, walkers, bikers, and drivers. 
  2. Safer street design. A high number of vehicle, pedestrian, and bike crashes happen each year on Columbia Road. In 2023 there were 46 crashes on Columbia Road. The project will increase safety for all users by adding interventions known to increase safety.
  3. A greener experience. Trees are important for human health and the environment because they create shade and cool the street. Columbia Road has fewer streets than many other streets in the City. The lack of shade on Columbia Road makes the surrounding community hotter in the summer. This project will add more trees and landscaping to bring down summer temperatures. The project will also add public art, benches, and lighting to create prettier places to walk and sit along the road.

Timeline

  1. Near-term improvement: The City is committed to addressing immediate concerns along Columbia Road that can be resolved quickly. This includes repainting crosswalks and vehicle travel lanes, repairing potholes, and fixing uneven sidewalks. In Spring/Summer 2024, potholes were filled, and pavement markings were refreshed to improve roadway visibility and safety. Our project team has identified over 25 locations along the corridor where sidewalks require repairs. Public Works crews will address these locations once the construction season begins in Spring 2025.
  2. Early Action Project: We will work with the community to design and test small-scale, temporary street changes aimed at improving safety and accessibility while fostering conversations about the future of the corridor. The Early Action Project will implement temporary interventions at key intersections to enhance pedestrian safety, evaluate their impact, and gather community feedback to inform the long-term redesign. Our aim is also to beautify these intersections with local art, creating a more vibrant and welcoming streetscape. 

    Guided by community input collected in 2024, these interventions will include pavement markings and flex posts to improve pedestrian safety at the following intersections: 1.) Columbia Road @ Washington Street 2.) Geneva Avenue/Brinsley Street 3.) Dudley Street/Stoughton Street, and 4.) Edward Everett Square. 

    Additionally, the project team will issue a Call to Artists to invite local artists to design temporary roadway murals at three of these intersections. The installations are expected to be completed by Summer 2025 and will serve as an opportunity for the community to experience and provide feedback on potential long-term improvements.

  3. Street Redesign Vision: The City is taking a new approach to public involvement, offering multiple ways for the community to participate in shaping Columbia Road’s future. In Fall/Winter 2024, we will host conversations about potential design options for different sections of Columbia Road.

    Beginning in March 2025, our technical consultants will develop multiple design concepts based on community feedback. These concepts will explore different approaches to green space, mobility, and safety improvements.

    By Summer 2025, we will share these design alternatives with the public and host additional engagement events to gather input. Our goal is to refine the designs based on community feedback, ensuring they reflect the needs and priorities of the people who live, work, and travel along Columbia Road.

Who's Involved?

BTD is working with a diverse team of technical and engagement consultants to help shape the future of Columbia Road. Together, this collaborative team with deep connections across Boston brings expertise in transportation planning, street design, public space design, landscape architecture, and creative community engagement.

 

Technical Team:

Engagement Team:

Together, this team ensures that the Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan is shaped by the people who know the corridor best — the residents, businesses, and organizations that call it home.

Project Area

Learn More

Learn More

View the “What We’ve Found So Far” pamphlet, which summarizes key findings from community feedback, research on current road conditions, and public engagement activities conducted in 2024.

The Early Action Project is a pilot program designed to enhance safety and beautify Columbia Road through low-cost, temporary improvements. By implementing quick and easy changes in our toolbox, such as traffic calming measures and public art, we aim to spark community engagement and conversation about the street’s potential. This project will serve as a testing ground for exploring long-term transportation solutions while collecting valuable feedback on the effectiveness of different strategies.

  • Early Action Project update - October 2024: Learn more about the Early Action Project's goals, timeline, and the safety improvements being made to four intersections along Columbia Road.

  • Call for Artists - As part of the Early Action Project, we are seeking local artists to design and install temporary roadway murals at three key intersections along Columbia Road. These murals will enhance the streetscape, celebrate the history and culture of Dorchester, and engage the community in shaping the corridor’s transformation.

    Applications open on February 18, with a submission deadline of March 14 at 5pm. We invite creatives to submit proposals for vibrant, context-sensitive artwork that reflects the neighborhood’s identity.

    Selected artists will collaborate with the project team and community members to develop and install their designs by Summer 2025. 

Upcoming events

Events
Columbia Road Office Hours
On Mar 10

Mar 10
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On Mar 11

Mar 11
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On Mar 13

Mar 13
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On Mar 17

Mar 17
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On Mar 18

Mar 18
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On Mar 20

Mar 20

Past Events

From May 14th to June 22nd, the Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan project team engaged directly with community members, especially bus riders and pedestrians, through Street Ambassador deployments. This outreach effort aimed to gather diverse perspectives for improving transportation in the area.

 

On May 21st and 23rd, the Fairmount Indigo CDC Collaborative (FICC) surveyed commuter rail riders at Upham's Corner and Four Corners/ Geneva MBTA stations to gather input on the Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan.

From May to June 2024, the Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan team hosted four community walks to gather neighborhood insights. These walks aimed to inform the Phase 2 Early Action Project by identifying priority intersections for safety improvements and beautification based on community feedback.

In June, the Value in Community Series highlighted the intersection of community, art, and transportation through local artists. The events emphasized art and artists as community connectors, showcasing the value of public art in enriching streets and fostering community connections.

On Tuesday, July 23, the project team hosted a public meeting regarding the Early Action Project, a key component of the Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan. The purpose of this meeting was to foster community engagement and gather valuable feedback from residents and stakeholders. During the meeting, the project team presented a toolbox of proposed interventions designed to beautify and enhance safety along Columbia Road.

Additionally, participants reviewed a shortlist of targeted locations, developed based on feedback from engagement events in May and June. The insights and suggestions gathered were essential to ensuring that the final plan reflects the needs and priorities of our community.

See the presentation here. 

On Wednesday, October 30, the project team hosted an open house at the Strand Theatre to provide updates on project activities and share research findings completed to date. The event also gathered valuable feedback from community members about how they use Columbia Road and their vision for its future.

Click here to view a summary of what was covered at the open house, including the materials shared at each station: 

 

At the open house, attendees provided valuable input on how they use Columbia Road and their ideas for its future. This feedback is shaping the direction of the Columbia Road Transportation Action Plan.

Click below to see the feedback we received at the different stations:

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