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Boston - for college stuff

Started by noelbotevera, February 26, 2016, 04:24:02 PM

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noelbotevera

So the family and I are going up to Boston for college tours and stuff. Basically, we'll be there for five days, and two of them is going to Harvard or MIT, and the rest is going to be decided. Day one is basically getting there (I'd like people who know the area better than me to pitch in), and day seven is getting back. For the last day we might stop along the way by going via Hartford than New Haven (or use CT 8, I dunno). There's this restaurant in Hartford called Salute which sounds interesting.

My ideas for the night and day is to go to Fenway Park/Bleacher Bar, go to the Museum of Fine Arts, and then off to the hotel for the night (undecided). I hope it's in Cambridge, so I can catch the "REVERSE THE CURSE" sign on Storrow Drive.

Day two would be to do Old North Church and Bunker Hill. If night rolls around when we leave either one, maybe try to find the legendary KB. If not, catch a movie at The Coolidge theater.

Days three, four, and five are undecided. Anyways, I'm also thinking of any road related attractions. I know there's some old signs off of CT 15.


SignGeek101

You're a bit young to be going to college  ;-)

noelbotevera

Quote from: SignGeek101 on February 26, 2016, 04:36:16 PM
You're a bit young to be going to college  ;-)
For my brother. I'm obviously not going till I'm 18.  :spin:

TravelingBethelite

I believe the Reverse The Curse sign was taken down after the Red Soxs' '04 win. Only go to Salute if you guys really like Italian food. Sadly, the old off-CT 15 signage has been recently replaced in a sweep of joint signage replacements on part of CTDOT districts 3 & 4. Do you mean I-84 to I-91 CT 15, Berlin Turnpike CT 15, Wilbur Cross CT 15, or Merritt CT 15? What is the 'legendary' KB? Some clarification would help. I also second SignGeek101... as I thought. For a while I thought you meant a sister you've occasionally mentioned. Your brother must be a pretty smart guy. :nod:
"Imprisoned by the freedom of the road!" - Ronnie Milsap
See my photos at: http://bit.ly/1Qi81ws

Now I decide where I go...

2018 Ford Fusion SE - proud new owner!

SignGeek101

Quote from: noelbotevera on February 26, 2016, 04:43:11 PM
Quote from: SignGeek101 on February 26, 2016, 04:36:16 PM
You're a bit young to be going to college  ;-)
For my brother. I'm obviously not going till I'm 18.  :spin:

I know. It was a joke.

noelbotevera

Quote from: TravelingBethelite on February 26, 2016, 04:48:01 PM
I believe the Reverse The Curse sign was taken down after the Red Soxs' '04 win. Only go to Salute if you guys really like Italian food. Sadly, the old off-CT 15 signage has been recently replaced in a sweep of joint signage replacements on part of CTDOT districts 3 & 4. Do you mean I-84 to I-91 CT 15, Berlin Turnpike CT 15, Wilbur Cross CT 15, or Merritt CT 15? What is the 'legendary' KB? Some clarification would help. I also second SignGeek101... as I thought. For a while I thought you meant a sister you've occasionally mentioned. Your brother must be a pretty smart guy. :nod:
KB is infamous in Boston for a guy in a bear costume playing a keytar. I mean all of CT 15, and I-84 to I-91 I don't really care about, as there's not really much old stuff there (button copy signs, but there's tons of them in CT).

roadman

Quote from: TravelingBethelite on February 26, 2016, 04:48:01 PM
I believe the Reverse The Curse sign was taken down after the Red Soxs' '04 win.

That is correct.  From Yahoo Answers:

Quote"Remember that glorious sign? It was the ''Reverse Curve" sign that was traditionally altered by spray paint to read ''Reverse the Curse," for the Red Sox. Once they won the World Series, some flexible person with a can of spray paint changed the tense to ''Reversed the Curse." Then, Governor Mitt Romney blocked Storrow to take down the sign in a photo op, and it was donated to the Red Sox Foundation, although the state had promised this very column that it would remain untouched."

"We're glad it was taken down, for soon the sign will be auctioned or raffled off to benefit Teddy Ebersol's Red Sox Fields, a private-public partnership to rehabilitate the often flooded ball fields at Lederman Park on the Esplanade near the Longfellow Bridge."

But it was never auctioned off.
Source(s):
http://www.boston.com/news/local/article...

Note - original Globe article is behind a paywall.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

TravelingBethelite

Quote from: noelbotevera on February 26, 2016, 04:52:39 PM
Quote from: TravelingBethelite on February 26, 2016, 04:48:01 PM
I believe the Reverse The Curse sign was taken down after the Red Soxs' '04 win. Only go to Salute if you guys really like Italian food. Sadly, the old off-CT 15 signage has been recently replaced in a sweep of joint signage replacements on part of CTDOT districts 3 & 4. Do you mean I-84 to I-91 CT 15, Berlin Turnpike CT 15, Wilbur Cross CT 15, or Merritt CT 15? What is the 'legendary' KB? Some clarification would help. I also second SignGeek101... as I thought. For a while I thought you meant a sister you've occasionally mentioned. Your brother must be a pretty smart guy. :nod:
KB is infamous in Boston for a guy in a bear costume playing a keytar. I mean all of CT 15, and I-84 to I-91 I don't really care about, as there's not really much old stuff there (button copy signs, but there's tons of them in CT).

