Crossroads Initiative

Greenway
A Possible Vision for Broad Street.
Graphic Courtesy of the
Boston Redevelopment Authority.

A Better City has identified the Crossroads Initiative as an important priority for the organization, and is partnering with Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the Boston Redevelopment Authority, and other private and non-profit partners towards its successful implementation.  This project was envisioned by Mayor Menino to help link neighborhoods that were previously disconnected by the elevated Central Artery and connect major streets in downtown Boston to the Rose Kennedy Greenway using premium urban design techniques.

The ABC believes that this project is critical to realizing the vision of the Central Artery/Tunnel Project in downtown Boston, and that it will help keep downtown vital, competitive, and one of the most attractive urban environments in the world. 

The design and construction components of the Crossroads Initiative is expected to take between 7-10 years, with improvements made to approximately six miles of twelve public streets in downtown Boston.  The first street to be improved is Broad Street, and a collaborative design effort for Causeway Street, Congress and Summer Streets will begin this winter.

Crossroads
Map Courtesy of the Boston Redevelopment Authority.

 

A Better City’s Role

As there are many large businesses, many of which are ABC members, along the project corridors, the ABC is leading the private participation component of the project.  To this end, ABC has helped organize a Broad Street Abutters Working Group to help foster a partnering process between the Broad Street property owners, property managers, and tenants and the City of Boston. This committee, co-chaired by Kyle Warwick of Jones Lang LaSalle and David Godbout of CERES Real Estate Fund, is helping shape the streetscape improvements. 

ABC has also held initial meetings with the chairs of the abutters groups for the Causeway and Summer/Congress Street improvements.  Chris Maher will serve as chair of the Abutters Group for Causeway Street, and  Jim Rooney will serve as the overall chair of the Abutters Group for Summer and Congress Street with Young Park serving as chair of Congress Street and John Matteson and Albert Price serving as co-chairs of Summer Street. The ABC will organize and conduct similar activities for the other Crossroads streets as the roll-out of the Crossroads Initiative continues. 

Otherwise, ABC continues to work with the City on developing a private partnering strategy for Broad Street that can serve as a model for each of the Crossroads streets.

 

What's New

A Better City hosted a meeting of the Congress/Summer Abutters on December 2, where we enjoyed a presentation regarding the project’s 25% design overview.  (Note: You will need to scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page to view.) 

 

Additional Resources