"I think there's a legitimate concern about the impact these changes would have" for commuters from Roslindale and Hyde Park. City Councilor Ben Weber said this to StreetsblogMASS in August 2025. He was responding to the City's decision to set aside a plan to narrow Hyde Park Avenue near Forest Hills station.
The repaving that's happening this fall sits at the Forest Hills end of the avenue, miles from Cleary Square. It keeps four travel lanes, and the City says the design is meant to keep buses and traffic moving smoothly while adding pedestrian safety changes. The Hyde Park commute matters at that end of the avenue. Hyde Park's own stretches are on a separate list, and that list runs about two years.
What's happening outside Forest Hills this month
According to the City's Hyde Park Avenue Multimodal Corridor page, last updated October 5, 2026, the repaving runs from Walk Hill Street to about 200 feet north of Tower Street. Milling was scheduled for the week of October 5, over two nights during off-peak or overnight hours. Paving follows one to two weeks after milling. New pavement markings, signal equipment and signal programming come after that.
The City says all of this depends on the weather. It will finish the "operationally critical elements" first, and anything left undone this fall moves to next construction season. Parking restrictions and detours will be posted while the work is underway.
After paving, the City will "restore a four-lane cross-section" with these changes:
- Wider crosswalks at Tower Street and Ukraine Way, going from the standard 10 feet to 15 feet.
- Daylighting, meaning no parking within 20 feet of the crosswalks at Weld Hill Street, Woodlawn Street, Tower Street and Ukraine Way. Pavement markings, signs and concrete islands will enforce it.
- Stop lines pulled back from the crosswalks at Tower Street and Ukraine Way, plus "do not block the box" markings at Tower Street.
- A new signal phase at Ukraine Way for the northern crosswalk. The City says it will cut pedestrian wait times by up to half. The pedestrian-only phase for all crosswalks stays.
- Separate northbound lanes at Ukraine Way, one for left turns only and one for through traffic only.
If you drive north toward the Arborway in the morning, Ukraine Way is the change you'll feel most. You'll need to be in the correct lane before the light, since one northbound lane will be for left turns and the other for going straight.
Why the four lanes stayed
Narrowing this stretch to three lanes was discussed publicly in 2025.
At a May 21, 2025 meeting at the Boston Teachers Union Pilot School, City staff showed two designs for the section between the Arborway and Ukraine Way. Under the four-lane option, the only parking lost was for daylighting at intersections. Under the three-lane option, the street got a new crossing at Weld Hill Street and room for painted bike lanes. The City projected that option would bring more delay and longer queues for drivers.
StreetsblogMASS reported that hundreds of Hyde Park and Forest Hills residents petitioned for the three-lane version after that meeting. Later that summer, the City told organizers neither option would go into the 2025 paving. It said it hadn't done enough stakeholder outreach and was concerned about traffic. That's when Councilor Weber pointed to commuters from Roslindale and Hyde Park. He also said he still thought a change made sense for that area.
Mayor Michelle Wu took up the same question at Forest Hills station in April 2026. Universal Hub reported that about 60 residents gathered in the station lobby. It was the fourth such event since 2023. Wu said this fall's repaving would bring curb extensions and other pedestrian changes outside the station. She also said she doubts dedicated bus or bike lanes would work on that part of the street. Forest Hills is the city's second-largest bus depot, and she worried that removing a car lane could hold up the buses. Her other ideas included a bike path on MBTA land along the commuter rail right-of-way and a full rethink of Ukraine Way. She said these longer-term fixes need the MBTA at the table.
The fall 2026 plan keeps four lanes. The City describes its goals as maximizing pedestrian safety and traffic calming "while ensuring smooth bus operations and traffic flow."
What's riding on it for the 32
The City's own corridor numbers explain why this stretch matters so much to Hyde Park. Routes 32, 14, 30, 33 and 50 all use Hyde Park Avenue somewhere along its length, and more than 200 buses a day travel the whole corridor.
| Route 32 figure | City or press figure |
|---|---|
| Forest Hills to Wolcott Square | 4.5 miles, about 35 minutes |
| One-way delays | 15 to 30 minutes |
| Extra delay for a daily full-length rider | 30 hours a month |
| Daily riders, per StreetsblogMASS in August 2025 | 8,000 |
The City ranks the 32 among the ten MBTA bus routes that carry the most riders each day. Delays on a 35-minute trip can run 15 to 30 minutes. StreetsblogMASS described the stretch outside Forest Hills station as often congested and a major source of delay for the 32. The new Ukraine Way signal stays timed with nearby lights, including Arborway and Washington Street. The City admits peak-hour queues "may be slightly longer." It expects cars and MBTA buses to "generally be able to clear the intersection in one light cycle."
If the City's projection holds, a 32 rider coming up from Cleary Square shouldn't sit through a second red light at Ukraine Way, even with the added walk phase and the left-turn lane.
The Hyde Park stretches on the two-year list
The work that would actually reach Hyde Park's own blocks is listed under "The Next Two Years." The City says it is "actively developing scopes" for these projects. It also says funding and staffing limits mean "we won't be able to get to every possible project in a two-year timeframe."
| Project | What the City describes | Status in October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Milton Street to Reservation Road | Safety and accessibility upgrades during routine repaving | Schedule and scope depend on utility coordination |
| Reservation Road to Dana Avenue | Same approach | Same |
| West Street to Metropolitan Avenue | Same approach | Same |
| Overnight speeding, entire avenue | Signal timing that cuts continuous green lights late at night and early in the morning | Listed as a two-year project |
| Wyvern Street crosswalk | New crossing between the Woodbourne neighborhood and Pagel Playground; a full signal is under evaluation | Evaluating design options |
| Ukraine Way, Tower, Weld Hill, Woodlawn | ADA-compliant curb ramps; curb extensions or raised crosswalks where feasible | Developing scope |
The City calls these "up to three southerly segments," so it may not deliver all three. The Milton Street to Reservation Road stretch is clearly Hyde Park. Boston's planning agency listed "Hyde Park Avenue between Reservation Road and Milton Street" in its Hyde Park neighborhood strategic plan draft. For these segments, the City plans to use routine repaving as "a near-term, cost-effective way" to add safety, mobility and transit features. In practice, Hyde Park's upgrades will arrive whenever its repaving does.
The City has already asked for public feedback on this part of the avenue. Its summary of the January 28, 2025 open house says comments on the southern segment focused on pedestrian and bike safety, transit, landscaping, speeding and intersections, with "some support" for protected bike lanes. Speeding is also the one item on the list that covers the whole avenue. Changing overnight signal timing doesn't require milling a single block, so Hyde Park could see it before any of its segments are repaved.
Where the avenue meets River Street
At the Hyde Park end, the corner of Hyde Park Avenue and River Street has something new this fall. Universal Hub reported on October 11 that Sunrise Cafe Bagels & Diner recently opened in the old Papa Gino's space there. It's a counter-order breakfast and lunch spot with eggs, pancakes and breakfast tacos, and it kept the old pizza oven. The same report noted it seats 34 and opens at 6 a.m., early enough to stop in before an early ride up the avenue toward Forest Hills.
For corridor updates, including the detailed roll plan the City says it will post soon, check the City of Boston project page.
If you live on or near Hyde Park Avenue and wonder how its commute and the City's two-year street plans affect your home's value, Kristen Gets It Sold can walk you through a free home valuation based on your block and your route to Forest Hills.
