Tremont Street Design Project
We transformed Tremont Street to prioritize safety and comfort for people walking, manage curb access, and make dedicated space for people on bikes.
Through the Go Boston 2030 process, you identified Tremont Street as a priority project. We designed changes to make Tremont Street safer for everyone with an emphasis on pedestrian safety at intersections.
Spring 2024 Update
The Tremont Street Design Project wrapped up construction at the end of 2023. This means all of the changes to sidewalks, curbs, traffic lights, and functional road markings are finished. There are still a few details left, like adding some minor pavement markings and making adjustments to parking rules and meters. We expect to complete these final touches this year.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Transportation
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1 City Hall Square
Room 721Boston, MA 02201-2026
Project information
ADDRESSING SAFETY ON TREMONT STreet
Safety was the reason we started this project in 2018. Tremont Street was in the top 3% of streets in the city for pedestrian crashes. In the three years before the project began, 53 crashes resulted in an EMS response for all users. 19 of those crashes involved people walking. Tragically, two people were killed while crossing the wide four-lane street.
We heard from community members about how stressful it can be to cross Tremont Street, especially for kids walking to school. They also expressed a desire to:
- slow drivers down
- provide for bike lanes
- improve visibility at intersections, and
- better manage curb space.
DESIGN APPROACH
We redesigned Tremont Street to include the following features:
- One travel lane in either direction at most unsignalized crosswalks
- More lanes at the busiest signalized intersections
- Automatic pedestrian signals
- Head starts for pedestrians at signalized intersections where possible
- Raised crosswalks at all unsignalized intersections parallel to Tremont Street
- In-lane bus stops with boarding islands
- Parking-protected bike lanes along most of the corridor
- Maximized curb space for deliveries, pickup and drop-off activities, and parking
A full design plan is available in the Virtual Open House:
Visit the Virtual Open House (English)
PROJECT AREA
Project Materials and Past Updates
Materials & UpdatesConstruction Update - Oct. 24, 2023
Tuesday, October 24- Friday, October 27:
- Beginning at 8 p.m., crews will begin laying out the pavement markings on Tremont Street. Areas will be posted for no parking. Please follow all posted signage.
- Following pavement markings, during the day, crews will begin to install the concrete bike lane barriers in the buffer zone between the parking lane and the bike lane. Affected areas will be posted for no parking.
Thank you for your continued patience as we complete this project.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact 311.
October 2023 UPdate
Weather permitting, the resurfacing of Tremont St. is scheduled to begin on Monday (10/3). The first week of resurfacing will focus on the side streets and cutbacks, with the second and third weeks (10/7, 10/14) centering on the main thoroughfare of Tremont St.
Monday, October 2
Weather permitting, the resurfacing of Tremont St. is scheduled to begin on Monday (10/2).
- The first week of resurfacing will focus on the side streets and cutbacks.
- The second and third weeks (10/7, 10/14) centered on the main thoroughfare of Tremont St.
September 2023 Update
The Tremont Street project is almost complete! We are on schedule to wrap up before winter.
Our contractor will begin resurfacing the street in mid-September. Weather can disrupt the work. We aim to begin on Saturday, September 16. The contractor are permitted to work from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in an effort to minimize the total disruption time. They will be working the main travel lanes from Mass. Ave. to Aguadilla/West Canton Street first. Signs will clearly mark where street parking is prohibited.
Resurfacing involves four distinct steps:
- We will remove the top two inches of asphalt — this removes the layer of asphalt that has been cracking. You will notice that the remaining asphalt is lower than the manhole covers. The surface of the road will also feel grooved. The edges of manhole covers will be sprayed in a bright color.
- The contractor and utility companies will ensure that manhole covers are level with the new asphalt layer. This is often the most time intensive and loudest part of the resurfacing job.
- The new asphalt surface is put on the roadway. We may use temporary pavement markings following this step.
- We install the permanent pavement markings several days to weeks later, allowing the asphalt to cure.
On Tremont Street, we will be doing most of our work during the day or on weekends. This work can mean temporary closures to parts of Tremont Street or to the side streets. We aim to minimize disruptions during peak commuting times. Our goal is to complete all four of the above steps in four weeks, though adverse weather will cause delays.
If you have any questions or concerns during construction, please contact BOS:311. You can file a request online, or call 3-1-1.
July 2023 Update
We finished upgrading all the street lights on Tremont Street. We are adding temporary pavement markings to help people position themselves correctly when driving, parking, or biking on the street.
Construction of the raised crosswalks, curb ramps, and pedestrian islands is nearly complete. When this work is complete, we will resurface the street. Resurfacing involves removing the top few inches of asphalt, raising manholes and other utility access points, and then putting down new asphalt. Pavement markings will be installed between 2 and 14 days after the resurfacing process is complete.
The contractor remains on-schedule for this project. We appreciate your patience as this work continues.
