Storrow Drive
Storrow Drive is a limited-access parkway in Boston, Massachusetts, extending east-west along the southern bank of the Charles River from the Fenway-Kenmore neighborhood to the Charles Circle Tunnel, providing a primary route for commuters and offering views of the adjacent Esplanade parkland.[1] The roadway, constructed between 1950 and 1951, carries an average of 130,000 vehicles per day and is maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation in coordination with the Department of Transportation.[1][2] Named for James J. Storrow, a financier who campaigned for the creation of the Charles River Basin and the preservation of its banks as public recreation space in the early 20th century, the drive has become emblematic of urban infrastructure challenges, including chronic congestion and the frequent striking of low-clearance bridges by oversized trucks—a mishap termed "Storrowing" that peaks during annual college move-in periods and prompts recurring public safety campaigns by state authorities.[3][4][5]Route Description
Path and Key Landmarks
Storrow Drive commences at its western end at the interchange with Soldiers Field Road and Massachusetts Route 2 in Boston's Allston neighborhood, adjacent to the Boston University Bridge spanning the Charles River. From there, the approximately 2-mile (3.2 km) parkway extends eastward parallel to the southern bank of the Charles River, closely following the edge of the Charles River Esplanade, a 64-acre linear park offering recreational paths and river views toward Cambridge. The route traverses urban landscapes including Fenway–Kenmore and Back Bay, characterized by limited-access design with varying lane configurations of two to three lanes per direction and low-clearance overpasses notorious for vehicle damage incidents.[1][6][1] In the Fenway–Kenmore section, the drive passes beneath the Bowker Overpass at the Charlesgate interchange near Kenmore Square, where Commonwealth Avenue and the Back Bay Fens converge, providing proximity to Fenway Park and the iconic Citgo sign atop the Kenmore building. Eastbound traffic then enters a tunnel under Copley Square and Beacon Street in Back Bay, emerging near Arlington Street, where the Arthur Fiedler Footbridge connects to the Hatch Memorial Shell—a semicircular bandstand on the Esplanade used for events like Boston Pops concerts since 1941. The Esplanade itself features pedestrian amenities, including the 1953 Arthur Fiedler Footbridge and the modern Frances Appleton Footbridge near the Longfellow Bridge, facilitating access between the roadway and riverfront paths.[1][7][1] Approaching its eastern terminus, Storrow Drive skirts Charles Circle and the historic Longfellow Bridge before reaching Leverett Circle, where it merges into the John F. Fitzgerald Expressway (Interstate 93) and U.S. Route 1. This final stretch aligns with the Museum of Science to the north and the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge, offering vistas of the Charles River Dam and urban Boston skyline elements. The parkway's path integrates with the broader Charles River Reservation, emphasizing its role as a scenic connector amid dense city infrastructure.[1][6][1]
Exits and Interchanges
Storrow Drive, a limited-access parkway, lacks formal exit numbering and instead features a series of ramps and interchanges connecting to local streets, bridges, and highways along its approximately 3-mile route parallel to the Charles River. These provide access primarily to Boston neighborhoods, Cambridge, and major arterials without at-grade intersections or traffic signals.[8] From west to east, the western terminus transitions seamlessly from Soldiers Field Road near the BU Bridge, with an initial ramp to Western Avenue for connections to the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) via surface streets such as River Street and Cambridge Street.[9] Eastward, the Boston University Bridge interchange links to Memorial Drive and Massachusetts Route 2A, facilitating travel to Cambridge and Arlington.[10] The Kenmore Square/Charlesgate interchange follows, with ramps to Fenway, Brookline Avenue, and the Bowker Overpass, which provides direct access to I-90 eastbound toward downtown Boston; this area handles high traffic volumes near Fenway Park and includes three lanes eastbound narrowing through tunnels.[1] The subsequent Copley Square ramp connects to Clarendon Street and Massachusetts Route 28 southbound into Back Bay, featuring a right-exit tunnel for eastbound traffic while through lanes continue left toward Leverett Circle.[1] Further east, ramps serve the Museum of Science area and Government Center via Charles Circle and the Longfellow Bridge, with access to Route 3 northbound.[11] The eastern terminus merges into the Interstate 93/U.S. Route 1 interchange (I-93 Exit 26), where Storrow Drive feeds traffic northward toward Charlestown or southward via the O'Neill Tunnel; this junction, reconstructed during the Big Dig, integrates with the Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge and lacks direct signage from I-90 Exit 18 despite proximity.[12][8]| Interchange Location | Connected Roads/Facilities | Directionality Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Western Avenue ramp | Western Ave; indirect to I-90 | Westbound exit, eastbound entrance; surface connections required for Turnpike.[9] |
| BU Bridge | Route 2A / Memorial Drive | Full interchange for cross-river access to Cambridge.[10] |
| Kenmore Square/Charlesgate | Fenway, Brookline Ave, Bowker Overpass to I-90 | Multi-ramp setup; high-volume area with lane reductions.[1] |
| Copley Square | Route 28 / Clarendon St | Eastbound tunnel exit; connects to Back Bay.[1] |
| Charles Circle/Longfellow Bridge | Route 3 / Government Center, Museum of Science | Left exits eastbound; bridge completed 1952.[1] |
| I-93/US 1 terminus | I-93 Exit 26, US 1 | Merge-only eastbound; dual exits from I-93 to Storrow.[12] |