Community Corner

Boston Marathon 2012: Road Closures and MBTA Changes

Check here for all the info you need to get around the area on Marathon Monday.

Marathon Monday is fast approaching, and that means your travel plans might be impacted. 

In addition to the marathon road closures below, you should note that Commonwealth Avenue in Newton from Homer Street to Centre Street will be closed Sunday, April 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for the . 

Make sure to stay tuned to Watertown Patch all day Marathon Monday for live, local coverage of the race!

Find out what's happening in Watertownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Marathon Monday road closures in Newton

  • Washington Street from the Wellesley Line (Rte. 16) to Commonwealth Avenue (Rte. 30) will be closed from roughly 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. According to Newton Police Lt. Bruce Apotheker, the road could open before 5 p.m. depending on how the race day goes.
  • Commonwealth Avenue (Rte. 30) to the Boston line will also be closed from approximately 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
  • All roads that cross Commonwealth Avenue and/or Washington Street will effectively be dead ends, as traffic will not be able to cross the marathon route.
  • Drivers can use Rte. 128 and Rte. 9 to get across town. The Mass Pike is also recommended. 

Alternate Routes/Getting to Fenway

Drivers can use the Mass. Turn Pike for east-west travel, and Rte. 128 will be open to go north or south.

Baseball fans heading to the Red Sox game, Monday at 11:05 p.m. against Tampa Bay, from Watertown can take public transportation to Fenway. From Watertown Yard, across the river from Watertown Square, the 57 bus will go almost all the way to Kenmore Square. Riders will get off on Commonwealth Avenue at Blandford Street, which is a long block from Kenmore Square.

Find out what's happening in Watertownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Those looking to take the subway can take the Green Line from Riverside. Or, take the 71 bus to Harvard Square, get on the Red Line and change to the Green Line at Park Street and get off at Kenmore Square. Another option is taking the 70 bus to Central Square, then take the Red Line to the Green Line.

MBTA changes for Marathon Monday

Information courtesy of the MBTA website

  • The Red, Blue, Orange, Green, and Mattapan Line will operate on a regular weekday schedule with extra service before and after the marathon. 
  • Copley Station will be closed all day. Use Hynes or Arlington Stations. Customers will only be permitted to exit from the Boylston Street side of Hynes Convention Center Station. 
  • Due to road closures, Green B Line will stop at South Street.
  • The Green C line stop at Kent Street will be bypassed from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
  • The Green C line stop at St. Mary's on Beacon Street will be bypassed between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. 
  • Bicycles will not be allowed on the subway. Bicycles are permitted on the commuter rail except for peak-period trips, which are identified by shading on the schedules. 
  • Customers are urged to load value on to their CharlieCards in advance in order to avoid long lines on Marathon Monday. 
  • Commuter Rail service will operate on its regular weekday schedule. 
  • Due to the dramatically increased ridership with extreme crowds, customers should expect delays throughout the day and are encouraged to budget additional time for his/her commute. 
  • Several bus routes will be diverted during Marathon Monday and customers are strongly encouraged to check T-Alerts and MBTA.com throughout the day for up-to-the-minute information. For a full list of the affected bus routes, check the MBTA marathon information website


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