Commuters who normally use the Sumner Tunnel to reach downtown Boston from East Boston and Logan International Airport need to use an alternative route as the monthlong shutdown continues Monday.For the second consecutive summer, the busy thoroughfare is closed as part of a $160 million rehabilitation project for the nearly 100-year-old tunnel. This time, it closed at midnight on July 5 and will remain closed through Aug. 5. Transportation officials warned of the potential impacts of the closure for commuters going in and out of East Boston or for those trying to get to Logan.“The big message to commuters is, really, look for alternatives,” MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said. “We really worked hard with the MBTA to give out a lot of mitigation (options) that we have available now. We want to make sure people take advantage of that.”These efforts include:Free trips on the MBTA Blue Line.Free, reduced-cost ferry trips.Free and reduced parking at MBTA and commuter rail lots.Discounted tolls for residents who need to drive over the Tobin Bridge and through the Ted Williams Tunnel.”The work that is being done right now is structural repairs to the substructure of the driving deck. The first thing that our contractors did was, all that pavement that was inside the tunnel is now gone. They peeled that off over the weekend. They are now getting in there and starting to remove some of the concrete, the flooring of the tunnel, to see which parts need to be repaired,” Gulliver said.Video: MassDOT gives update on Sumner Tunnel workLast year, work was done to repair the tunnel’s ceiling. This year, the focus is on the driving surface. MassDOT officials say time already spent in the tunnel allowed engineers to cut this year’s closure in half from two months down to just one. “We expect to take the entire month and then a few weekends afterward. Right now, though, everything is progressing right as we expected it to,” Gulliver said.After Aug. 5, there will be a series of weekend closures for the Sumner Tunnel to finish the work. “When you are on the road right now — it is probably the worst choice you can make. We really want you to look at using some of those mass transit options provided,” Gulliver said.Once completed, the lifespan of the tunnel should be extended for at least another 75 years, MassDOT said.
Commuters who normally use the Sumner Tunnel to reach downtown Boston from East Boston and Logan International Airport need to use an alternative route as the monthlong shutdown continues Monday.
For the second consecutive summer, the busy thoroughfare is closed as part of a $160 million rehabilitation project for the nearly 100-year-old tunnel. This time, it closed at midnight on July 5 and will remain closed through Aug. 5.
Transportation officials warned of the potential impacts of the closure for commuters going in and out of East Boston or for those trying to get to Logan.
“The big message to commuters is, really, look for alternatives,” MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said. “We really worked hard with the MBTA to give out a lot of mitigation (options) that we have available now. We want to make sure people take advantage of that.”
These efforts include:
- Free trips on the MBTA Blue Line.
- Free, reduced-cost ferry trips.
- Free and reduced parking at MBTA and commuter rail lots.
- Discounted tolls for residents who need to drive over the Tobin Bridge and through the Ted Williams Tunnel.
“The work that is being done right now is structural repairs to the substructure of the driving deck. The first thing that our contractors did was, all that pavement that was inside the tunnel is now gone. They peeled that off over the weekend. They are now getting in there and starting to remove some of the concrete, the flooring of the tunnel, to see which parts need to be repaired,” Gulliver said.
Video: MassDOT gives update on Sumner Tunnel work
Last year, work was done to repair the tunnel’s ceiling. This year, the focus is on the driving surface. MassDOT officials say time already spent in the tunnel allowed engineers to cut this year’s closure in half from two months down to just one.
“We expect to take the entire month and then a few weekends afterward. Right now, though, everything is progressing right as we expected it to,” Gulliver said.
After Aug. 5, there will be a series of weekend closures for the Sumner Tunnel to finish the work.
“When you are on the road right now — it is probably the worst choice you can make. We really want you to look at using some of those mass transit options provided,” Gulliver said.
Once completed, the lifespan of the tunnel should be extended for at least another 75 years, MassDOT said.
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