The Jamaicaway
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The Jamaicaway is a four-lane, undivided parkway in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts near the border of Brookline. "The Jamaicaway" is most correct, although locals use "Jamaicaway" and "The Jamaicaway" interchangeably. "Jamaica Way" is incorrect.
The Jamaicaway snakes around Jamaica Pond and connects it with subsequent "links" in the Emerald Necklace system of green areas designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Olmsted designed four other Boston parkways for the same purpose:
The Jamaicaway and the Arborway connect at a large rotary near entrances to the Arnold Arboretum and a monastery of Poor Clare Nuns. It is connected to Jamaica Plain Centre by a number of perpendicular streets.
Envisioned with carriages in mind during an era when Jamaica Plain was a sparsely-inhabited suburb, the Jamaicaway is now a well-traveled route for motor vehicles. Adding to the volume of traffic is the Jamaicaway's proximity to the Longwood Medical and Academic Area and to main roads leading to Forest Hills, West Roxbury and the densely-populated suburbs of Norfolk County.
These factors have given the narrow, winding thoroughfare a reputation as one of the country's most dangerous and daunting roads. Note the following comments:
- "Oncoming cars pass dangerously close to one another on the narrow, four-lane stretch. And there is no shoulder where police can safely detain speeders"[1]
- "Very, very twisty and dangerous and not well lit at night." [2]
- "Driving on those curvy parts of Jamaicaway always sketched me out; those lanes are narrow enough during the day when people are going the speed limit."[3]
- "THE single most dangerous road in the U.S. complete with an unlimited number of rotaries(roundabouts), narrow narrow lanes, curbing one inch from your wheels, huge oak trees two inches from your wheels and cars going approx. 1,000 miles an hour...Some day I will have to be airlifted off of that road. And it won't be pretty."[4]
The houses which line the Jamaicaway are large and artistically-designed with many interesting architectural details. Most were created by elite Bostonians for year-round or seasonal use.
Many have been inhabited by notable historical figures or celebrities, including local professional athletes. The person most mentioned in association with the Jamaicaway is probably James Michael Curley whose former house is easy to spot by the shamrock design incised in its shutters.[5]
[edit] References
- ^ "Dangerous necklace," The Boston Globe, Dec. 27, 2002
- ^ comments left re: accident on the Jamaicaway
- ^ comments left re: accident on the Jamaicaway
- ^ My Diaryland Diary, "Cubiclegirl", 2002-02-26]
- ^ O'Connor, Thomas H. Bibles, Brahmins, and Bosses: A Short History of Boston.Trustees of the Public Library of the City of Boston, 1984.
