Connect Historic Boston
We have been working to connect historic sites in downtown Boston to enable residents and visitors to safely bike, walk, and drive to these locations.
In October the project, covering five volumes of work, reached substantial completion. The project is now in the closeout phase with various minor items to be completed and the project appropriated documented.
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Current construction
During this week, the contractor will be completing incidental work items in all locations. Missing signage, remaining pavement markings, and general cleanup will be ongoing on Joy Street, Blackstone Block, and Constitution Road.
During this week, all work will be complete and the contractor demobilized in all locations. This is the last week of work for all Public Works projects before the winter moratorium for construction begins. Work during the moratorium is approved on a weekly basis, dependent on type of work and weather conditions.
No work other than warranty issues that may arise and need attention.
About the program
The initiative between the National Park Service and Public Works is funded through a federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant. We've also worked in coordination with:
Construction on the project has reached substantial completion as of October 2018 and the demobilization in process. There will be miscellaneous work items completed prior to the winter moratorium, which begins mid-November.
The general contractor for the first phase of the project was P. Gioioso & Sons, Inc., of Hyde Park. Contract work under this construction was substantially complete as of December, 2017. Phase 2 work, the Blackstone Block, Constitution Road, and Joy Street, is under construction by WES Construction. These areas are now substantially complete and in punch list and demobilization.
More details about our projects
More details about our projectsSitting next to the Fanueil Hall Marketplace, the Blackstone Block represents the core of Boston’s historic market district. The roads and alleys connecting to the Blackstone Block are the City’s most intact colonial-era street network. We have reconstructed the area to give visitors a better experience as they explore this unique urban landscape, Creek Square, and Haymarket. An expanded sidewalk, revised delivery requirements and a shared street approach all aid movement into and through this area.
The plan to create a family-friendly, low-stress bicycle trail that makes a full circuit of downtown Boston is completed. During Phase One of the project, we created a grade-separated, protected cycle track along Staniford Street, Causeway Street, Commercial Street, and Atlantic Avenue. We've also completed a full reconstruction of Causeway Street to aid pedestrian safety and accessibility. There is one section of the cycle track in front of the TD Garden that is functioning but is an interim plan, due to the construction needs of the Hub on Causeway (HOC) expansion. The HOC project will install the final configuration of the cycle track and repave that section of roadway as part of their project as it nears completion.
Work started in April 2015 on Staniford Street and continued through December 2017, resulting in completion of the work from Staniford St. to Atlantic Ave. Some minor elements of the work were completed in the Spring of 2018.
Though a small roadway, Joy Street is the only direct connection across Beacon Hill from Boston Common to Cambridge Street. This project has rebuilt Joy Street as a shared roadway without a curb on one side of the street — in Dutch, a woonerf. The roadway will slow vehicular traffic and improve the environment for pedestrians.
We also focused on easing walking access to the Boston African-American National Historic Site, which hosts a half million visitors each year. This work is now complete.
On Constitution Road, the project reconstructed the roadway for a separate cycle track through the area, and enhanced the Freedom Trail route. This work is now complete.
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