Well in that case, you're shit out of luck for CT 15. Pretty much all of its BGSes, directing signs, and secondary road/connector road signs are from 1995 and newer.
"Imprisoned by the freedom of the road!" - Ronnie Milsap
See my photos at: http://bit.ly/1Qi81ws

Now I decide where I go...

2018 Ford Fusion SE - proud new owner!

Dougtone

Quote from: SignGeek101 on February 26, 2016, 04:36:16 PM
You're a bit young to be going to college  ;-)

He could be a modern day Doogie Howser.

dgolub

This isn't immediately around Boston, but Cape Cod is always fun.  You could take US 6 all the way out to the end in Provincetown and go to the eastern terminus of what was once the longest route in the country.

A long time ago, I was on US 1 north of Boston to go to Salem, and my recollection was that that was a pretty cool highway.  It'll take you up toward the North Shore.  I'll never been there, but it looks nice from the photos I've seen.

Also, if you're going to CT 8, take it a few exits north of I-84 to Thomaston.  There's the Northfield Brook Dam along CT 254 and the Thomaston Dam along CT 222.  You can walk out on top of both of them, and the latter is particularly awesome.  There's also a train museum in Thomaston if you're interested in that.

noelbotevera

Quote from: dgolub on February 27, 2016, 09:30:36 AM
This isn't immediately around Boston, but Cape Cod is always fun.  You could take US 6 all the way out to the end in Provincetown and go to the eastern terminus of what was once the longest route in the country.

A long time ago, I was on US 1 north of Boston to go to Salem, and my recollection was that that was a pretty cool highway.  It'll take you up toward the North Shore.  I'll never been there, but it looks nice from the photos I've seen.

Also, if you're going to CT 8, take it a few exits north of I-84 to Thomaston.  There's the Northfield Brook Dam along CT 254 and the Thomaston Dam along CT 222.  You can walk out on top of both of them, and the latter is particularly awesome.  There's also a train museum in Thomaston if you're interested in that.
Yeah, also a road curio is that US 6 EB at the terminus has the old beginning of the route at Long Beach, while the WB one is boring listing it only to Bishop.

US 1 is also another thing I'd like to do that's road related. There's the abandoned interchange north of the Tobin Bridge when US 1 was I-95, and there's REALLY old signs on the bridge itself.

We might be going out at night, so once we hit CT 8, it could be night or early morning. Maybe I could catch a cool sunrise at the dam, but I'm not sure.

PHLBOS

Quote from: noelbotevera on February 27, 2016, 01:38:59 PMUS 1 is also another thing I'd like to do that's road related. There's the abandoned interchange north of the Tobin Bridge when US 1 was I-95, and there's REALLY old signs on the bridge itself.
Those old signs along the Tobin Bridge (lower level/northbound) have since been replaced.

At present, the upper level/southbound Tobin Bridge is the only toll facility in the Bay State that does AET (E-ZPass or Toll-By-Plate).
GPS does NOT equal GOD

noelbotevera

Here's a route I could work out:

1. I-81 north to US 22/US 322 west
2. US 22/US 322 west to US 11/15 north
3. US 11/15 north to I-80 east
4. I-80 east to I-380 north
5. I-380 north to I-84 east
6. I-84 east to CT 8 north
7. CT 8 north to US 20 east
8. US 20 east to I-291 east
9. I-90 east to MA 128 south
10. MA 128 south to I-93 north
OR
11. MA 128 south to Grove Street
12. Take Green Line D Branch into Boston, see the new Government Center station

Comments? Questions? Let me know!  :D

roadman

The rebuilt Government Center station is scheduled to re-open on March 26th.
"And ninety-five is the route you were on.  It was not the speed limit sign."  - Jim Croce (from Speedball Tucker)

"My life has been a tapestry
Of years of roads and highway signs" (with apologies to Carole King and Tom Rush)

jeffandnicole

Why the back-tracking with 22/322 West?

noelbotevera

Quote from: jeffandnicole on March 08, 2016, 01:28:03 PM
Why the back-tracking with 22/322 West?
Mostly scenery. I like the way how it's sandwiched between the Susquehanna and the mountains.

bob7374

Quote from: noelbotevera on March 05, 2016, 11:27:32 AM
Here's a route I could work out:

