What is the DOT Greenway?
The Dorchester (DOT) Greenway is a proposed 0.75-mile long park that will run from Fields Corner to Ashmont Station in Dorchester. The park is imagined to be built on top of an existing MBTA tunnel cap. This act would turn the concrete “roof” of a subway tunnel into a new lush linear park. The park will cross several streets including Centre Street, Mather Street, Melville Avenue, and Park Street. When constructed, it will connect two transit stations via a low-stress multimodal pathway and link main street districts, schools, and community hubs.
The design of the park is intended to be distinctive and born from a forthcoming collaborative process. The space should reflect the cultural diversity of nearby neighborhoods, such as the Little Saigon Cultural District, Codman Square, and Ashmont Square. The DOT Greenway will fill a critical missing link in the existing greenway network, creating a connection between Franklin Park, the Neponset River Greenway, and the Harborwalk.
(The Neponset River Greenway, Southwest Corridor Park, and Rose Kennedy Greenway provide examples of what a greenway could look like. Image Credit: Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism)
What is the history of the DOT Greenway?
The Dorchester community has been at the forefront of this project for over 7 years. Neighborhood residents proposed the original concept and brought it to Greater Ashmont Main Streets. Local champions crafted a park proposal, applied for grants, and advanced the vision to agents within the City of Boston. Despite building momentum, the project stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Emerald Network was asked to join the project to push the initiative forward, manage momentum building, and advocate with the City of Boston.The Emerald Network continues to work with Greater Ashmont Main Streets and other community partners.
After years of advocacy, the City of Boston’s Greenlinks program has agreed to spearhead the project. In 2023, LiveableStreets and the City of Boston secured a MassTrails grant. This resulted in over $600,000 to conduct the first phase of the project.
What’s Next for the DOT Greenway?
LivableStreets attended the 2023 Boston Open Streets event on Dorchester Ave to reconnect with community members about the potential greenway. The event allowed residents to express hopes and concerns about the project, as well as make wildflower “seed bombs” to beautify the neighborhood and support local pollinators.
(LivableStreets staff created seed bombs, hosted neighborhood trivia, and drew “my perfect park” with community members at Boston Open Streets 2023)
By the end of 2023, the City of Boston will begin an initial community outreach and analysis of the tunnel cap. First, there must be a structural analysis. This analysis will determine how much weight the structure can bear, identifying what structures (i.e. benches) and scale of plantings (i.e. trees, gardens, etc) are realistic.
During this analysis, the City of Boston will continue talks with the MBTA to reach maintenance and operational agreements. As these conversations occur, LivableStreets Alliance will speak with neighbors, abutters, visitors, and other community based organizations about the project. The intent is to host open, honest, and transparent discussions from the earliest stages. Engagement will center challenges and opportunities created by the project. Upon completion of the structural analysis, the fun design work can begin! At this stage, LivableStreets will gather community members to discuss what they would like the experience on the greenway to look and feel like. The hope is to begin the design process by winter 2024.
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DOT Greenway Vision
Click and drag the slider to see the current status of the DOT Greenway and the proposed vision! Please note, proposed images are purely exemplary. No decisions have been made about the paths, plantings, structures, or uses.
