BY MARK HOUGH, FASLA

A temporary play structure installation is part of the conservancy’s plans for adding fun to the park.
As recently as the 17th century, the land beneath the greenway was submerged in Boston Harbor. It was gradually exposed as the shoreline was filled in to expand the waterfront. By 1959, the site had been converted to the Central Artery, an elevated, six-lane freeway built in the hope of reducing traffic congestion and revitalizing a downtown that was struggling for relevancy against its booming suburbs. It was not successful. Congestion worsened, and structural problems came to light that put the artery?s future in question. Besides that, the route was an urban design disaster, a barrier that cut off downtown from the vibrant and historic North End and Waterfront neighborhoods. In 1982, planning began on the Big Dig, which turned out to be one of the most complex, controversial, and expensive infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the United States. According to some estimates, it has cost more than $20 billion to date. This was not an easy time in Boston. Conflicting constituencies, competing jurisdictions, and the lack of vision created a mood of frustration and downright anger among a lot of citizens. Journalists and critics tracked the multitude of logistical headaches, ballooning costs, and missed deadlines of the project. A lack of effective leadership was a big problem. The State of Massachusetts owned the land, and the Massachusetts...