It’s been promised, at least….

It’s a tale as old as time. If it’s raining, or a high tide, or a coastal storm, you avoid Morrissey Boulevard.  Why, you ask.  Because, most likely, it’s flooded. 

This “situation” is part of our reality living in the neighborhood just as much as Kosciuszko Circle – another “situation” that impacts getting around the city.

The Boston Globe is reporting that help could be on the way. After decades of promising to fix it, a meeting took place on Tuesday to do exactly that.

On Tuesday, the first meeting of a new Morrissey Boulevard Commission kicked off the process of drafting a plan to renovate the decades-old roadway. Included in this plan is raising Morrisey Blvd’s elevation to avoid future floods and modifying its layout to improve traffic flow for cars, public transit, bikes, and pedestrians. The deadline for the plan is June 1st, 2024. 

The commission is made up of James Arthur Jemison, chief of planning at the Boston Planning and Development Agency; DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo; David Mullen, who represents the University of Massachusetts Building Authority; State Representatives Daniel Hunt and David Biele, Democrats of Dorchester and South Boston; Senator Collins; Boston City Councilor Frank Baker; and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.

So can it be done? Fingers crossed. 

A few years ago, a traffic study was launched. The study area includes 3.5 miles of Morrissey between Preble Street in South Boston to Neponset Circle in Dorchester, including Kosciuszko Circle — aka the circle of hell.

The commission will meet twice before present its plan to the legislature.

You can get all the details about this project here.