What's going on in the Sumner Tunnel? Here's a look at the work being done during the closure
BOSTON - The Sumner Tunnel in Boston is now closed until August 5 for the next part of a huge renovation project.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) opened up the nearly 100-year-old tunnel to the media Monday for a look inside at the latest stage of construction work.
Sumner Tunnel 2024 closure
The tunnel will be closed for a full month, from July 5 until August 5. There's a team of 75 people working around the clock on the project to replace the driving deck of the tunnel.
"There's holes all over the place where they've cored through," said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver while pointing out sports where the concrete has deteriorated.
Photos from inside the tunnel show the areas of the driving deck that need to be replaced because of damage from water and salt.
"You can see here when they came through and they exposed the concrete, they can see pretty quickly where it's deteriorating, and they started cutting that up to get down to the solid concrete, and that's what they'll patch over," Gulliver said.
Since closing down the tunnel four days ago, crews have been able to rip up about 3,400 tons of asphalt, enough to fill 85 truckloads.
"This is difficult work for these guys, and again, they do a great job at it," Gulliver said.
The Sumner Tunnel was closed for 2 months last year to replace the ceiling.
How to get to Logan Airport
There are still another four weeks of the shutdown left, and officials admit that traffic from the closure has been a problem.
"I know there's this sense that because Sumner Tunnel leaves East Boston, and leaves Logan, that it's not going to cause a problem if you're trying to catch a plane. That's not entirely true because what can happen is, a project of this scale impacts regional traffic," Gulliver explained.
Luckily, there are other ways to get to East Boston during the shutdown without using a car. The Blue Line is free to all riders throughout the closure. There are also reduced fares on the Commuter Rail coming from the North Shore and free or reduced fares on the ferry service.
MassDOT has also released several available detours for people who need to get to East Boston or Logan Airport.
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.
Future weekend shutdowns
MassDOT insists the tunnel will reopen on August 5 and that any additional work will be completed during already planned weekend shutdowns throughout the fall.
Once the tunnel reopens, riders can expect brighter lighting, smoother asphalt, and more effective drainage to prevent future flooding.