Boston testing designated pick-up, drop-off point in Fenway

BOSTON — Boston will implement a new ride-sharing drop-off point in the Fenway neighborhood this weekend.

The mayor's office says the program is a test of a new designated location to be picked up and dropped off when going out in the Fenway area.

The congested, bar-filled blocks around Fenway park are often packed with Uber cars, Lyft cars and taxis coordinating rides. The city is targeting this area for testing a program that would funnel ride-hailing services into a marked area at the intersection of Boylston and Kilmarnock Streets.

"Our goal through this pilot, and through all of our transportation initiatives, is to make sure Boston's neighborhood streets are safe, accessible, and equitable for all residents," said Mayor Walsh. "Ride-sharing services have changed the way people travel -- and with 35 million trips starting in Boston every year, this pilot will help us improve streets in our city, and bring us further towards our Go Boston 2030 and Vision Zero goals."

Signs and markings will be installed to help drivers and passengers find the zones. The Boston transportation department will evaluate the program after its implmentation.

“We have a lot of rideshare companies literally just stopping in the middle of driveways -- in the middle of streets. It just happened to me outside now," Walsh told Boston 25 News Thursday.

The pilot zones will only apply to the immediate blocks to the west and east of Kilmarnock Street on Boylston Street.

Representatives for Uber and Lyft both voiced support for the program in a news release from the city.

“I know at airports around the country there’s a lot of designated locations. There’s a lot of convenience to know where you need to go to get picked up and dropped off," a ride-share user named Milan Raj told Boston 25 News in downtown Thursday.

Other transportation and infrastructure improvements recently announced by Mayor Walsh in his Boston Municipal Bureau Speech include lowering speed limit on city streets to 20 MPH; designing a pilot for adaptive traffic signals; launching a citywide education campaign on road safety; expanding the bus lanes pilot to more neighborhoods; and providing MBTA Passes to all students grades 7-12.

Cox Media Group