Safety & Aesthetics

A Safer, Quieter Commonwealth Avenue

Boston University is committed to providing a safe environment for the growing number of cyclists traveling through our campus. We invested in Boston’s first bike lanes and provide ongoing education and support via workshops, videos, and events.

The Commonwealth Avenue Improvement Project has been an undertaking by the Massachusetts Highway Department partnering with the City of Boston and Boston University to improve pedestrian safety, minimize traffic congestion, and enhance the environment of the University’s Charles River Campus. Phase 1, now completed, has beautified Commonwealth Avenue and made it significantly safer. In place are comfortable benches, attractive planters, and new trees—not to mention Boston’s first bike lanes. We’ve finally achieved a Commonwealth Avenue that’s safer and more aesthetic, benefiting the large number of residents traveling on this main thoroughfare. Phase 2, slated to begin in spring 2016, will address safety on Commonwealth Avenue from the BU Bridge to Packard’s Corner.

Since the 1990s, improving pedestrian safety, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessibility, and the flow of traffic along Commonwealth Avenue—the spine of the Charles River Campus—have been pressing priorities for Boston University. BU has worked in close cooperation with the city and state and invested more than $13 million to advance the design and construction of capital improvement projects along the Commonwealth Avenue corridor.