Franklin Park's Circuit Drive will shut out cars entirely on Sunday, October 11, as the City of Boston hosts its free “Ride and Chill” festival, turning the roadway over to cyclists and pedestrians from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The one-day event brings family-friendly bike rides, food trucks, fitness classes, and bike repair clinics to the city's largest green space, with organizers encouraging participants to register ahead of time.
As reported by Streetsblog Massachusetts, riders can choose from three routes during the car-free window: a 9-mile scenic loop extending to the Arnold Arboretum and Forest Hills Cemetery, a 2.5-mile loop circling Circuit Drive itself, and a gentler 0.5-mile beginner loop around Scarboro Pond. All three rides depart from the Shattuck Picnic Area, located near the Forest Hills and Shattuck Hospital entrance to the park, which the outlet notes is roughly a five-minute bike ride from the Forest Hills Orange Line station via the Arborway bike paths.
For residents who don't own a bike, the city is offering a complimentary bike borrowing station starting at 8 a.m. for attendees who register in advance for a rental ticket, according to an announcement from the City of Boston. The festival also includes a bike town skills course aimed at newer riders navigating traffic basics in a controlled setting.
Wayfair, Blue Cross Among Festival Backers
The event draws financial and organizational support from Wayfair, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, and the Conine Family Foundation, which funds the effort through its HUBLUV biking initiative, the city's announcement states.
A Debate Over Circuit Drive's Permanent Future
The final 2022 Franklin Park Action Plan shifted from an earlier draft proposal to close Circuit Drive to motor vehicles entirely, recommending instead that the road become a safer, multi-modal roadway incrementally. The city is advancing a Circuit Drive Traffic Calming and Drainage project that focuses on speed control and safe crossings, according to the City of Boston. Advocates on the r/bikeboston subreddit have argued the city is sidestepping the earlier draft's closure proposal in favor of the more limited traffic-calming approach.
Circuit Drive has also seen public-safety interventions this year: in July, the Boston Police Department instituted recurring weekend nighttime closures of the road from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to combat illegal drag racing, loud noise, and late-night vehicle takeovers, as reported by the Dorchester Reporter.
Decades of Investment in Boston's Largest Park
The Franklin Park Coalition works to restore the grounds.
Franklin Park is also the site of a major project: the City of Boston is transforming White Stadium for Boston Public Schools athletics.
For now, Sunday's festival offers a preview of what a car-free Circuit Drive could feel like on a larger scale, even as the city and advocates continue to debate whether that should become a permanent fixture rather than a single autumn afternoon.
