Michael and I headed into Boston on Saturday for the inaugural celebration of the Rose Kennedy Greenway. We grabbed the train down the street at Waverly Square in Belmont. At almost $20 for two tickets, it would have been cheaper to drive and park, but Michael thought it was time for me to be introduced to public transportation.
It was a perfect fall day for a walk in the city. The new Rose Kennedy Greenway is a 1.5 mile series of parks between North and South Stations. It is the final touch to the $22 billion project that replaced the overhead highway with underground tunnels and added the Ted Williams Tunnel to Logan Airport.
Before...
Oh, the memories of sitting in traffic, inching along the scenic central artery. I was starting to get nostalgic.
... And After
Now… parks, people, dogs, fountains, benches — and only a few cars to be seen on the surface roads.
Even before the Greenway opening, it was clear that eliminating the ugly highway through the city would have a huge impact on Boston. The waterfront and the North End are now united with the financial district and Faneuil Hall Marketplace. It is amazing to be able to walk from the Boston Garden (currently known as the TD Banknorth Garden. I say currently because you never know how long financial institutions will be around these days) and one block away enter the north end of the new Greenway. We stopped to look at the traffic flowing out of the the tunnel to the Zakin Bridge then ambled along the Greenway taking side trips to the Waterfront and Faneuil Hall. There were lots of people out on Saturday enjoying the day, the free food, the ferris wheel and entertainment on three stages.
The Rose Kennedy Greenway is a result of one of those massive projects that would never have started if anyone really knew what it would cost ($22 Billion according to the Boston Globe estimate). However, now that it’s done, the character and feel of Boston have been immeasurably improved.
Before... cars and congestion
After... serene view
After... from the south side
