Visit

Downtown Crossing Vehicular Regulations

1. Commercial vehicles with proper identification and commercial plates are allowed to load/unload anytime on the following streets:

Hawley Street
Summer Street, between Hawley Street and Otis Street (provided the posted regulations are adhered to)
Bromfield Street, between Province Street and Tremont Street (access via Province Street ONLY)

2. Vehicles with commercial plates* are allowed on the following streets between 6PM and 11AM ONLY:

Winter Street
Washington Street between Temple Place and Milk Street
Bromfield Street between Washington Street and Province Street
Franklin Street between Washington Street and Hawley Street

3. As provided in the Boston Transportation Department Rules and Regulations, vehicles with commercial plates* may park in designated loading zones while actively loading or unloading, for a period of thirty (30) minutes.

4. Vehicles without commercial plates* seeking access to the restricted streets to make deliveries must get a Downtown Crossing Access Permit. This permit gives vehicles the same privileges as if they had commercial plates, which are listed in 1 - 3 above. It does not exempt any vehicles from the 11AM restriction:

Applications must indicate why it is not possible to get commercial plates
Permits will be issued by the Boston Transportation Department, Room 721, City Hall
Permits will be restricted to two per merchant

5. Vehicles with commercial plates* will be exempted from the 11AM to 6PM restriction ONLY if they have a Downtown Crossing Permit. The permit will be issued in the following situations ONLY:

Access is needed for an emergency repair which cannot be scheduled before 11AM or after 6PM
Access is needed for one day special event
These permits are not a substitute for a street occupancy permit

6. The streets closed at 11AM will be open to the following vehicles after 2PM for deliveries:

Brinks
Wells Fargo
U.S. Mail
The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, and The Boston Phoenix

7. The following utilities will be allowed in anytime to respond to an emergency:

Keyspan
NStar
Verizon
Boston Water and Sewer Commission

8. The following City Department is allowed in anytime:

Public Works Department

9. The following special services will be allowed into the restricted area to make drop-offs and pick-ups:

The Ride
Senior Shuttle

10. Vehicles with HP and V plates may enter solely to pick-up and drop-off. They can park ONLY in spaces designated for HP and V plate parking. These spaces are on Temple Place and Franklin Street, or outside the restricted area.

*Any vehicle registered for commercial purposes, bearing commercial vehicle number plates, including trailer or semi-trailer, and designed and used primarily for the transportation or delivery of goods, wares, merchandise or equipment, or designed and used for the delivery of utility services or for field services related to maintenance/repair of buildings.

The vehicle must display permanently painted or sealed/adhered and plainly marked on both sides of the vehicle's body, exclusive of the windows, and on at least three separate lines, the name of the business entity owning or utilizing the vehicle, the full business address, and the telephone number. The name of the business entity must be displayed in letters or numbers a minimum of three (3") inches in height and the full business address and telephone number must be displayed in letters or numbers a minimum of two (2") inches in height. The business entity may substitute its e-mail address or its web site address for the full business address provided that at least three separate lines are used to display the required information. All lettering and numbers shall have a stroke width of at least three-eighths (318") of an inch and shall be in a color clearly contrasting with the background color of the vehicle's body and shall be placed on the upper portion of the door panels or the body panels of the vehicle.