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Boston's Morning Newsletter
Boston Public Garden reopens iconic Arlington Street entrance
Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from WBUR's daily morning newsletter, WBUR Today. If you like what you read and want it in your inbox, sign up here.
Today is one of Boston’s two birthdays, depending which calendar you observe. (The city recommends celebrating both of them.) But that’s not the only thing the city is celebrating today.
Just in time for fall: Boston is welcoming the return of one of its most Instagrammable downtown attractions this morning. The Boston Public Garden will host a ribbon cutting ceremony today at 11:30 a.m. for its restored Arlington Street entrance by the iconic George Washington-on-horseback statue. The celebration comes after the entire area was closed last September for a $3.4 million renovation. (Technically, it first reopened this past weekend.)
- What’s new: The glow-up includes new beds of native plants, more benches, repaved pink walkways and two restored child sculpture fountains. “These two are seen by tens of thousands of people every day, and they’re beautiful,” Liz Vizza, the president of the Friends of the Public Garden told WBUR’s Amy Sokolow. Vizza said they added new lighting so people can enjoy the fountains at night, too. They also worked on making the ground more even near the fountains to allow for better wheelchair accessibility.
- What took so long? Originally, the area was slated to open this past spring, but Vizza said the fountain restoration was a bit more intensive than expected. They actually had to be taken out of state to get some of the granite stones ground down to be more even.
- What’s next: The project’s $3.4 million budget includes a $1 million endowment for upkeep. Vizza says an overlooked part of that is to ensure the fountains actually continue to function: “Boston has not had a great track record over the decades keeping fountains going,” she said. “It takes that kind of endowment money and support to make sure that they continue to work.”
Bye for now: The City of Boston plans to remove a bus-only lane through the Seaport after officials found it was “frequently” being illegally used by cars. In a report Friday, city officials said the 1.5-mile Summer Street bus lane — which was installed on a pilot basis last December — was being used more by cars than buses. The report said some drivers were confused by the signage and road striping, while others deliberately drove in the lane “largely without consequence.”
- What’s next: City officials plan to change the signage and striping to remove the bus/truck lane over the next few weeks. They’re also leaving open the possibility of bringing it back if and when MBTA bus service through the area increases enough to warrant it.
- Sticking around: The pilot also included new protected bike lanes on Summer Street, which the city says are “here to stay.”
Two weeks later: Plymouth state Rep. Matt Muratore has been declared the winner of the Republican state Senate primary on the South Shore. Following a recount, state officials say Muratore held on to his win over GOP opponent Kari MacRae of Bourne — by 39 votes.
- What’s next: Muratore is set to face Falmouth state Rep. Dylan Fernandes (who faced no opponent in the Democratic primary) in the general election for outgoing state Sen. Susan Moran’s seat.
Tunnel vision: The MBTA is planning to build a new tunnel in North Cambridge so that it’s easier to move construction crews and equipment onto the Red Line. T officials say the tunnel would be located near Alewife on the property of developer IQHQ. They’re planning to start construction in 2026 and wrap it up by 2028.
- Why it matters: Currently, the closest entrance to the Cambridge-side Red Line tunnels for construction vehicles is Charles/MGH — which is six miles away on the other side of the river. That means a long drive and extended service closures when the T needs to do work on the west end of the Red Line. But if all goes to plan, the new tunnel would lead to shorter and less frequent suspensions, as well as cost savings on shuttle buses and construction.
- In related news: Since last year, the T has paid over $50 million for shuttles, with more bills to come, per The Boston Globe.
From the rumor mill: Could another New England-based toy giant follow in LEGO’s footsteps? The Boston Business Journal reported yesterday that Hasbro is considering moving its HQ from Rhode Island to the Boston area and has toured some downtown office spaces. Hasbro is neither confirming or denying the rumors.
- Rewind: Hasbro CEO Chris Cooks came on Here & Now earlier this year to talk about the company’s future and recent pivots.
P.S.— Pommel Horse Guy (and Worcester native) Stephen Nedoroscik makes his “Dancing With The Stars” debut at 8 p.m. tonight on ABC. And of course, he’s already taught his DWTS partner the basics of pommel horse and started a rock-paper-scissors rivalry with fellow Olympian Ilona Maher. (The dancing? A work in progress.)