APRIL 2023 Update
Construction on the Tremont Street Design Project will be complete by November 2023. Our contractor is on-schedule for this project. They continue with their work to build raised crosswalks, make changes to traffic signals, repave the street, and update all the curb regulations. At the end of the project, these changes will have improved pedestrian safety and accessibility at every crosswalk along and across Tremont Street between Massachusetts Avenue and Arlington Street. We appreciate your patience with temporary inconveniences as this work continues.
We started planning a safer Tremont Street with you in early 2018 following two fatal pedestrian crashes on the corridor. We hope you are as excited as we are to see these changes take shape. View the virtual open house to read in-depth about the changes underway to Tremont Street.
March 22, 2022 Update
Construction is active on Tremont Street. Work is expected to continue through the 2022 construction season. As the work continues, the contractor will occasionally need to post no parking signs. They may also create temporary pedestrian and vehicle detours. Please pay attention to and abide by posted signage.
We have contracted D'Allessandro Corporation to build the changes on Tremont Street. The contract is held by the Public Works Department. If you have any problems, questions, or special accommodations during construction, you may contact:
- Derek Grossi, Project Manager, D’Allessandro Corp: 774-297-7947
- Kyle Bettencourt, Onsite Superintendent, D’Allessandro Corp: 617-413-2484
As work continues, we will provide updates as often as we are able.
The City of Boston's Public Works Department has contract with D'Allessandro Corporation to build changes on Tremont Street. We are working now to finalize details of the construction period. This season, you should expect to see minor activity on Tremont Street as we prepare for construction.
As work begins, we will provide updates as often as we are able. The contractor is aware that coordination with local businesses and residents is necessary. We will also work with the MBTA and Boston Public Schools transportation. We want to ensure everyone on buses can still travel safely during construction. We hope to minimize disruption as much as possible.
View the FINAL design (PDF 6.5 MB)
View the Planned Curb Regulations Changes (PDF 1 MB)
Actualización sobre el proyecto de diseño de Tremont Street (SPANISH)
- Accessible ramps at all intersections
- Raised crosswalks at unsignalized intersections along Tremont Street, including new drainage where needed
- Replaced brick sidewalks in the area of work
- Pedestrian protection islands at crosswalks over Tremont Street
- New curb regulations that provide more commercial and short-term access during the day
- Parking-protected bike lanes
- Complete repaving of the street
We mailed 11,470 postcards to addresses on Tremont Street and intersecting streets in the South End. The postcards began arriving in September 2021.
Since our last update, we have been working out the final engineering details.
- We worked with the South End Landmark District on sidewalk materials. We will replace more brick sidewalks and add bricks to most of the pedestrian islands.
- We worked with our Street Lighting Division to prepare the corridor for improved street lights. The street lights will be replaced on a different schedule.
- We redesigned the curb ramps at two intersections: Dartmouth Street at West Dedham Street and Berkeley Street at East Berkeley Street
April 23, 2021, Update:
We are working to complete a contract with a construction company to build this project. There are irregularities with the responses that still need to be resolved. We do not know when construction will start, but we will update this web page when we know more.
We postponed our series of Open Houses. The postponed Open Houses were as follows:
- Open House #1: Monday, March 16, from 6 - 8 p.m. at the Revolution Hotel, located at 40 Berkeley Street
- Open House #2: Saturday, March 21, from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the South End Branch Library, located at 785 Tremont Street
We visited businesses along Tremont Street on November 22 and December 5, 2019, and on February 13, 2020, to gather feedback on proposed changes to curb regulations. We had interpreters for Spanish and Vietnamese. We also offered individual appointments with the businesses we were not able to reach during the times we visited.
The comment period for this round of feedback is now closed. You can view our updated proposal and in our Virtual Open House.
We gathered your feedback about parking regulations on Tremont Street through an online survey, and at our June 26, 2019 public meeting. Thank you for your thoughtful feedback. The online survey is now closed. You will have another chance to share feedback at our upcoming open houses.
During fall 2019, we studied how commercial vehicles use Tremont Street and side streets to load and unload goods.
We held a series of office hours about the Tremont Street Design Project at the South End Library. We invited folks to drop by to ask us questions, give feedback, and review project materials.
- Tuesday, August 13, 4:30 - 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, August 21, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Monday, August 26, 3 - 6 p.m.
- Thursday, September 5, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Thursday, September 12, 3 - 6 p.m.
- Tuesday, September 17, 4:30 - 7 p.m.
- Friday, September 27, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Tuesday, October 8, 4:30 - 7 p.m.
We hosted a public meeting on June 26, 2019, at the Blackstone Innovation School. We discussed Tremont St between Massachusetts Ave and Herald St, focusing on traffic signals, curb regulations, and design trade-offs. Over the next few months, we will continue to meet with community members and stakeholders. We will also refine the preferred design to share at a future public meeting.