1. I-81 north to US 22/US 322 west
2. US 22/US 322 west to US 11/15 north
3. US 11/15 north to I-80 east
4. I-80 east to I-380 north
5. I-380 north to I-84 east
6. I-84 east to CT 8 north
7. CT 8 north to US 20 east
8. US 20 east to I-291 east
9. I-90 east to MA 128 south
10. MA 128 south to I-93 north
OR
11. MA 128 south to Grove Street
12. Take Green Line D Branch into Boston, see the new Government Center station

Comments? Questions? Let me know!  :D
Some Mass. comments: You'll get to travel I-90 and get to say to people in years ahead you drove it when you had to stop at toll booths (see how many electronic toll gantries you can spot) and while it still had sequential exit numbers.
As for where to get off the Pike, depends on the time of day. Midday is probably the best time travel I-95/128 and I-93 unless you really like traffic. There may be slow downs at the other times due to construction along I-95 in the Needham area.
The Green Line is very slow also at commuting times, but convenient to get to colleges along Comm. Ave or downtown.
I am an alum of Tufts University, so if that's part of the itinerary and have any questions, let me know.

spooky

Quote from: bob7374 on March 09, 2016, 10:22:41 PM
The Green Line is very slow also at commuting times, but convenient to get to colleges along Comm. Ave or downtown.

FTFY

noelbotevera

My goal here is to get to Cambridge so we can begin our tour in the college. The problem here is that the Green Line is a streetcar, and thus has to stop at traffic lights.

I could do Red Line from Braintree to Kendall/MIT from doing MA 128 to I-93 north. But I have to take MA 3 south briefly.

I could also go through Rhode Island to get to RI 24 and clinch that to I-93 north.

I can get downtown by doing MA 128 to MA 9, then to MA 2A. I'll be in front of the MIT campus when I see the Harvard Bridge, but parking there is a problem.

noelbotevera

I know I'm talking to myself, but I've got an agenda somewhat planned out.

Day 1: MIT and Harvard U. "orientation" - really a tour
Day 2: Freedom Trail and Lexington & Concord
Day 3: Museum of Fine Arts and ???
Day 4: ????
Day 5: ????

bob7374

Quote from: noelbotevera on March 20, 2016, 07:10:25 PM
I know I'm talking to myself, but I've got an agenda somewhat planned out.

Day 1: MIT and Harvard U. "orientation" - really a tour
Day 2: Freedom Trail and Lexington & Concord
Day 3: Museum of Fine Arts and ???
Day 4: ????
Day 5: ????
Sounds like a good start. A couple suggestions: You could conceivably spend a whole day at both The Freedom Trail and Lexington and Concord by themselves and there could be a good 30-45 minute drive between them.
The Museum of Fine Arts is in the Fenway so its close to Fenway Park. There are tours available, schedule depending on whether you're there before the season or during a road trip. Also you're close to the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum which has a new wing open a couple years ago.
Also, I assume you will be driving the Big Dig Tunnels while you're there.

Pete from Boston

#21
Quote from: noelbotevera on March 11, 2016, 02:45:06 PM
My goal here is to get to Cambridge so we can begin our tour in the college. The problem here is that the Green Line is a streetcar, and thus has to stop at traffic lights.

I could do Red Line from Braintree to Kendall/MIT from doing MA 128 to I-93 north. But I have to take MA 3 south briefly.

I could also go through Rhode Island to get to RI 24 and clinch that to I-93 north.

I can get downtown by doing MA 128 to MA 9, then to MA 2A. I'll be in front of the MIT campus when I see the Harvard Bridge, but parking there is a problem.

Riverside (D) Branch doesn't stop at lights.  It's grade-separated, more "interurban" than streetcar.

And once you are in the city, abandon all use of "Route 9" and "Route 2A."  Nobody knows what those are and they are not consistently signed.  They are Huntington Ave. and Mass. Ave. (always spoken "mass av," and NEVER "Massachusetts Avenue") once you're in Boston/Cambridge.

Rothman

Quote from: Pete from Boston on March 21, 2016, 03:40:52 AM
And once you are in the city, abandon all use of "Route 9" and "Route 2A."  Nobody knows what those are and they are not consistently signed.  They are Huntington Ave. and Mass. Ave. (always spoken "mass av," and NEVER "Massachusetts Avenue") once you're in Boston/Cambridge.

This is quite true, but I do wonder where the actual cut-off is, since I grew up along "Route 9." 
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position(s) of NYSDOT.

Pete from Boston


Quote from: Rothman on March 21, 2016, 07:47:42 AM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on March 21, 2016, 03:40:52 AM
And once you are in the city, abandon all use of "Route 9" and "Route 2A."  Nobody knows what those are and they are not consistently signed.  They are Huntington Ave. and Mass. Ave. (always spoken "mass av," and NEVER "Massachusetts Avenue") once you're in Boston/Cambridge.

This is quite true, but I do wonder where the actual cut-off is, since I grew up along "Route 9."

Brookline Village?

noelbotevera

Yeah, quick revival here, it makes more sense that rather than visiting the towns of Lexington and Concord there is the Minutemen Historical Park which includes the battle site and parts of the towns.



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