Who Says You Can’t Get There From Here?

Written by nicklebones on Apr 21

Apropos of nothing really, just some food for thought next time you get lost on the road…

Some time ago, I was meeting up with a friend who instructed me to take the 57 bus to the stop at the corner of Tremont and Park.  “That’s easy,” I thought to myself.  “Why take the bus at all, when the subway goes straight there?”  Or, I could even bike to the Common up Cambridge Street by MGH, or head up Washington Street through Downtown Crossing from the South.

I never got there.

Yup, turns out there is a Park Street and a Tremont Street — and they intersect — in Newton.  And to get there?  The 57 bus even goes down Cambridge Street.  In Allston.  And Washington Street.  In Brighton.  Eep!

Whether it was a practical joke played by our forebears or just lack of communication across town borders (no…make that even within town borders themselves, sometimes), the same street names seem to pop up willy-nilly all across the region.

Soooo… I thought it might be interesting to see if I could plot a route through greater Boston in which one could bike entirely on a limited “set” of streets, even if those streets were in completely separate areas.  Although I did have to “cheat” a bit here and there, I did amaze myself by coming up with a 31.3-mile route through Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville and Newton… using only streets named Park, Tremont, Washington, Cambridge, Beacon, Harvard, Brookline, and Boylston.

Let’s begin the madness in the bowels of Newton…

Park Ave. (Newton) – turns into Park Street (Newton) – to Tremont St. (Newton) – to Washington St. (Brighton/Oak Square) – to Cambridge St. (Brighton) – continues into Cambridge St. (Allston) – to N. Beacon St. (Allston)…

Then, follow the River Path around Harvard Stadium to…

N. Harvard St. (Allston) – to Cambridge St. (Allston) – to Harvard Ave. (Allston) – to Harvard Street (Brookline) – to Beacon St. (Brookline) – to Washington St. (Brookline) – to Harvard St. (Brookline) – to Boylston St. (Brookline, not the same one as Boston) – to Brookline Ave. (Brookline) – continues into Boston as Brookline Ave. (Longwood/Kenmore)…

Wheel down to the River Path, then make your way across the BU Bridge to…

Brookline Street (Cambridge) – to Harvard St. (Cambridge)*

Sneak across Sennott Park and wave to Tremont St. (Cambridge), then back onto Harvard St. to Harvard Yard (and we’ll just sneak across Kirkland St. here, but that turns into Washington St. (Somerville), so we’ll count it) –

And here there’s an optional side trip by continuing down Washington St. to New Washington St. (Somerville) – onto Cambridge St. (Charlestown), then back to…

Beacon St. (Somerville) – up to Park St. (Somerville), turn around and come back to Beacon then down to Cambridge St. (Cambridge) and don’t forget to a quick detour down Tremont St. (Somerville) as you pass by…

Back down Cambridge St. into Boston and on the River Path to…

a different Cambridge St. (Beacon Hill) – which turns into Tremont St. (Boston) – to Park St. (Boston) – to Beacon St. (BH/Back Bay) – to Boylston St. (Back Bay)** – and if you’re in the mood for a break/frosty beverage, Sweetwater’s is right down Boylston Place – back onto Tremont St. and  down to my favorite intersection in the city: the corner of Tremont St. and Tremont St. (right) – then continue on Tremont – to W. Brookline St. (South End) – to Washington St. (to Rox/J.P.) -to Boylston St. (J.P.) –

Say hi to the folks at Stony Brook, then you’re ready for a clusterbumble of an intersection that probably frightens even Google Maps: double back on Boylston to Washington St. (J.P.) – follow down to New Washington St. (Forest Hills) – to Washington St. (Forest Hills) – to Bizarro Washington St. (Forest Hills).

Voila!  It’s that simple.  Anyone want to try it?  🙂

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* Okay, so we had to cross Mass Ave (Cambridge) down a couple of small side streets here.

** Likewise, a quick connection down Mass Ave (Boston).

Tags: bike ride, fun, routes
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