Greenways, as a typology of urban design, have become an essential element in the planning of modern cities. They emerge in response to the increasing fragmentation of urban landscapes by elements such as highways. They usually integrate natural and constructed spaces, providing much-needed connections across various parts of the city. At the same time, they promote pedestrian accessibility, recreation, and social interaction. The Rose Kennedy Greenway in downtown Boston, United States, exemplifies this human-centered approach to design. The project, which began construction in 1991, showcases the potential of greenways to reconnect urban environments and enhance community life. As a series of parks designed by various architecture firms, it aims to create physical links and meaningful spaces that foster social development and a sense of place.
In the late 1980s, Boston faced a notorious traffic issue centered around the Central Artery, an elevated highway that ran through the heart of downtown. It was originally built in 1959 to accommodate about 75,000 vehicles daily. However, by the early 1990s, the highway was overwhelmed, carrying over 200,000 vehicles and becoming one of the most congested roads in the United States. According to government sources, traffic crawled for over 10 hours daily, with accident rates four times higher than the national average. At the same time, the two tunnels connecting downtown to East Boston and Logan Airport faced similar problems. This congestion costs motorists an estimated $500 million annually, stemming from frequent accidents, wasted fuel, and delayed deliveries.
The Central Artery was one of the two high-speed highways that Kevin Lynch, in his book The Image of the City, describes as follows:"…(it) winds inexplicably through the city center, and breaks the orientation link with the North End by blocking Hanover Street". He described it as a fragmentary edge: continuous in theory and spatially prominent, but at some points impassable for pedestrians, creating isolation between two important districts. This divide was reflected in the highway being visible to pedestrians only at select points, enabling the uninterrupted flow of cars while bypassing the city entirely.
Related Article
Re-Naturalization of Urban Waterways: The Case Study of Cheonggye Stream in Seoul, South KoreaTo address this problem, the government started drafting plans in 1982 to develop what is known today as the "Big Dig". A massive infrastructure project, that started in 1991, aimed to replace Boston's deteriorated six-lane elevated Central Artery (I-93) with an underground highway. Often referred to as one of the largest and most expensive public work projects in the history of the United States, it also gave way to the Rose Kennedy Greenway: a linear park that sits atop the expressway tunnels.
Through this major undertaking, the planners were hoping to reduce traffic and improve mobility in one of America's oldest, most congested cities, while also reconnecting downtown with the waterfront. The Big Dig's unique challenge was constructing in the heart of an urban area without deteriorating its economy. Maintaining traffic flow and minimizing disruption to businesses and residents were critical priorities, with mitigation efforts consuming over a quarter of the project's budget to ensure fair treatment and continued economic stability during construction.
In addition to motorized traffic improvements, this offered the space for a greenway, a typology broadly studied in academia. Scholarly articles describe urban greenways as a form of landscape planning and design that may address challenges and opportunities for cities, especially those related to urban landscape fragmentation. Its main characteristic is its linear nature, followed by its ability to provide a linkage across spatial scales in the urban environment. These projects are usually pedestrian-friendly corridors including constructed and natural spaces. Finally, they are designed with elements that provide opportunities for physical activity, recreation, and transportation. It is important to highlight the intrinsic human-centered approach in all the descriptions above. Greenways always try to create a sense of place and a space for social development and interaction.
The Rose Kennedy Greenway opened in 2008 and stretches for over one Mile (1.5 km). It winds through several neighborhoods that make up a highly dense section of the city: Chinatown, the Financial District, the Wharf District, and the North End. Several iconic features are spread throughout its 11 acres of parkland: a labyrinth, a carousel, many public art pieces, a pavilion for visitors, horticultural beds, fountains, and an urban arboretum. These elements stretch across different neighborhoods through multiple park sections, all designed by different architecture and landscaping firms: Chinatown Park was co-designed by Carol R. Johnson Associates and the 2023 Oberlander Prize winner Kongjian Yu of Turenscape; the Dewey Square project was led by Machado and Silvetti Associates; Fort Point Channel Parks and Urban Arboretum was designed by Halvorson Design Partnership; the Armenian Heritage Park was designed by Tellalian Associates Architects & Planners with landscaping by Stantec; the Wharf District parks by AECOM and Copley Wolff Design Group, and finally the North End Parks were designed by Gustafson Guthrie Nichol Ltd and Crosby Schlessinger Smallridge.
Another important aspect to highlight is how the greenway forms part of an extended park network, known as the Emerald Necklace. It was originally proposed by Frederick Law Olmsted as a series of natural and open spaces to connect the city. In this context, the North End Park gives access to the Boston Common through the City Hall Plaza, serving as a connection to this chain of 200 miles (320 km) of green space that stretches across the larger metro area.
Today the effect of the greenway in the city is visible. For the North End parks alone, research from 2014 recorded that thanks to the new public space and equipment, this section increased its visitor count to at least 1,190,000 people during that year. This was due to the new offerings such as food vendors, public Wi-Fi, and cultural events. At the same time, reports show that the greenway has a positive greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint. It currently has a natural carbon stock of approximately 113 tons, about 2.4 times the Greenway's annual emissions from energy consumption. The project has also been successful in creating a sense of "place", by providing a space with history and unique cultural identity that gives people somewhere to invest meaningful time with their friends and families. Finally, government data states that the improvements also provide around $168 million per year in time and cost savings to travelers, with travel times dropping around 74 percent.
The insertion of the Rose Kennedy Greenway in downtown Boston is an example of how thoughtful urban landscape design can have a significant impact on a city's social and environmental context. The project managed to convert a once-isolated area characterized by a highway, into a thriving and accessible public space. In this way, it contributed to the enrichment of the urban fabric with parks, cultural elements, and ecological diversity. These characteristics speak to the value of human-centered design in urban planning. As the Greenway continues to evolve, it stands as a model for other cities seeking to integrate green infrastructure into their urban cores while fostering community and ecological responsibility.
This feature is part of an ArchDaily series titled AD Narratives, where we share the story behind a selected project, diving into its particularities. Every month, we explore new constructions from around the world, highlighting their story and how they came to be. We also talk to the architects, builders, and community, seeking to underline their personal experiences. As always, at ArchDaily, we highly appreciate the input of our readers. If you think we should feature a certain project, please submit your suggestions.
