By Tiffany Williams –
BOSTON — City and state officials have reached an agreement on traffic and security operations around South Station for this summer’s FIFA World Cup matches, clearing the way for coordinated transportation planning while avoiding a potential dispute over access to a critical downtown corridor.
The City of Boston and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority announced Tuesday that Summer Street will face a combination of full and partial closures during all seven World Cup matches scheduled at Boston Stadium. Officials said the plan is designed to balance public safety, transportation needs, neighborhood access and the movement of thousands of spectators expected to travel through the city during the tournament.
Under the agreement, Summer Street will be fully closed to vehicular traffic between Dorchester Avenue and Atlantic Avenue for eight hours during matches scheduled on June 13, June 19, June 29 and July 9.
For matches scheduled on June 16, June 23 and June 26, Summer Street will remain open to vehicular traffic on the westbound side only. Officials said the direction of travel will be determined based on operational demands and conditions specific to each event day.
The plan comes as Boston prepares to host seven World Cup matches this summer, an event expected to draw significant crowds and place additional demands on the region’s transportation network.
Mayor Michelle Wu said the agreement reflects the extensive coordination between city and state agencies that has become standard practice for major events.
“Boston was recently ranked the safest US host city for the World Cup, and we’re proud of our track record of careful coordination between City and State partner agencies hosting major events where residents and visitors alike have a smooth, welcoming experience in Boston,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We’re counting down the days to showcase our city this summer and look forward to connecting visitors to enjoy not only the special events hosted in Boston, but also our beautiful public spaces, fantastic restaurants and unique small businesses. Consistent with our usual process for planning large scale events, we are pleased that our City and State teams have developed a shared plan for Summer Street that will ensure public safety, efficient access, and clear coordination.”
The MBTA said the agreement allows transportation officials to maintain security measures while preserving operational flexibility around one of the busiest transit hubs in New England.
“Safety has always been the MBTA’s top priority, and this plan allows both the MBTA and the City to keep security paramount while also maintaining street flexibility,” said Interim Secretary of Transportation and MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng. “Thank you to Mayor Wu and City staff for collaborating with us as we best support both our global World Cup passengers and the greater Boston Community.”
Officials said the city will assist the MBTA during all seven matches through parking restrictions, traffic management, temporary traffic controls and additional security measures.
Summer Street will also be closed during periods when the MBTA establishes temporary security screening and queuing areas associated with World Cup operations. Transportation officials said those measures are necessary to protect employees and support passenger movement through South Station.
Public safety officials will retain the authority to impose additional traffic restrictions or lane closures if conditions require them. Decisions regarding crowd management and transportation operations will be coordinated through incident command structures established for each event.
Residents and visitors are being encouraged to use public transportation whenever possible and avoid the immediate South Station area during major event operations.
The agreement also resolves a recent dispute between the city and the transit agency. With the traffic plan finalized, the MBTA will withdraw its temporary eminent domain letter issued to the City of Boston, while the city will issue the occupancy permit needed for event operations.
Officials said the traffic plan will be reviewed following each World Cup match, allowing transportation and public safety leaders to evaluate operations and make adjustments aimed at improving both efficiency and the overall visitor experience throughout the tournament.