Community Outreach & Mitigation Initiatives

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In  October 2023, a contractor replaced 11 trees on Park Drive as part of Samuels & Associates’ commitment to the Fenway community. Trees were replaced on both sides of Park Drive from approximately the MBTA stop entrance down to Beacon Street. Some street parking was impacted to make room for this activity and its supporting equipment. 

The 421 Park Drive Construction Management Plan (CMP) outlines how the contractor and project team will manage logistics to minimize construction impacts on the neighborhood and surrounding area. The project team has taken great care to develop a construction plan that reduces inconveniences and keeps the lines of communication open with our neighbors.

The CMP details construction vehicle routing, equipment staging, construction entrances, and pedestrian and bicycle accommodations around the site throughout all construction phases and outlines where fencing and jersey barriers will be placed along Brookline Avenue, Fullerton Street, and Park Drive. 

Project work hours are typically Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Some select, less intensive activities may need to occur on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. 

There may be limited short-term situations where nighttime hours are required to perform work that cannot be implemented during the day. Abutters will be notified of these plans in advance. Overnight work will be carried out only when required for safety and operational reasons following receipt of the necessary City of Boston permits.

The following is a list of non-working union holidays when the community can expect the job site to be closed and inactive this year (2024):

• New Year’s Day (observed) – Monday, January 1
• Patriots Day - Monday, April 15
• Memorial Day – Monday, May 27
• Independence Day – Thursday, July 4
• Labor Day – Monday, September 2
• Indigenous Peoples Day - Monday, October 14
• Veterans Day - Monday, November 11
• Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 28
• Day after Thanksgiving - Friday, November 29
• Christmas Day – Wednesday, December 25

The project team will work to mitigate noise and vibrations throughout the duration of the project. To help buffer noise, an acoustic barrier has been erected at select locations around the project site. The contractor is also working to ensure that as many pieces of equipment as possible are outfitted with white noise alarms.

To monitor vibrations, three seismographs are positioned around the 421 Park Drive property to ensure construction activities are within safe and acceptable levels. This data is monitored daily by the project's geotechnical engineers to ensure that vibration levels do not exceed safe limits and remain below certain thresholds. 

The construction team will share information on the 'Project Updates' page and by email, which interested community members and abutters can sign up for here.  

Enhanced dust mitigation efforts are underway on the 421 Park Drive project work site. The contractor has provided several new pieces of construction equipment to aid in suppressing the dust generated by the demolition. Aerial lulls outfitted with water suppression cannons, mobile ground water suppression units and a water pumper truck have been put in place to control dust and ensure healthy air quality as the project moves forward. A close inspection of the pedestrian pathways that run along the demolition site will also be monitored daily to ensure a healthy and safe environment. Dust will diminish once the demolition phase is complete.

Ongoing dust control mitigation measures include:

• Wetting agents including water suppression cannons, mobile ground water suppression units and a water pumper truck 
• Covered trucks
• Regular cleaning of streets and sidewalks
• Tire wash stations

Odors are typically encountered when excavating through organic soils. The contractor will use sprays and foams on open excavations to minimize odors. 

Rodent inspection, monitoring, and treatment will be carried out before, during, and at the completion of all construction work for the project, in compliance with the City of Boston’s requirements. 

Pedestrian routes along Brookline Avenue, Fullerton Street, and Park Drive will generally remain the same throughout construction. Temporary sidewalk closures and diversions will be minimized as much as possible. Where needed for safety, pedestrians will be protected with standard safety barriers and overhead protection. Temporary walkways, appropriate lighting, and new directional and wayfinding signage will be in place to help direct people around the site. 

A new temporary MBTA pedestrian pathway connecting the MBTA station to Park Drive is being constructed to provide continuous and safe pedestrian access throughout the project.