Sumner Tunnel Is Causing Problems For Truck Drivers, Commuters Say
EAST BOSTON (CBS) -- Frustrated commuters are asking for more signs for truck drivers before the Sumner Tunnel between Boston and East Boston, claiming the incidents of stuck trucks are increasing.
"You can't do anything. It's more than frustrating because it's something that could have been avoided," Winthrop resident Dawn Manning said.
She grabbed her cellphone and took video of a truck stuck at the entrance last week.
Drivers who frequently use the tunnel say that ever since the toll booths were taken down, which provided a barrier to over-sized trucks, there have been more accidents backing up traffic in East Boston and beyond.
Truck driver Max Estrada agrees with the community on the need for more signs. "We just need more signs to let us know, even before we get there, because the GPS can be deceiving," Estrada said.
Community activists believe signs should be posted as far back as Suffolk Downs on Route 1A, a good two miles before the Sumner Tunnel, and where the Ted Williams tunnel splits off to let truck drivers know they have an option.
"MassDOT continues to work with the State Police to monitor the over height vehicles in the Sumner Tunnel. A state of the art, redundant, advanced warning system that alerts over height trucks to exit before entering the tunnel was installed during the recent conversion to All Electric Tolling," MassDOT told WBZ-TV in a statement Thursday. "Advanced warning signs are strategically placed to ensure trucks are able to access the airport and the Ted Williams Tunnel while avoiding the Sumner. Traffic engineers will review these signs to ensure the best possible placement."
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has also pledged to form an East Boston Transportation Action Committee.
"Let's face it, a couple of extra signs is not going to hurt anything. If anything it will help," Manning said.