The South Bay Harbor Trail

Background

The recent clean-up of Boston Harbor and the creation of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area has prompted renewed interest in Boston Harbor. Since 1997, the South Bay Harbor Trail Coalition has worked to provide a new pedestrian corridor to connect Boston neighborhoods to the city's waterfront.

The Vision

The South Bay Harbor Trail is a path and recreation area that will connect diverse Boston neighborhoods ­ Lower Roxbury, the South End, Chinatown, South Boston, and Fort Point Channel ­ to each other and to the expanding amenities of Boston Harbor. Lively and inviting, the Harbor Trail will provide safe and convenient access for pedestrians, joggers, bicyclists, and people of all ages and abilities. See a map of the proposed trail.

The South Bay Harbor Trail Coalition includes community groups, environmental organizations, the City of Boston, property owners, developers, and residents. The Coalition receives organizational, fund raising, and technical assistance from the Campaign for the Water¹s Edge, a special project of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, Mass Water Reserources Authority and the Watershed Institute. You can visit the Campaign for the Water's Edge website for more information or call Lisa Mantoni at (617) 451-2860 for brochures.

The South Bay Harbor Trail will link people to the recreational resources of a revitalized Boston Harbor and to the economic opportunities of a prospering waterfront. Residents from Boston¹s diverse communities will have the opportunity to share in a cultural exchange. The South Bay Harbor Trail will provide an important link in the larger transportation network by connecting with existing streets and trails such as the Southwest Corridor and Melnea Cass Boulevard.

The completed trail will offer the following benefits:

New access for everyone to Boston Harbor, Harbor Islands national park area and the emerging South Boston Waterfront. Enhanced access to cultural and recreational facilities including the Children¹s Museum, the future Institute of Contemporary Art, and greenspaces such as Rotch Park and Ramsey Park. An alternative way for residents to bike, walk, run, or skate from home to the water¹s edge. A resource for exercise and fitness. A vital link in a citywide greenway, connecting trails from Fenway, the Southwest Corridor, Charles River Park, Broadway Bridge, and the Central Artery Parks. A celebration of Boston¹s rich history, with reference points and educational markers at maritime, industrial, manufacturing, and cultural sites of interest.

The Coalition

The South Bay Harbor Trail Coalition,which is continually growing, currently includes:

• Adaptive Environments
• AEW Capital Management
• Artery Business Committee
• Asian Community Development Corporation
• Association for Commuter Transportation (Patriot Chapter)
• BevCo BioSquare
• Boston Bicycle Advisory Committee
• Boston Environmental Services Cabinet
• The Boston Foundation
• Boston Harbor Association
• Boston Medical Center
• Boston Public Health Commission
• Boston Transportation Department
• Boston University Boston Water and Sewer Commission
• Cabot Corporation
• The Children¹s Museum
• Emerald Necklace Greenway Project
• Fan Pier Land Company
• Ferris Wheels Bicycle Shop
• Fitzgerald Communications
• Fort Point Neighborhood Association
• Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
• The Gillette Company
• Island Alliance
• Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition/MassBike Massachusetts
• Turnpike Authority, Central Artery/Tunnel Project
• Massachusetts Water Resources Authority
• Merck Family Fund
• National Park Service
• Rivers and Trails Division Office of Environmental Services
• Old Dover Neighborhood Association
• Pilot Block Neighborhood Association
• Pressley Associates, Inc.
• Primary Group, Inc.
• RF Walsh Co. Inc.
• Roxbury Boy¹s & Girl¹s Club
• Roxbury YMCA
• Save the Harbor/Save the Bay
• Seaport Alliance for Neighborhood Design
• Seaport Transportation Management Association
• Spaulding & Slye Colliers
• Union Park Neighborhood Association
• United South End Settlements
• Walk Boston
• The Watershed Institute
• Worcester Square Area Neighborhood Association
• World Trade Center/Seaport Hotel