BOSTON – A trip on a Duck Boat or trolley has become a staple activity for tourists in the city, however lately, traffic backups have been creating delays in city tours, and leaving guides with little stories left to tell.

Bike lanes, scooters causing delays

“It’s the perfect storm of many things going on in the city. We have new bike lanes, new bus lanes, which create some confusion and adjustments,” said Cindy Brown, CEO of Boston Duck Tours. “We have scooters going around which block the box, and can cause blocks and blocks of delays.”

Boston Duck Tours has seen a spike in people being late or missing tours because of traffic and parking issues for people getting to their services. Those who do get on, may be on for two hours instead of 80 minutes.

“Sometimes guests miss exciting areas of the city because we have to do work-arounds for traffic,” Brown said. “We built in some cushions on certain days with rush hour. We have extra ducks we keep throughout the day for a pinch.”

At times, they have to shorten parts of the tour, be it on the road or in the water, so they can make up for the time lags. Brown said the tours that approach two hours can be difficult for some riders because there are no bathrooms onboard.

“The planning makes sense. Bus lanes are great and bike lanes are great. The planning looks great on paper, but if the enforcement isn’t there it isn’t going to work,” Brown said. “If you have a road with two lanes, and one double-parker, all of a sudden Boylston Street is one lane. You can imagine how that backs up through Back Bay and beyond.”

Worse than during the Big Dig?

Old Town Trolley has drivers on routes for as long as three hours. Their service allows riders to get on and off and spots. 

Typically a trolley arrives every 15 minutes, but delays can have them showing up 30 to 40 minutes behind. Some of their drivers have told the company that the traffic is worse than before or during the Big Dig.

“They aren’t going to get off the trolley to have lunch at Newbury Street because they don’t know when the next trolley will get them,” said Old Town Trolley General Manager Tim Carr. “Some of these are baptism by fire. How many stories can you get through on four light cycles in Copley Square?”

City traffic solutions 

Carr said the city has been working with tour companies on possible solutions.

A statement from the Streets Department said: “The Streets Cabinet aims to design roadways that balance safe use by all modes. Part of safe design includes clearly defining and separating spaces for the most vulnerable users. The rise of all types of delivery, and a shift in commuting patterns, have changed traffic in Boston. Our engineers evaluate all bike safety projects to confirm that the new street configurations will support known traffic volumes and sizes of vehicles such as emergency vehicles, buses, or trolleys. Our overarching goal is to build streets where all users– pedestrians, drivers, bicyclists, and transit riders– can reach their destinations safely and reliably.”

Once a month, Town & Country puts together an assortment of the best design news and happenings— everything from an interior design project that pique our interest, an auction of note, to any must-have products on the market.

They Did What?

Installing fancy toilets in your third home is now child’s play. If you really want to impress guests, you’ll have to up your game. Kohler has a solution: install appliances designed by the artist Daniel Arsham.

In this new collaboration, Arsham’s sinks look like asymmetrical pillows, his chandelier resembles a bouquet of tulips turned upside down, and the mirror frames resemble puddles of water. They’re fun without looking gimmicky, and I imagine if they are styled properly, can be very elegant.

Along with his past collaborations with Dior and Tiffany’s, Arsham even outfitted the town Kohler, Wisconsin–which has been turned into a wellness destination–with his signature blue sculptures. “Adding art into the mix for locals and visitors makes the place even more inspiring and immersive,” he tells T&C. “By blending art with the wellness vibe, the Zen Garden and sculptures make the experience more special, helps people feel more connected, and boosts the overall relaxation and healing that everyone goes to Kohler for.”

Your Friends Already Have One. Hurry Up.

Interior designer Chloe Allison Pollack-Robbins Katz was perhaps one of the most entertaining guests at a dinner out East last week. The subject that enraptured the table? A rising demand for pet rooms.

