FAQ: Pedestrian Mall (Closure of Blandford, Cummington & Hindsdale Streets)

Frequently Asked Questions about the Conversion of Blandford, Cummington, and Hinsdale Streets to Pedestrian Malls

The conversion of Blandford, Cummington, and Hinsdale Streets to pedestrian malls and the acquisition agreement with the City of Boston require some very important changes in the use of these roadways;

  • Blandford, Cummington, and Hinsdale will be closed to all personal vehicles, starting Monday, July 30. Access to the Warren Towers Garage from Hinsdale remains unchanged.
  • BU Community members who have been using the City of Boston Handicap Parking Spaces on Blandford, Cummington, or Hinsdale and need to arrange for nearby HP parking should contact Parking & Transportation Services immediately.
  • As part of the agreement on the discontinuance of these city streets with the City of Boston, the roadways are now to be known as Blandford Mall, Cummington Mall, and Hinsdale Mall. The identifying building address numbers do not change. For example, “44 Cummington Street” will now be known as “44 Cummington Mall”.

The street closure announcement triggered several questions and some concerns. Below are responses to the questions that seem to apply to sizable segments of the BU Community.

1. How will the pedestrian malls be designated and what will commercial delivery vehicles encounter on July 30th?

2. Where will the vehicles go that now use the metered public parking spaces on the Blandford, Cummington, and Hinsdale Streets?

3. I don’t come to campus on a regular week “day” schedule. I often work in the lab or go to the library late at night. Where will I be able to park if I do not find an available metered public parking space on Commonwealth Avenue?

4. Historically I have parked on Blandford, Cummington, or Hinsdale for a few hours to do research or access my office after hours. Will I be able to park on the pedestrian malls?

5. I need to drop off or pick up equipment or research specimens near my lab or film equipment near COM in my personal vehicle. Will I have access to the pedestrian malls?

6. How will the 30-minute loading/unloading zones be monitored and enforced in order to maintain equitable use of the zones?

7. There are many people in the Cummington area that receive rides to and from work. Will these vehicles be permitted on the pedestrian malls and can designated spaces be established for dropping off or picking up of passengers?

8. Will cabs be allowed to travel on the pedestrian malls?

9. What will be done to improve pedestrian safety in and around the Warren Towers Garage?

If you would like to print this information out for your or your department’s reference please download the FAQ using this link.

This entry was posted on Monday, July 30th, 2012 at 9:32 am.