Directions and Parking Information

To Watertown Square, Massachusetts

A Symposium:  Shakespeare from the Oxfordian Perspective

Saturday, May 8, 2010

There are a variety of routes that lead to Watertown Square.  Here are some direct routes, although there are many variations you may take.  Please consult a map before you set out.  Also see our Map Page of Watertown Square. 

From the Mass Pike, I90:

From the west:  Travel Mass Pike East and take Newton/Watertown exit #17.  Upon exiting the Pike, at the end of the off ramp, you will enter the rotary.  There are two left lanes.  Get in the left lane that is not the furthest left and turn left at the sign reading:  West 90 Mass Pike/Watertown/West Newton.  Immediately after this turn, be in the right lane that will go straight out of the rotary following the sign to Watertown.  [Caution:  If you take the turn in the farthest left lane, you will not have enough time to get in the right lane to exit the rotary to Watertown.  You will be forced to enter the Pike going west.]  After exiting the rotary to Watertown, you will be on Centre Street which will turn into Galen Street.  Follow Galen St. crossing the bridge over the Charles River to Watertown Square.  At Watertown Square where several streets converge, turn left.  You will be on Main Street.  Follow directions below from Main Street.

Mass Pike from the east:  Travel Mass Pike West and take Newton/Watertown exit #17.  At the end of the exit ramp, turn right following sign to Watertown.  You will be on Centre Street which will turn into Galen Street.  Follow Galen St. crossing the bridge over the Charles River to Watertown Square.  At the Square where several streets converge, turn left.  You will be on Main Street.  Follow directions below from Main Street.

Saturday’s event from Main Street:

Watertown Free Public Library, 123 Main Street:

Follow Main Street 3 blocks.  The Library will be on your right immediately after the Watertown Fire Station. Turn right on to Thaxter Street for the Library parking lot.  This is a metered paid lot.

Library Parking:  Enter the Library parking lot by Thaxter Street from Main Street.  Follow it to the rear of the library building for parking.  This is a metered lot.  The two-hour parking limit is only enforced in the case of an abandoned vehicle.  You will not have to move your car every two hours to attend this event, but you will have to feed the meter.  There are a few handicap parking spaces near the rear entrance of the library.  You may also park on the surrounding streets.  Please pay attention to parking signs and meters.  Per the Watertown Police:  The posted two-hour parking limit on city streets is only enforced in the case of an abandoned vehicle, or snow emergencies.  You do not have to move your car every two hours, but please pay attention to any “No Parking” signs and parking meters, which will be in effect Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Please Note:  The streets that converge at the intersection that create Watertown Square are not all marked by signs!  There is no sign for Main Street.  Please see our Map Page to familiarize yourself with the Square.  You may notice a sign for Galen Street at the Square that is badly placed, which will only cause confusion if you pay attention to it.  This unfortunate sign is actually a good marker for Main Street.

From Route 2:

East or west, take Exit 59, Route 60, Belmont Center/Arlington Center.  Follow sign West/Belmont.  Travel on Pleasant Street to Leonard Street on your left.  (Leonard Street will have a light with a left turn arrow. On your right opposite Leonard is Clifton.)  Turn left on Leonard Street and wind through Belmont Center.  After you pass under the bridge, turn right and then immediately veer left at the fork onto Common Street.  Follow Common Street through Cushing Square.  Continue on Common St. after crossing Trapelo Road to the end of Common Street.  Turn right.  This is Mount Auburn Street, although you will not see any street signs.  Turn right on Mount Auburn St and follow to the light at Watertown Square where several streets converge.  At Watertown Square, turn right and follow directions above “From Main Street.”

From Boston, Storrow Drive:

West on Storrow Drive.  Follow signs to Newton/Arlington, keeping in the right lanes.  Travel past Harvard University and JFK Street exit.  Be in the left lane. When you see the sign for Arlington/Newton, take this left turn towards Newton onto Soldiers Field Road.  Continue on Soldiers Field Road past the Publick Theatre.  Be in the right lane.  Exit at Arsenal Street/Watertown.  Turn right at the end of the ramp onto Arsenal Street.  Follow Arsenal Street past the Watertown and Arsenal Malls to Watertown Square.  At the light at Watertown Square, go straight through the intersection.  You will be on Main Street.  Follow directions above “From Main Street.”

Public Transportation:

There are several Bus lines to Watertown Square.  From Cambridge, the #71 runs from Harvard Square to Watertown Square.  #70 runs from Central Square to Waltham via Watertown Square.  Please see Map Page for stops in Watertown Square.  Other lines that run to Watertown Square from points south and west are:  #52, #57, #59, and weekdays, the express from Boston, #502 and #504.  See MBTA.com for more information. The library is a short 5 - 10 minute walk from any of the bus stops in Watertown Square.