Back in October BostInno reported that the City of Boston would bestow upon the Innovation District the means in which to curtail traffic through real-time ‘Time to Destination’ signs and parking availability updates. And now, in respect to the season of giving pressing ever forward, the Boston Transportation Department is proud to announce that these initiatives are complete, to be fully utilized on Wednesday, December 11. Come at me, traffic.
These initiatives are both courtesy of the tireless tandem of the Transportation Department and the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics – which is also promoting the inner beauty of the concrete heap that is City Hall Plaza.
Together, these two entities have installed Time to Destination signs at Sleeper Street, just before Seaport Boulevard driving from Northern Avenue; East Service Road, just before Seaport Boulevard driving from Congress Street; and Seaport Boulevard, inbound at Congress Street.
Created by All Traffic Solutions — based out of State College, PA — these signs are updated continuously to help drivers better navigate their way to Interstate 93 North and South, essentially the gateway to Boston’s Central Artery (aka the Expressway) one of its most heavily used thoroughfares.
But that’s not all. Parking just got a whole lot easier too as “330 Smart Parking Sensors have been installed along stretches of Seaport Boulevard, Congress Street, Summer Street and Boston Wharf Road” to keep drivers from adding to any traffic congestion while searching for a coveted, albeit rare, parking space in the Innovation District, according to the press release.
To employ the services of these Smart Parking Sensors, which I’ll admit ought to encompass the entirety of Boston, simply download the app from the iTunes or Android store and voilŕ; parking is now your bitch.
Even better, though, is that for business owners whose companies are located in the Innovation District but lack reliable parking, available is the ability to create a custom map of nearby spaces and lots, as well as access to the API via an email request.
“The Innovation District is the fastest growing area in Boston and it is well-served by public transportation, as well as safe and attractive walking routes, and conveniently located bike lanes,” Outgoing Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said of the latest technology in a statement. “The installation of this new equipment will now ensure a quicker and more pleasant trip to this neighborhood for those commuters and visitors who choose to drive.”
Keep on the lookout for similar traffic congestion release methods coming soon to downtown Boston, East Boston and the Fenway area.
Happy driving.
