River Street Intersection Improvements

Massachusetts Department of Transportation
Boston, Massachusetts

HSH designed and oversaw construction of safety and mobility improvements along the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR’s) Paul Dudley White Bicycle Path. HSH also studied the feasibility of a bus priority lane and signal on the Soldiers Field Road southbound approach to the River Street Intersection. HSH advanced a solution for cyclists, pedestrians, and vehicular traffic. The usable space was enlarged to better accommodate cyclists and pedestrians waiting to cross River Street and reconnect to the Path. This new ADA-/AAB-compliant space then transitioned to highly visible and separate bicycle and pedestrian crossings. Connectivity was improved not only at the intersection, but also crossing the river from Boston to Cambridge.

HSH studied the feasibility of converting the right-most lane on the Soldiers Field Road southbound approach to the River Street intersection into a bus-only lane, while modifying signal indications and adding two phases for buses to turn left onto the River Street bridge, ahead of the rest of the traffic. This would reduce travel times through this congested area for Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) bus routes 70 and 70A. The bus priority lane is still in the planning stages awaiting agreement by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), DCR, and MBTA to be implemented.