Boston’s Longwood Area (commonly referred to as the Longwood Medical and Academic Area or LMA) is a dense and thriving community of medical, academic, research, and cultural organizations that combine to create a powerful economic engine for the city and the state. Projected to grow by 13,200 employees and 6.86 million gross square feet by 2030, now is the time to create a complete streets blueprint that will help Longwood support demand for convenient, safe and accessible transportation.
“[Longwood] doesn't work for cars, pedestrians, buses, or bikes and doesn't have a good connection to public transit . . . Who exactly does it work for?” - Roxbury resident
During 2017, LivableStreets embarked on a year-long engagement campaign in the Longwood Area, collecting over 1500 survey responses and having real-time discussions with commuters and EMTs. Our report "Finding A Cure for the Longwood Area's Transportation Challenges" analyzes the survey results, providing important takeaways and three recommendations for future transportation planning.
Download and share the full report here.
Why Longwood?
- Over 110,800 commuters, visitors, and patients descend on Longwood each day (MASCO).
- Longwood institutions generate jobs, care for the sick, educate tomorrow’s workforce, and are a cultural resource to the community.
- As a working, learning and research "neighborhood", safe access and physical connections are a necessity to move many people in and around Longwood daily.
- Longwood was identified as one of 5 prime corridors for Bus Rapid Transit in Greater Boston in the 2015 Boston BRT Report.
"The people of Boston also deserve public transit that works...That means better commuter rail service...It means smarter bus routes and dependable trains. And it means new connections for neighborhoods like Mattapan to job hubs like Longwood Medical Area in Mission Hill."
- Marty Walsh, 2017 State of the City Address
Why Now?
- The Longwood Area is growing rapidly. By 2030 there is projected to be 13,200 more employees and 6.86 million gross square feet.
- People are changing how they get around Longwood. Since 2000 the number of drive-alone commuters has dropped 19%, while transit use has increased 12%, and walking and bicycling has increased by 7% (MASCO).
- Public Health and Complete Streets are natural allies. Professionals in public health and transportation can work together to create streets that are safe and convenient for a variety of active transportation choices.
“We know that 22% of the February rush hour traffic in the Longwood Area was on bicycle...and with the new developments around we really need to make infrastructure enhancements now to deal with the volume growth of the future."
– Longwood Area Cyclists "Bike Safety in the Longwood Area" (Watch the video!)
What's Happening? 
What's Next?
What You Can Do
Join the conversation: Connect with Longwood Area Cyclists or attend a LivableStreets Advocacy Committee meeting.
Volunteer: Contact [email protected] for more information.
Stand up and be counted: Attend a public meeting. See LivableStreets calendar — it’s updated daily!
Become a member: Join our growing community of people invested in creating safe streets and livable communities.
Contact: [email protected]