Eyes on the Street: Room to Breathe on DCR Parkways
11:03 AM EDT on April 13, 2020
A person riding a bike enjoys plenty of room on a section of Day Boulevard that was closed to car traffic for the weekend of April 11-12. Photo courtesy of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation.
This weekend, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) closed off segments of several Boston-area park roads to give people more room to recreate with safe physical distancing in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While a number of local officials have been reluctant to endorse outdoor recreation in the midst of the pandemic, the CDC and other public health agencies are also encouraging people to "exercise regularly" and local parks have been busy.
In a press statement, the agency said that “after the weekend, DCR will evaluate the effectiveness” of those closures.
From social media reports over the weekend, DCR seems to have succeeded – while also giving kids and adults a tantalizing look at how much more green space their parks could have with fewer cars around.
Day Blvd. in South Boston:
Thank you to @MassDCR for closing off Day Blvd in Southie off to cars. Makes it so much easier to practice social distancing on this lovely day. PS if we could keep this up once this pandemic passes, I wouldn’t be opposed. pic.twitter.com/bYInZFOAvL
Construction barrels block cars and a sign encourages park users to stay 6 feet apart on Parkman Drive next to Jamaica Pond on April 11, 2020. Photo courtesy of Sarah Freeman.
THINGS YOURS TRULY NEVER HOPED TO SEE.. THE CLOSING OF PARKMAN DRIVE. APRIL 12. Now why does it take a catastrophe for government to do the right thing? pic.twitter.com/VJetuH8qnz
Greenough was such nice section of my ten mile run this morning. There were barricades, barrels, and a message board at each end. Real nice work on this one by @MassDCRpic.twitter.com/8bjb1em8Ra
Reminder that @MassDCR is still temporarily banning the operating of automobiles along a portion of Fellsway West, to give visitors to Sheepsfold some figurative and literal breathing room. Let's make this permanent! Parkways are for people! 😁 https://t.co/Or9fHnrLtWpic.twitter.com/zG20bdVMP8
— Melrose Pedestrian & Bicyclist Committee (@MelrosePedBike) April 12, 2020
Today, I ran (with a mask) along Fellsway W. which DCR partially closed for pedestrians -- I can't imagine ever running adjacent to I-93 in any other circumstances. But today it wasn't so bad.
"A lot of these historic maps illuminate modern-day mobility issues," says Garrett Dash Nelson, the President and Head Curator of the Leventhal Map and Education Center. "We want people to think, this isn't just about the past, but about building a more inclusive transit system for the future."