Boston, MA
Welcome to Boylston Street, a microcosm of the bike lane battle – The Boston Globe
McGrory’s 20th-century perspective — that Boylston Street would be better if vehicle traffic could move unimpeded — is almost amusing. He’s certainly right about one thing, though: “There’s little middle ground” in this debate. He seems to feel that bicycles deserve their own space on the streets of Boston as long as they don’t ride on the streets he likes or cause him one minute of delay on his drive.
Nathaniel Woodward
Stockbridge
City has made a mess of what was a beautiful street
Thank you, Brian McGrory, for a timely and well-reasoned column about the changes to Boylston Street. Having worked in that area for 20 years, I was appalled, on a recent return visit, to see the chaotic mess this beautiful street has become. In general I applaud efforts to support commuters who pursue alternatives to driving a car into the city, but these changes have to make sense.
Leaving the bike lane discussion to others, I question the new bus line as not only intrusive but also unnecessary. In my experience, when there were three lanes, the bus was rarely slowed by traffic, and given that there are bus stops all along Boylston Street, it would seem the dedicated lane makes no difference in terms of bus speed or time of the commute.
As new efforts to move people through the city — by bike, car, or bus — are introduced, I hope that the architects of these changes are evaluating whether they achieve their goals and that they are willing to rethink things if they do not.
Pat Kelleher
South Boston
Long past time for vehicular traffic to make room on the roads
The Brian McGrory column criticizing the bike lanes on Boylston Street unfortunately follows the historical American ideology favoring motorized transportation. This is most evidenced by his complaint that “what used to be three through lanes … has been reduced to a maximum of two.” The headline itself, “Is the Boylston Street bike lane really necessary?” only serves to maintain the hegemony of motorized transportation, something which is way past time for change.
McGrory’s testament that various forms of transportation, such as delivery drivers, are “not going away” is a surrender to these drivers frequently double-parking and violating other regulations while often interfering with other vehicular traffic as well as cyclists and pedestrians. Nowhere to be found in his piece is the suggestion of enforcing laws.
Stating that there is insufficient walk time for crossing the street at selected intersections is a valid criticism, but more importantly, all roads should simply be safe for all users, including pedestrians.
We obviously need improved planning and good implementation. Cheap shots, though, are not helpful.
Robert Rosofsky
Milton
We should think even bigger: Imagine car-free boulevards
Brian McGrory is lamenting necessary and reasonable changes that haven’t been executed well. But the fact is we don’t need fewer bike lanes. What we need is fewer cars. For that matter, maybe we don’t need any cars on Boylston or Newbury street. They could be magnificent boulevards — no congestion, no chaos; more outdoor seating.
Not only in Copenhagen but also in numerous other European cities the concept works well: enough parking around the city center, public transportation, and a network of bike lanes. The result: vibrant pedestrian zones and commercial centers.
The Boylston Street bike lane is not the problem. Rather, it is the lack of a well-planned, visionary infrastructure concept for the entire city. But that requires all of us changing our relationship to cars, agreeing on funding, and accepting a period of construction. Either we do and come out much better at the end of it, or we keep living with traffic jams and a noisy, messy Boston.
Michaela Nielsen
Quincy
Meanwhile, pedestrians are left to dodge cars — and bikes
I thought Brian McGrory was spot-on in his criticism of the disaster that traffic on Boylston Street has turned into. It led me to wonder whether our municipal government is actually preparing Bostonians to participate in a new pedestrian olympics.
We have long competed for the greatest number of falls on broken pavements and close encounters with cyclists (old-fashioned and increasingly motorized) speeding on sidewalks as well as in bike lanes. A new competition would involve attempting to cross Boylston Street at intersections where it’s impossible to tell whether there’s oncoming traffic because cars and delivery vans are blocking the view. One popular event would be to identify the pedestrians who use the most colorful language in yelling at drivers and cyclists who come close to hitting them — or in describing the politicians who have created this mess.
Kathryn Ruth Bloom
Boston
I biked to Boylston Street to run an errand. In short: Thank you, Mayor Wu.
Contrary to what columnist Brian McGrory argues, people who bike to the Prudential Center, Copley Square, the Boston Public Library, or the restaurants and stores in Back Bay have an entitlement to Boylston Street equal to drivers.
On Sunday afternoon, I needed to pick up an item at a store in the Pru. Having commuted by bike to my downtown law office for decades, I knew the quickest way to get there and back was by bicycle. Thanks to the new bike lanes that Mayor Michelle Wu has championed, it took me little more than 15 minutes to get to the Prudential Center from Brookline by way of Beacon Street, Mass. Ave., and then Boylston. There was an available bike rack next to a street busker. I picked up my item and headed home, crossing Newbury Street, closed to vehicular traffic on Sundays in the summer and crowded with shoppers, tourists, and others enjoying the fresh air.
