Events

Independence From Cars Day: A Car-Free Waterfront and Free Bluebikes Rides

Boston's July 4th celebrations along the Charles River present a rare opportunity for Bostonians to enjoy a car-free waterfront.

By Christian MilNeil

3:50 PM EDT on July 3, 2019

Independence From Cars Day: A Car-Free Waterfront and Free Bluebikes Rides

The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra performing at the Hatch Shell in Boston in 2005. Photo by Garrett A. Wollman, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Boston’s July 4th celebrations along the Charles River present a rare opportunity for Bostonians to enjoy a car-free waterfront.

Bluebikes will offer unlimited free rides all day on the 4th (use code “BlueCross4” in the Bluebikes app or sign up for a free code on the website).
There will be extra Bluebikes valets from 5 to 9 p.m. in Copley Square and at Kendall Street in Cambridge.
The T will be free after 9:30 p.m.
Storrow Drive is closed to motor vehicle traffic from 3 p.m. on the 3rd through the 4th, from the Bowker Overpass to Charles Circle.

Car Free Storrow Drive from 3:00pm on July 3rd and all day on July 4th! https://t.co/DbeQ0aQ4Qr pic.twitter.com/jor3KBejg8
— Peter Cheung-bostonaruban.bsky.social (@bostonaruban) July 3, 2019

The section of the riverside Esplanade path around to the Hatch Shell has been closed in preparation for the fireworks, and the Frances Appleton bridge at Charles Circle and Fiedler bridge at Beacon Street will be closed starting at 7 a.m. on the 4th.
From 4 p.m. on July 4th, the City of Cambridge will also close Memorial Drive, Longfellow Bridge, the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge, and a number of other local streets to motor vehicle traffic before the fireworks.

Christian MilNeil

Christian has edited StreetsblogMASS since its founding in spring 2019. Before that, he was a data reporter for the Portland Press Herald in Maine. Got tips? Send them to me via Signal, the encrypted messaging app, at 207-310-0728.

Events

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