Washington Street Gate Entrance at Forest Hills

Opening the Gates: Phase One projects in the Entrance Improvement Project at the Arnold Arboretum.
Map of the Arnold Arboretum showing five entrances selected as phase one projects for the Entrance Improvement Project

Project Overview:

The Washington Street Gate entrance serves as a vital access point for residents and commuters along the Washington Street Corridor, including nearby environmental justice neighborhoods. Its renovation focuses on enhancing visitor access to the Arnold Arboretum’s rich landscape, creating a more welcoming and equitable gateway to nature for those traveling by foot, bike, or public transit. Directly connecting to the Blackwell Path, this refreshed portal provides seamless entry into the Arboretum’s Bussey Brook Meadow—a vibrant urban wild—and strengthens connectivity between Forest Hills and the broader Arboretum landscape. As part of the larger vision of the Sesquicentennial Entrance Improvement Project to improve community access and mobility, a renewed Washington Street Gate entrance fosters deeper engagement with green space, supports sustainable transportation, and reinforces the Arboretum’s role and founding principle as a shared resource for all.

Project Updates:

  • Pre-work begins March 2025
  • Pathway closed and construction begins on March 31, 2025
  • Major construction ends in early October 2025; path reopens to foot and cycling traffic on October 15, 2025
  • Grand reopening celebration planned for Spring 2026

Entrance Goals

  • Remove existing chain-link fence and open gate leaves to improve public safety, sight lines, views, and visitor access
  • Add way finding and interpretive signage celebrating the unique history of Bussey Brook Meadow
  • Provide salvaged granite seating for gathering and resting within a new grove of Kentucky coffee trees
  • Enhance entrance and meadow area with new tree and shrub plantings
  • Create open views of meadow and entrance through selective pruning and removal of existing trees
  • Improve the visibility of the entrance from Forest Hills MBTA Station
Washington Street Gate Entrance Concept
Concept Plan
Image of Washington St Gate existing ariel render
Washington St Gate Existing Ariel View – Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023
Arial rendering of proposed Washington Street Gate
Washington St Gate Ariel Rendering Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023
Image of Washington Street Gate Existing Arrival View
Existing Arrival View – Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023
Image of Washington Street Gate Proposed Arrival View
Proposed Arrival View – Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023
Image of Washington Street Gate Existing Departure View
Existing Departure View – Michael Van Valkenburgh, Associates, 2023Michael Van Valkenburgh, Associates, 2023
Image of Washington Street Gate Proposed Departure View
Proposed Departure View – Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, 2023
Completed Washington Street Gate entrance in October 2025.
Washington Street Gate entrance reopened to pedestrians and cyclists in October 2025. Work to finish renovations to the site and pathway will continue through November.Jon Hetman