The round trip took me an hour, including the shopping. I couldn’t have done that in a motor vehicle.
I concede that the two vehicle lanes on Boylston were crowded with cars, but from what I saw, the cars moved about as fast as in the old days of three lanes for which McGrory longs.
Boylston Street was not built for only motor vehicles. It was built for people who travel on Boylston Street in many ways.
Thank you, Mayor Wu.
Andrew M. Fischer
Brookline
Boston, MA
Duck parades, outdoor drinking, and Gronk in a kilt. Here’s how Friday’s World Cup festivities unfolded. – The Boston Globe
Despite concerns about transportation and crowd management, the region’s biggest World Cup day yet appeared to unfold largely without major problems.
Morocco fans, many of whom celebrated on Shirley Avenue in Revere, rejoiced after their win against Scotland.
“We’re going to go very far in this World Cup,” predicted David Lalou, a Moroccan fan from Casablanca who saw the game live.
Here’s how Friday’s festivities unfolded.
The drinks continued flowing
Mayor Michelle Wu announced Thursday that in two zones in the city – the Temple Place Social District and the Union-Marshall Street district – it would be legal for patrons to consume alcohol outdoors.
The measure took effect Friday, and by game time the two zones had quickly become lively block parties, complete with live music and hearty Scottish accents.
Zachary Lobel, 22, of Newton, and Ruairidh Davidson, 24, of Inverness, Scotland, independently brought their bagpipes to Union Street. The pair found each other, and a crowd of people gathered to watch them play.
George Comeau, a senior event manager with the Downtown Boston Alliance, organized the outdoor alcohol consumption zone on Temple Place. He estimated at 6:30 p.m. that 4,000 fans were watching the Scotland-Morocco game from the party there.
On the Common, a free watch party attracted fans of every competing team.
Stan Abraham, 38, of Jamaica Plain, came with friends to support Haiti in its match against Brazil.
“I just got to be around my people, around the energy,” he said.
Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey, who is up for reelection this year, shook hands and posed for pictures with gleeful Scottish fans outside The Dubliner, the popular Government Center bar.
“I would’ve said it was impossible to drink Boston dry, but clearly [the Scots] are here and they are testing the capacity of the city to serve them,” Markey said. “It’s just a happy week.”
In the Boston Public Market, which extended its hours for FIFA Fan Fest, thirsty Scottish fans did just that, lining up through the narrow Boston Beer Alley, their arms filled with as much alcohol as they could carry.
“I don’t think we’ll last all night,” said owner Dawa Sangpo.
Also in the Public Market were Moroccan fans, many of whom frequented Mo’Rockin Fusion, a fast-casual restaurant where the food is inspired by owner Morad Bouzidi’s childhood in Morocco.
“It’s 100 percent the Moroccan experience,” Bouzidi said.
Yes, the World Cup is in Boston, but, like, not actually in Boston.
As was the case before last week’s game, South Station was packed, but some fans reported an easier commuting experience this time and Globe reporters observed a quick-moving queue.
“I had a pretty smooth experience,” said James Pennie, who is visiting from Vancouver but is originally from Scotland.
Near 3 p.m., as a final few fans jogged through the queue to enter South Station, MBTA employees yelled out encouragement.
“No Scotland, no party!” they said.
Richard Sullivan, the Transit Police superintendent, said the fans were “a very orderly crew.” The MBTA sold over 19,000 tickets to and from Foxborough as of 3 p.m. Friday.
“The queues were very minimal,” said Phil Eng, the MBTA’s general manager. “We got everyone through.”
But not everyone took the commuter rail. A Globe photographer witnessed a convoy of 12 school buses, packed to the brim with Scottish fans, pulling into South Bay to pick up online alcohol orders, before going on to Foxborough.
A duck ? Leading a parade? And what was that about Gronk?
Patriots legends Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman appeared on Fox’s pregame show wearing kilts, accompanied by a man playing bagpipes.
Edelman and Gronkowski applauded the Scots’ drinking prowess after they drank some Boston bars out of beer over the last week.
“The last time it happened was after we won the Super Bowl in 2015 against the Seattle Seahawks,” quipped Gronkowski.
And in Providence, a famous duck named Dawn led Scottish fans on a very orderly march. In a video shared on Dawn’s Tiktok page, the little creatures waddles forwards, a small Scottish flag on its back, while leagues of kilted men with bagpipes march behind it.
Jessica Rinaldi, Omar Mohammed, and Amin Touri of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Globe correspondents Ariela Lopez, Aayushi Datta, Lauren Albano, Audrey Tomlin, Jaden Perry, and Emily Spatz also contributed.
Truman Dickerson can be reached at truman.dickerson@globe.com.
Boston, MA
MBTA, state transportation chief apologizes for ‘insensitive’ employee hair-pulling incident
Gov. Maura Healey’s Transportation Secretary and MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng said he has apologized “fully” to the subordinate T employee he’s been accused of pulling the hair of at a work dinner two years ago.
