Copley Square Park in Boston reopens after renovations, with new features such as a fountain and shaded groves. Massachusetts receives a $1.7 million grant to build a wildlife crossing over I-90, funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to reduce collisions.
Map courtesy of the City of Boston
The improvements to Copley Square Park include renovations to the park’s fountain, the addition of shaded groves with seating around the fountain, a raised grove that protects trees, seating and shading at the park’s bus stop, and upgrades to the plaza connecting Dartmouth Street and the Boston Public Library’s McKim Building, the city’s project website noted.
A new year brings a newly renovated section of Copley Square Park in Boston. Mayor Michelle Wu's office had earlier announced that a portion of the downtown park would reopen Jan. 1 in the northeast triangle between Boylston Street and Trinity Church after more than a year of work.
The rest of the project is still undergoing construction with the city spending about $16.9 million to make the park more enticing and accessible for more visitors.
The newly unveiled section of Copley Square has been shuttered for renovations that started in July 2023. The remainder of the park is slated to reopen later in the winter and spring of this year, according to the mayor's news release.
WES Construction Corp. in nearby Halifax, Mass., is the general contractor working on the park's upgrades.
"Copley Square is one of the most iconic parks in Boston, offering vibrancy and open space in an area that welcomes visitors and residents alike," Wu said. "We're excited to ring in the New Year by opening a newly renovated piece of this historic park, with the rest of the park's re-opening to follow soon after."
The improvements include renovations to the park's fountain, the addition of shaded groves with seating around the fountain, a raised grove that protects trees, seating and shading at the park's bus stop, and upgrades to the plaza connecting Dartmouth Street and the Boston Public Library's McKim Building, the city's project website noted.
MassLive.com reported that since November, work has paused on the fountain exterior to focus on the plaza and the raised grove areas, which are scheduled to open later this month or in February. Additionally, the area with the fountain is due to open in June.
Copley Square Park's tortoise and hare statues also have been placed back in the area.
Last year, city officials moved the First Night Boston celebration for New Year's Eve 2023 from Copley Square Park to City Hall Plaza during the renovations.
Federal Grant to Pay for Wildlife Crossing Over Interstate 90
Massachusetts just received some federal money that will help protect wildlife from being hit by cars.
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) announced a $1.7 million grant award to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) "to fund pre-construction activities for a wildlife crossing project along the Appalachian Trail over Interstate 90 in the western part of the state," according to a news release.
The Bay State is one of 16 grant recipients to receive funding for wildlife crossing projects nationwide.
"Too many Americans are injured or killed each year in crashes involving cars and wildlife, especially in rural areas — which is why our department created the first-ever program dedicated to crossings that make roads and highways safer for both humans and wildlife," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a written statement.
"With funding made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the projects moving forward in 16 states will reduce collisions between drivers and wildlife, create places for wildlife to safely move over and under highways, and help preserve American life and property," he added.
The $1.7 million grant awarded to MassDOT includes replacing an existing bridge crossing near the small town of Becket in an area with a high number of vehicle collisions with deer, according to the USDOT.
Separate and distinct areas for wildlife, pedestrians and hikers will be offered as part of the I-90 Mass Pike Appalachian Trail Pedestrian-Wildlife Shared Use Crossing project and include fencing to help funnel wildlife to the crossings, the Fall River Herald News reported Jan. 1.
A federal study found that wildlife crossing structures with fencing have been shown to reduce motorist collisions involving wildlife by up to 97 percent.
Nationwide, the USDOT said that there are more than one million crashes involving wildlife each year in the United States, and collisions with large animals result in about 200 human deaths and 26,000 injuries annually. These accidents also cost the public more than $10 billion a year.
Funding for the construction of the animal crossings in western Massachusetts is available through the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program, a new grant program that was created by President Biden's 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
"The purpose of the Wildlife Crossings Pilot Program is to improve safety for motorists and wildlife by reducing vehicle collisions with wildlife while also improving habitat connectivity and supporting the survival of threatened or endangered species," noted a USDOT news release.
Additionally, the grant supports studies and "projects that construct wildlife crossings over and below busy roads, add fencing to direct animals to the crossings and monitor performance of crossing systems."
Overall, the law makes a total of $350 million available over five years to the different states with crossing projects. Oregon, North Carolina and Idaho have received the largest grants, with each being over $20 million.
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