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.
3:50 PM EDT on July 3, 2019
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.
- 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 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.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog Massachusetts
Louisa Gag, Longtime Street Safety Advocate, Identified as Thursday’s Crash Victim
Family members have identified the victim of Thursday morning's homicide crash near Roxbury Crossing as Louisa Gag, a longtime street safety advocate and transportation planner at Boston's City Hall.
July 10, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Call a Car a Car
Cars are too expensive, but cheaper "cars" aren't the answer.
July 10, 2026
Driver Kills Bicyclist on Tremont Street In Mission Hill
A driver struck and killed Louisa Gag, a prominent street safety advocate, while she was riding a bicycle on Tremont Street in Mission Hill this morning.
July 9, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Got DOGE’d
The mere mention of "equity" was enough for Sean Duffy to cancel a Biden bike lane program.
July 9, 2026
Report Shows Yet Another Benefit to Congestion Pricing: Faster Emergency Response Times
Ambulances sped up by 6 percent in an arena where seconds can mean the difference between treatment and death.
July 7, 2026
