Parts of Jamaica Pond path to close during improvement project

Sections of the Jamaica Pond path will be closed next year as it undergoes part of a $4 million improvement project.

Along with improving the path around the pond, the project will also replace benches and signs, add water fountains and bike racks, improve some entrances, fix stairways, and install environmental protections. The project will be broken down into two parts with Phase I focusing around the Pinebank Promontory and Phase II on the path around the pond.

According to Boston Parks and Recreation Department project manager Lauren Bryant, Phase I should began this fall and be completed by winter, weather depending. She said that Phase II should go out to bid this winter and start sometime in the spring, which will also depends on the weather, as the pathway will need to be sturdy enough to handle the large equipment.

Some parts of the path will need to be closed during Phase II construction, while other parts will have detours. Bryant said that there will be signs up at the closures for runners and walkers detailing the distance they have gone so they can adjust their workouts accordingly. Bryant said there is no estimate when the closures will occur or their duration, but said BPRD should have a better idea once it has a contractor on board for the project. BPRD spokesperson Ryan Wood said that the hope is that people understand that the end results outweigh the inconvenience of the closed path.

The Jamaica Pond Park, which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in the late 1800s, is a historic landmark, so the project needs approvals from the Boston Landmarks Commission and Boston Conservation Commission. Those hearings are expected to occur sometime this fall.

For more information about the project, visit bit.ly/2HB3qVa.

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