Eng has come under fire for the late 2024 incident this week and admits that it was a “mistake” that has forced him to reflect upon his actions.
“My goal is always to lead with respect and inclusivity,” Eng said in a statement. “I know that this was a mistake, and I own that. I have apologized to this employee fully and have reflected on my actions.
“I am committed to learning from this experience and upholding the highest standards of professionalism in all my interactions as secretary and general manager,” Eng added.
The MBTA said the incident, first reported by Contrarian Boston, occurred in November 2024 at a restaurant where T employees and their spouses were having a team dinner.
WCVB-TV reported that the MBTA employee has told people the interaction with Eng was not welcome and highly inappropriate.
The station described Eng as being accused of committing the hair-pulling faux pas while saying good-bye to the T employee after a work function at a brewery.
The MBTA confirmed that an “insensitive” interaction occurred between Eng and an employee, but downplayed the incident as occurring in the context of a larger conversation about hair from earlier in the evening that included multiple people.
Eng was poking fun at his own baldness when the alleged interaction occurred, according to the MBTA.
“The MBTA is committed to fostering a respectful, inclusive workplace environment,” MBTA spokesperson Joe Pesaturo said in a statement. “Leadership plays a critical role in that. Two years ago, General Manager Eng had an insensitive interaction with one of his direct reports. He subsequently apologized directly to this employee.
“Any claims of harassment, discrimination or retaliatory behavior are completely without merit,” Pesaturo added.
Sources have told WCVB-TV that the T employee is involved in negotiations to leave their job with the agency.
Eng is the state’s top transportation official. Healey appointed him as general manager of the MBTA in 2023, and interim transportation secretary in late 2025.
He was paid $509,114 last year, which includes a $30,000 retention payment he is eligible for each year he remains with the T, per his contract and state payroll records. He does not get additional pay for working dual roles in Massachusetts, but continues to take in a roughly $185,000 pension from New York.
Eng, former president of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Long Island Rail Road, came out of retirement to work for the MBTA, but remains retired with the New York State and Local Employees’ Retirement System, which is paying him a gross monthly pension of $15,357.39, according to the New York State Comptroller’s office.
Eng, who stepped down from his MTA post in February 2022, retired from New York’s ERS the following month, March 31, 2022, the comptroller’s office said. His monthly pension equates to $184,288 in annual compensation, which he can continue to collect while working at the MBTA, where he is one of the highest-paid transit leaders in the country.
Eng has been credited by state officials for helping to get the MBTA back on track following a federal probe for a number of safety lapses that culminated with a fatality, when a 39-year-old man was dragged to death by a Red Line train in April 2022.
He is under contract with the T through April 10, 2028, with an option for a one-year extension. His base pay for 2026 is $484,206, per state payroll records.
By comparison, Eng was paid $285,254 in his final year leading the Long Island Rail Road, per the New York State Comptroller’s office.
Boston is allowing outdoor drinking in two neighborhoods this summer while the city welcomes a wave of international visitors during the World Cup, Mayor Michelle Wu announced.
The social districts opened Friday and will run through July 31.
Boston public drinking zones
Patrons will be allowed to consume alcoholic beverages outdoors within designated areas at Union and Marshall streets in Downtown Boston’s Block Historic District, as well as on Temple Place in Downtown Crossing.
According to the city, the initiative along with the decision to extend last call until 3 a.m. for the World Cup “is creating vibrancy for patrons and expanding opportunities for Boston businesses during one of the region’s busiest summers in recent years.”
“As Boston welcomes people from around the world to gather and enjoy our city this summer, these new social districts will create even more opportunities to build community and have fun responsibly,” Wu said in a statement. “These districts help us open our streets in a safe environment for residents and visitors to enjoy themselves, ‘sip and stroll,’ and make lasting memories in our beautiful city.”
Last week, Gov. Maura Healey signed a new law that allowed for cities and towns to create designated areas for public drinking.
How drinking zones work
In order to participate, businesses within the designated zones must file a one-day amendment application with the Boston Licensing Board that states they wish to be included in the districts.
Businesses cannot sell alcohol for public consumption until they receive approval from the Licensing Board.
Hours for the Union-Marshall Street Social District will be 9 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. The Temple Place Social District will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
Drinks sold for public consumption will be in clear plastic containers with a sticker or other label that shows where they were sold. Businesses cannot sell more than one 16-ounce alcoholic beverage for public consumption per customer in a single transaction.
Outside alcohol cannot be brought into businesses.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to activate our downtown, support businesses, and create a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere in two of Boston’s entertainment districts,” Corean Reynolds, director of nightlife economy, said in a statement. “Both residents and tourists can benefit from these Social Districts. After the summer, we look forward to continuing our work creating a nightlife infrastructure that works for everyone.”
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