The Transportation Department developed three concepts for Tremont Street. Each concept provides safety benefits for people walking. The most pressing safety concerns are the many four-lane, un-signalized crosswalks. A driver may stop for a pedestrian in one lane. But, in the adjacent lane, another driver does not know the pedestrian is crossing and does not stop. In Concept 1 and Concept 2, we propose reducing the number of travel lanes along most blocks. As a result, pedestrians have a safer and easier way to cross the street.
We provide information and links to preliminary plans for each concept below. More information about each concept can be found in our November 28 meeting presentation (English) (Spanish) (用中文（表达).
Your feedback informed the next step in the design process. Comments about the three concepts were collected through May. We will continue to solicit ideas, preferences, and needs via in-person meetings, emails, letters, and phone calls. New comment forms will be developed as conversations continue.
Concept 1 proposes reducing the number of general travel lanes on most blocks. This will eliminate the "double threat" crash, where one driver stops for a pedestrian but the driver in the adjacent lane does not. Turning lanes are present at most signalized intersections.
We propose raised crosswalks along Tremont Street. Pedestrian signals will give people walking a head start and reduce their delay. A parking-protected bike lane is proposed with "floating" bus stops — the bike lane continues behind a generous waiting area. Buses stop in the travel lane to pick up or drop off passengers.
If the plan is put in place as proposed, total parking loss along the corridor is four spaces.
Concept 2 proposes reducing the number of general travel lanes on most blocks. This will eliminate the "double threat" crash, where one driver stops for a pedestrian but the driver in the adjacent lane does not. Turning lanes are present at most signalized intersections.
We propose raised crosswalks along Tremont Street. Pedestrian signals will give people walking a head start and reduce their delay. Crossing Tremont Street, pedestrians will have a constructed refuge island. We propose a flush median between the travel lanes.
A bike lane with a two-foot buffer is proposed, and parking remains curbside. In this option, we propose "bus bulbs," with extended sidewalks at bus stops. Buses stop in the bike lane and part of the travel lane to pick up or drop off passengers.
If the plan is put in place as proposed, total parking loss along the corridor is two spaces.
Concept 3 retains the number and type of travel lanes that exist today.
We propose raised crosswalks along Tremont Street. Pedestrian signals will give people walking a head start and reduce their delay. Crossing Tremont Street, pedestrians will have a constructed refuge island.
In this option, we elongate bus stops to meet MBTA guidelines. Buses will continue to pull to the curb to pick up or drop off passengers.
If this plan is put in place as proposed, total parking loss along the corridor is 29 spaces.
On March 14, 2019, we public held a meeting at Peoples Baptist Church. We presented results from the community feedback collected to date and explained options for redesigning Tremont Street. Attendees viewed roll plans for each of the concepts.
As a next step, the Transportation Department will schedule additional meetings in Lower Roxbury to better understand concerns and preferences for streets in Lower Roxbury.
NOTE: This meeting covered the same material as the meeting on November 28.
On January 30, 2019, we presented at Villa Victoria's community meeting. We presented results from the community feedback collected to date and explained options for redesigning Tremont Street.
NOTE: This meeting covered the same material as the meeting on November 28.
On January 29, 2019, we held a meeting for the Castle Square community. We presented results from the community feedback collected to date and explained options for redesigning Tremont Street. After the presentation, attendees could view roll plans for each of the concepts.
NOTE: This meeting covered the same material as the meeting on November 28.
On November 28, 2018, we held a public meeting for this project at United South End Settlements Harriet Tubman House. We presented results from the community feedback collected to date. In a presentation, we explained three options for redesigning the street. After the presentation, attendees could view roll plans for each of the concepts. On a display board, we provided information about possible changes to the MBTA Route 43 bus stops. We also shared the bike network plan in the South End and Lower Roxbury and ideas for Shawmut Avenue.
In addition to getting feedback from people who live on or near Tremont Street, we collected input from the people who own or work in the business along the corridor. We asked about deliveries, parking, and other transportation concerns.
- We first notified businesses of our survey during the week of June 18.
- We distributed the survey in-person on June 25. We left information if the employees or owner was unable to complete the survey on that date.
- We provided businesses with the option to mail or email their responses over the summer.
- On September 6, we visited each business that had not completed the survey.
On April 12, 2018, we held the first public meeting for this project at the Castle Square Community Center. After we gave a presentation, community members were invited to review pedestrian and vehicle data. They could also give feedback about project outcomes and specific blocks of Tremont Street.
You can view the documents below. We collected feedback through June 30, 2018.
On February 26, 2018, we met with community stakeholders to share basic information in advance of the general community public meeting. You can view the project overview by clicking the button below.
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Still have questions? Contact:
Transportation
-
-
1 City Hall Square
Room 721Boston, MA 02201-2026
