On Monday April 21 — Patriots Day — key north-south traffic routes across Newton will be closed across the five miles of the Boston Marathon course that run through the city. The road closures will be in place from Lower Falls along Washington Street/Route 16 and then turning onto Commonwealth Avenue at the fire house, and on to Boston College, separating north and south sides of the city.
See below for information from the Newton Police Department, based on its notice of road closures and parking restrictions and other dispatches:
- Pedestrian traffic routes between North and South
- Vehicular traffic routes between North and South
- Road Closures
- No Parking – Tow Zone areas
- Directions to Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s rear entrance
Pick-up of trash and recycling across the city will be delayed one day throughout the week.
According to the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) Spectator guide pdf, race route closures will start at 7AM and run through 4:45PM. The Newton Police list the closures as 8:00 AM-7:00 PM, and many barriers will be need to be put in place before the posted times.
Pedestrian traffic between North and South
The Newton Police Department notes: “There is no area designated area for pedestrian crossing. Planning ahead is the best advice. There is access to public transportation on both sides of the race route.”
Pedestrians can use the D-Riverside branch of the Green Line to move between Riverside on the north and other stations on the south side of the Marathon route.
BAA spectator guidelines specifically state that: “Spectators are not allowed to enter the course, run alongside athletes, or impede athletes in any manner. Any person on the course without an official race bib or accreditation will be directed to leave the course immediately.”
Vehicular traffic between North and South
Closures on major north-south streets — such as Walnut, Chestnut, Centre, and Grant — will be set back significantly from the course to allow for proper detours. These closures can disrupt GPS routes used by ride-hailing services, contractors, as well as out-of-town friends coming to visit to watch the race.
Vehicles traveling from NORTH side of the city to the SOUTH:
- Take either Commonwealth Avenue (west of the fire house) or the Mass. Pike (I-90) to I-95 South. Then take Route 9 East.
Vehicles traveling from SOUTH side of the city to the NORTH:
- Take Route 9 West, then I-95 North, and then either take the Mass. Pike (I-90) East and exit at Newton Corner or take Commonwealth Avenue (Route 30) east.
At least 44 Newton runners are running the Boston Marathon to raise funds to support Newton charities, and Fig City News has their fundraising links through which everyone is encouraged to make tax-deductible contributions.
The wheelchair racers will arrive at Mile 21 (Heartbreak Hill) around 10:06AM, with the lead men and women arriving around 11:16AM and 11:40AM respectively. Follow along with the BAA race app.
Road Closures: 8AM-7PM
Race Route closed:
- Washington St: Wellesley Line to Auburn St
- Commonwealth Ave: Auburn St to the Boston Line
- Commonwealth Ave Carriage Lane: Washington St to the Boston Line
- All Feeder Streets Along Race Route: Within 60 feet of the Marathon Route
Other Roads closed:
- Beacon St: Washington St to Dorset Rd
- Beacon St Extension (North of Washington St)
- Centre St: Homer St to Ward St
- College Rd: Beacon St to Commonwealth Ave
- Concord St: Hagar to Washington St
- Evelyn Rd: 192 Evelyn Rd to Fuller St
- Grove St: Washington to Moulton St
- Hammond St: Ward to Hammondswood Rd
- Helene Rd/ Cotter Rd: Paulson to Fuller
- Homer St: Commonwealth Ave to Centre St
- Old Colony Rd: Priscilla to Commonwealth Ave
- Quinobequin Rd: I 95 Southbound ramp to Washington St
- Woodland Rd: Cheswick Rd to Washington St
Open to Residents Only:
- Beacon St: Hammond St to Boston Line (Residents Only)
- Chestnut St: Beacon St to Highland St (Residents Only)
- Fuller St: Day St to Evelyn Rd (Residents Only)
- Grant Ave: Beacon St to Ward St (Residents Only)
- Lowell Ave: Commonwealth Ave to Hull St (Residents Only)
- Walnut St: Homer St to Mill St (Residents Only)
- Ward St: Hammond to Manet (Residents Only)
No Parking — Tow Zone: 12AM – 7PM
- Washington St: Wellesley Line to Auburn St
- Commonwealth Ave: Auburn St to the Boston Line
- All Feeder Streets Along Race Route:
- Within 60 feet of the Marathon Route
- On the Fire Hydrant side of the Street
- Algonquin Rd: Even side
- Beacon St: Washington St to Dorset Rd
- Beacon St Extension: North of Washington St
- Centre St: Homer St to Ward St
- Chestnut St: Beacon St to Highland St
- College Rd: Beacon St to Commonwealth Ave
- Commonwealth Ave Carriage Lane
- Concord St: Hagar to Washington St
- Dorset Rd: 1947 Beacon St to 215 Dorset Rd
- Evelyn Rd:
- 192 Evelyn Rd to Fuller St
- Paulson Rd to MaryEllen Rd
- Beacon St to Paulson Rd (Odd Side)
- Fuller St: Day St to Evelyn Rd
- Grant Ave: Montvale Rd to Ward St
- Grove St: Washington St to Woodland Rd
- Hammond St: Ward to Beacon St
- Homer St: Commonwealth Ave to Centre St
- Lowell Ave: Commonwealth Ave to Hull St
- Maple St: Woodland Rd to Auburn St
- Old Colony Rd: Priscilla to Commonwealth Ave
- Quinobequin Rd: I 95 Southbound ramp to Washington St
- Waban Hill Rd: Even side
- Walnut St: Homer St to Mill St
- Ward St: Centre St to Manet Rd
- Woodchester Dr: Even side Algonquin Rd-Woodlawn Dr
- Woodland Rd: Grove St to Washington St
Directions to Newton-Wellesley Hospital
Newton-Wellesley Hospital is on the Marathon route, so access to the front will be inaccessible. The Newton Police Department provided these directions to the back entrance of Newton-Wellesley Hospital via Dorset Road:
- From Route 128 take Route 9 East
- Immediately after merging onto Route 9 East, take the first road bearing to the right.
- Take the second left under Route 9 onto Chestnut Street
- Follow Chestnut Street to Beacon Streete
- Turn left onto Beacon Street
- Take the second Dorset Road entrance on the right.
(If you take the first entrance by mistake, follow it around until you come to the Hospital entrance on your right). - Follow Dorset Road for approximately one-half mile.
- The entrance to the Hospital is a dirt road on your left.
