Friends Of Public Gardens To Protest Back Bay Digital Billboards

BACK BAY, MA — The MBTA is applying for permits to install digital billboards outside at multiple T stations, including Park Street and Arlington Street in the Back Bay, but not everyone is excited about this proposal. And one group plans to attend a meeting Thursday, Feb. 8 to express as much.

The MBTA argues the screens to be put over the stations's entrances will provide real-time messages to serve riders with information on info pertaining to trains, maintenance and service alerts, delays, weather alerts, and other public service announcements. What would they look like? Think 55 inch illuminated signs called digital urban panels that would display 15 seconds of service information followed by 30 seconds of paid advertising.

The Friends of the Public Garden, a non profit with a mission to advocate for protecting and improving the Public Garden, Boston Common and Commonwealth Avenue Mall, are rallying against the proposal.

The illuminated signs, argue protesters, would be a significant source of visual and light pollution, violating both the Back Bay Architectural Commission Commercial guidelines and the MassDOT regulations for signage because the proposed signs would be within 300 feet of two landmark historic parks.

A hearing is scheduled for Thursday, February 8 at 11 a.m., Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, Conference Room 5, Second Floor.

The Friends of the Public Garden are working to get as many people as possible to the meeting and have set up an email writing campaign protesting the Digital Urban Panels to be stationed over the stations' entrances.

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