The Greenway is the contemporary public park in the heart of Boston, welcoming millions of visitors annually to gather, play, unwind, and explore. The Greenway Conservancy is the non-profit responsible for the management and care of The Greenway, with the majority of the public park’s annual budget generously provided by private sources.

In 1991, after almost a decade of planning, construction began in Boston on the Central Artery/Tunnel Project, more widely known as the “Big Dig”. The project, recognized as one of the largest, most complex, and technologically challenging in the history of the United States, would remove the elevated highway and create a tunnel system below the city.

With the elevated highway relocated underground, community and political leaders seized the opportunity to enhance the city by creating The Greenway, a public park that re-connected some of Boston’s oldest and most vibrant neighborhoods, and the city itself with the waterfront. The creation of The Greenway was a joint effort of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (since incorporated into the Massachusetts Department of Transportation), the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the City of Boston, and various civic and community organizations. The Greenway has a number of historical and interpretative markers and maps located throughout the parks; visit our Park Map for listing and location information.