The 2014 commencement season is upon us, Boston. And while yes, this means we’ll be celebrating the eager young minds of tomorrow, bestowing upon them the knowledge, wisdom and experience we’ve gained throughout our increasing years of existence, it also means traffic.
As you can no doubt decipher using the interactive map above, many of the Greater Boston higher education institutions are situated along major Massachusetts roadways. So to help you better navigate the already convoluted streets of Boston, and those encompassing the city that see bumper-to-bumper traffic on an almost daily basis, here’s your official Boston 2014 commencement map.
Some Major Detours to Consider:
Avoid Storrow Drive at all costs. The narrow, winding lanes of Storrow act as the arena in which all road raging motorists fight for survival. No matter which college or university commencement you plan on attending, please, for your own sake, avoid Storrow Drive.
If you’re going to MIT, Take I-93 or Route 1 but be wary of Memorial Drive. This scenic route along the Charles River is long, but it also offers free parking, the likes of which any Bostonian will fight tooth and nail for.
Huntington Avenue in Boston (Route 9) is home to three schools still awaiting commencement. MassArt, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and the New England Conservatory are all located on the same stretch of Huntington, so you’re best bet is to either venture on the Green Line E-Branch or to attempt to find parking on a nearby side street within walking distance.
Suffolk University is located smack in the center of Downtown Boston. Unless you want to break the bank paying for parking at a garage, or trek back and forth to keep filling your meter, or circle the city at least a thousand times, your best bet here is also taking public transportation. Suffolk is accessible through multiple MBTA subway lines, including Bowdoin on the Blue Line, and Haymarket and Park Street on the Green Line.
Both the Boston Conservatory and Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology are right off the Massachusetts Turnpike (a.k.a I-90, a.k.a The Pike). The closer one approaches Boston from The Pike, the more traffic festers along the way. If you’re able to exit The Pike in Newton and maneuver your way through Brighton and Brookline, you should be able to arrive at these two schools with little-to-no hassle.
The last major problem area to consider is UMass Boston. A stone’s throw from I-93 south of the city, straddling the border between South Boston and Dorchester, UMass Boston is easier if you’re coming from the north. There are a number of different avenues one can take to get there, including riding down I-93, as well as shortcuts through Southie, the South End and Roxbury. But if you’re coming from the south, I-93 is basically the only route available. If this is your only option, leave early because it’s likely other peoples’ only option too.
Happy commencement! Congratulations to the City of Boston’s class of 2014.
Image via Shutterstock
