We get a lot of questions here at MassBike, and we like to think we also give some pretty good answers. We realized that sharing these questions and answers on our website would be a valuable resource to others looking for the same information.

We got this question from James about riding from Alewife to Seaport district in Boston. We are not always able to answer route questions but we chose this one because so many people use the Minute Man Bike trail and it ends at Alewife.

HI,
At the transportation event today a work I was told by that someone at your office rides from Alewife to the Seaport area. Is it possible to get the names for the streets used?
Many Thanks,
James

Hello James

I don't ride from Alewife to the Seaport area exactly, but I do ride from Arlington to the Financial District. So most of this route is what I do every day. It's almost all on-road, in traffic, but there are bike lanes most of the way between Porter Sq and Boston.

From the back of Alewife Station (the side where the elevator exits near one of the bike cages), follow the path through Russell Field to the Linear Path (it's a little confusing so you may have to look around a bit). Take the Linear Path out to Mass Ave. Take Mass Ave to Porter Square. At Porter Sq, bear left onto Somerville Ave (to the left of the T station). If you don't want to merge into the left turn lane at Porter Sq, stay in the bike lane and there is a ramp on the right onto the sidewalk to wait for a bicycle signal to cross the intersection. From Somerville Ave, take the first right onto Beacon St, which immediately curves to the left. Beacon St turns into Hampshire St at Inman Sq. Follow Hampshire St to the end, then take a left at the light onto Broadway. Take Broadway through Kendall Sq to the Longfellow Bridge. At the end of the Longfellow Bridge, go straight onto Cambridge St and follow to Government Center. Cambridge St turns into Tremont St. At Park St station, turn left onto Winter St, and continue straight onto Summer St. You can take Summer St all the way into South Boston, or turn left at South Station onto Atlantic Ave, then right at Congress St or Northern Ave to go directly into the Seaport area.

Hope that helps!