The Sumner Tunnel is closing again. Here's how to get around Boston during the shutdown.
BOSTON - If you're flying in or out of Boston's Logan Airport in the next month, be prepared. The Sumner Tunnel is closing again. It's the second straight summer drivers will have to maneuver around the major tunnel closure.
When is the Sumner Tunnel closing?
The Sumner Tunnel will be closed for a month, from July 5 to August 5, for the second phase of a massive restoration project.
"Last year was about the ceiling," MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver told WBZ-TV Monday. "This year is about the driving deck."
MassDOT plans to rip up the tunnel's road during the month-long shutdown. He told WBZ that they are ahead of schedule for prepping for the shutdown, which has allowed them to cancel the last two weekend closures.
The tunnel is guaranteed to reopen on August 5th, according to MassDOT, and any additional work will be completed during scheduled weekend closures from August through Thanksgiving.
"That'll be it. The tunnel's life will have been extended for 75 years, which is our main goal here," Gulliver said.
The tunnel was closed for two months last year.
How to get around Boston
The alternatives are similar to those during the shutdown last summer.
The Blue Line will be free during the closure, and all the slow zones have been removed. The ferry to East Boston will have free or reduced fares, and the commuter rail coming from the North Shore will also have a reduced fare. You can also get free rides on five bus routes.
Tolls in the Ted Williams Tunnel and on the Tobin Bridge will be discounted for all Massachusetts drivers.
How to get to Logan Airport
The state has provided a list of detours for people traveling to or from Logan Airport during the shutdown.
If you're coming to or from the North.
- To Logan: Take I-93 South to Route 1A North/Callahan Tunnel or take US-1 South
- Leaving Logan: Take MA-1A North to US-1 North
If you're coming to or from the South.
- To Logan: Take I-93 North to Route 1A North/ Callahan Tunnel, or take I-90 East/Ted Williams Tunnel
- Leaving Logan: Take I-90 West/Ted Williams Tunnel to I-93 South
If you're coming to or from the West.
- To Logan: Take I-90 East and use the Ted Williams Tunnel
- Leaving Logan: Take I-90 West/Ted Williams Tunnel
If you're coming from Maine, Portsmouth New Hampshire or Newburyport you can take I-95 to Route 1 south and then take Route 60 to Route 16.
MassDOT is expecting more traffic congestion at the airport while the tunnel is closed so they're recommending that you use public transportation whenever possible.
One way to get to Logan is to take the Logan Express which leaves from Woburn, Framingham, Peabody, Quincy and Boston's Back Bay. Massport also offers ferry service and water taxis to Logan.
"If you are driving to Logan leave yourself a lot of time," Gulliver said.