Median and overhead wire removal in Porter Square begins

The City will remove a section of the median along Mass Ave and the MBTA will remove overhead catenary wires to create additional space for parking and loading when separated bike lanes are installed in Porter Square.

The City will remove part of the median along Mass Ave between Roseland Street and Upland Road beginning on Thursday, June 9. Intermittent lane closures are expected as part of this work. Parking impacts are expected to be limited and will be posted on signs in the impacted areas 48 hours in advance.

The MBTA will remove the catenary wires (the overhead wires previously used by buses) beginning the weekend of June 11 and June 12. (Update: This work was originally scheduled to begin the night of Thursday, June 9, but was rescheduled due to weather and for equipment availability.) Future work is likely to occur several days/nights per week, with the schedule dependent on weather and MBTA crew availability. Removal is anticipated to happen at night, or during the day on weekends, and is expected to be completed by the end of July. The work involves the cutting and removal of heavy overhead wires, and the MBTA will prioritize the safety of people in the area as work occurs. Those with questions about the removal of overhead wires should reach out to the MBTA.

In addition, the City recently installed parking on side streets to provide additional parking options in the Porter Square area. Two-hour metered parking spots are now available on Mt. Vernon Street and Davenport Street. These spaces are marked on this project map.

The City anticipates installing separated bike lanes in Porter Square between Roseland Street and Beech Street at the end of July. Pavement marking work will occur at night, and parking and lane closures are expected. Work is weather-dependent, and we will provide additional details closer to implementation.

Visit the project webpage for more information.

Updated June 9, 2022 at 12:30 p.m. This text was edited to reflect a new start date for the removal of overhead wires, and to note that the MBTA is likely to conduct overhead wire removal on weekends during the day as well as during overnight shifts.