“I’ve worked in the Hamptons for 15 years now, and this is the first year that many of my clients have asked me for a pet room. Obviously, it’s iconic because animals are amazing and we don’t deserve them,” Katz tells T&C. Her clients have either incorporated pet rooms in their mudrooms or have built them off of them. Some have low bathing areas that their pets can easily crawl into, and most have areas for their pet’s accessories like paw covers, extra collars, medicine, and more. The designer is currently working on one that will be coated in a beautiful seafoam green. The wealthiest cat in the world, Choupette, would approve.

Don’t Just Rent, Buy

Everyone is looking for a house, but only a few are considering an island. There’s one in Branford, Connecticut that sits on the Long Island Sound that is up for sale for $35 million.

This home, currently on the market for a cool $35 million, sits on Roger’s Island in Branford, Connecticut.

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With that, you get 7.5 acres of land, a nearly 9,000 square-foot main house, and a four-bedroom waterfront guest house. There’s a studio, pool, tennis court, koi pond, three private beaches, a greenhouse, and two docks. Oh, and the staff? They have their own quarters, too.

For more information, visit jenniferleahy.elliman.com .

We Saw This. Have You?

Hadn’t you heard? Skateboarding is posh now. (Did you catch 14-year old Coco Yoshizawa smoke her competition and win an Olympic gold in women’s street skateboarding?) Paris’s Hôtel de Crillon gets it, as the palace property recently partnered with the social change platform SKATEROOM, for this year’s games. Skateboard decks by Cindy Sherman, Louise Bourgeois, Jules de Balincourt, Juergen Teller, and more will be on display throughout the hotel until September.

In partnership with SKATEROOM, the Hôtel de Crillon is featuring a series of skateboards designed by several artists.

Add to Cart…

Inspired by the athletic prowess of Olympic swimmer Leon Marchand? Gymnast Simone Biles? Or, how about pommel horse hero Stephen Nedoroscik? Well then, train like them. Here’s a start: Technogym equipment.

The Olympic Village’s gym is outfitted with Technogym equipment. In the past, the brand has also designed Olympic torches.

Skillrow Rowing machine

The brand known for outfitting megayachts and palatial homes decked the Olympic Village’s gym out with its latest sports equipment, and its safe to bet that the world’s greatest athletes have used them to stay in shape during the two weeks of competition. Want to keep up? Get started now; the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles is fast approaching.

Cheaper Than a Second Home

The Cotswolds are cute, but don’t you want to explore outside the usual social circuit a little? Up at the bucolic Lake District in England (about two hours north of London on the train), a newly renovated castle-like hotel awaits.

Lake Windermere was the home of the English poet William Wordsworth, who popularized the region in the 18th and 19th century through writing. His home is near the Langdale Chase, and visitors can tour it.

The Langdale Chase first opened in 1937 but was recently given a modern facelift by interior designer Jane Goff. The beauty of an English estate remains both in the exteriors and interiors, but they are brought to the present century with updated plush fabrics, scenic wallpapers, golden-brown woods, and even Art Deco accessories. It sits right on Lake Windermere, England’s largest lake and the location where the Romantic poet William Wordsworth waxed poetic about the region. The hotel is quiet and gorgeous, making it hardly shy of perfection. Don’t forget to bring your New & Lingwood robe and a curiosity for archery and clay pigeon shooting.

T&C Stamp of Approval

What’s in for interiors? Sexy is back . Bronze accents, curvaceous banquets, and dim lighting offer an old-world glamour. If you’re looking for an evening lounge room away from home, head to So & So’s , a new piano-bar-meets-supper-club in Romer Hell’s Kitchen. Interior designer Matthew Goodrich sought to evoke the feeling of stumbling into a “local legends” living room during a night out in New York City while also serving as an ode to the theatrical pedigree of the neighborhood. We think it looks like a place where a glamorous chanteuse enchants a rapt crowd with the sultry voice that she uses to cover Ella Fitzgerald.

So & So’s is tucked around the side of Manhattan’s Romer Hell’s Kitchen hotel for a discrete entrance.

Style News Editor at Town and Country covering society, style, art, and design.