At one of Newton Conservators’ community’s speaker series in June, we discussed The Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) Hammond Pond Parkway renovation project, currently under construction. This is a project that The Newton Conservators strongly supported. Based on discussions at this event, we contacted the DCR to obtain an update on the project.
DCR has told us the project is now scheduled to be completed in spring of 2026, but with much of the road paving, striping, lighting, signals, drainage, plantings, etc. to be completed by this fall (2025.)
In addition to the crosswalk at the intersection of Hammond Pond Parkway and the driveway that leads to The Towers at Chestnut Hill and the Shops at Chestnut Hill, a new pedestrian crosswalk, with user-activated flashing lights, is now working and being used. These two pedestrian crossings provide better and safer access from the west side of HPP to the Hammond Pond trails on the east side.
DCR shares our frustration with not having the streetlights on yet. They are working with Newton and Eversource, doing their best to get all work orders and inspections completed so that the lights can be turned on. At this time, it is dependent on Eversource completing required line transfers onto new poles, which hopefully will be soon.
There remains an area of the shared-use path on the west side of Hammond Pond Parkway that is incomplete. This area is immediately north and south of the MBTA bridge.
This bridge work is complicated and requires permitting and cooperation from the MBTA, including the need to schedule closures and late-night work on the tracks. According to DCR, this has been a very difficult part of the project. The primary work involves removing all pavement and curbing, constructing new drainage, inspecting all the stringers and superstructure once the bridge is fully exposed, widening and rebuilding of the sidewalk, installing new curbing, and repaving over the bridge. An extensive safety system also needs to be installed to protect the green line trains and track below while DCR is working. Completion will hopefully occur between November 2025 and spring, 2026.
Unfortunately, the Phase II of Hammond Pond Parkway (addressing the HPP section from Route 9 Bridge south to Newton Street Intersection to install the same look as the renovated section of HPP) is presently not in DCR’s near-term capital plan. DCR explained that it is very unlikely that lanes can be reduced on this section of the parkway. DCR claims this would require extensive tree and vegetation clearing to provide a grade-separated, paved shared-use path (10 feet or wider to meet standards). They also say the environmental impacts will be complex to permit and are potentially contentious. Phase II is in DCR’s Parkways Master Plan, but it is not presently on DCR’s high-priority parkway project list.
In good news, DCR says it is committed to looking at two key pedestrian safety concerns adjacent to the current project. Newton Conservators heard that the crosswalk across HPP adjacent to The Street driveway feels unsafe with vehicles from The Street driveway turning left at the same time as the walk signal is on (e.g. concurrent to pedestrians crossing HPP). The pedestrian walk timing is also very short, which creates a potential conflict for pedestrians crossing the two southbound lanes. The DCR Project Manager has asked DCR’s Transportation Section to investigate potential modifications to the intersection timing and traffic movements to improve pedestrian safety.
Also, there is currently no safe way to walk from the Towers of Chestnut Hill to the new pathway along HPP, as well as to access The Street and Hammond Pond. This is a real missed opportunity as there are more than 700 residents living a few thousand feet away. Many are older and are rightly concerned about traversing an area with fast-moving vehicles and no sidewalks.
DCR recognizes that creating a safe path along the very wide mall access road makes sense. And while DCR cannot add this to the current project at this late date, DCR will investigate the possibility of adding the proposed sidewalk when its team comes out to repave the large parking lot currently being used to stage the current construction. While they can’t guarantee it will occur at that time, they say they will work with their team to see what is possible.
Previous coverage of Hammond Pond Parkway reconstruction may be found here.
