The Greenway “State of Good Repair” is Great

The Greenway Conservancy recently completed a State of Good Repair (SGR) Study to assess the condition of the park infrastructure. Commissioned with funds from the Greenway Business Improvement District (BID), SGR consultant VHB provided the Conservancy with a geospatial database detailing 1,028 assets on The Greenway, ranging from paving to fountain components to benches. The SGR report and associated analyses are reassuring about the current conditions in the park and funding levels. 

The consultant’s SGR report notes that “Most of the assets in the Greenway were found to be in “excellent” or “good” condition (8% and 71%, respectively)….Even for a relatively new park like the Greenway, the assets are well-kept, a testament to the Conservancy’s stewardship.” 

The Conservancy has plans and funding to address the repairs and replacements that are currently needed. The consultant’s estimates (which do not include labor/contractor costs) for the repairs and replacements currently needed total $681K. Masonry repairs represent almost three quarters of this cost total; the Conservancy has capital funding to address the priority items in 2021 and 2022. The largest single item needing replacement is controller equipment for the Rings Fountain, which will be upgraded this spring. 

Drawing on VHB’s work, the Conservancy has completed an analysis of the full replacement costs and forecasted timetables for needed repairs. This work shows that MassDOT Capital Plan funding and Conservancy staff efforts should be sufficient in the near-term to assure a state of good repair for the park. However, in approximately 10 years, repair costs are forecast to escalate significantly as the infrastructure ages, which is typical. By completing the State of Good Repair, the Conservancy is in an excellent position to plan ahead and ensure that The Greenway remains a safe, beautiful, and innovative space. 

The majority of the public park’s annual budget is generously provided by private sources. We are deeply grateful for the vision and generous support of the members of the Greenway BID, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Boston, and our many donors.

Rings Fountain Photo by Matt Conti Photography