Sumner Tunnel project stays on schedule as drivers battle increased traffic
BOSTON - It's week three of the Sumner Tunnel closure, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (Mass DOT) says construction is on schedule.
On Tuesday, WBZ-TV got a look at the work being done inside the tunnel. The focus right now is installing the precast concrete arches that will form the new ceiling of the Sumner Tunnel.
"They've been working on both sides of the tunnel - so we'll talk the East Boston side and the North End side - so coming from the middle, they've been going out in two different directions," Mass DOT Highway Director District 6 John McInerney said. More than 780 of these precast arches will be installed over the next few weeks.
Meanwhile, commuters have had to grin and bear it while the tunnel remains closed.
"It's at least 30 minutes to get out of East Boston daily. The weekend wasn't bad, but the week has really been an impact," Alex Eisenberg of East Boston said.
Mass DOT says there has been an uptick in MTBA ridership, specifically on the Blue Line and Commuter Rail. And with the NAACP convention taking place later this week, folks can expect more traffic delays.
"There's events every weekend; we're well aware of that convention. I believe they put in extra ferries from Logan across the harbor, and we have traffic engineers monitoring the traffic every day," McInerney said.
This planning brings some comfort to drivers who hope to soon see a light at the end of the tunnel.
"I hope to hear it doesn't go past Aug 31st. That's the goal," Eisenberg said.
This all part of Sumner Tunnel renovation project. "The tunnel was built in the 1930s, and it has had maintenance over the years, but it's getting tired and it gives us an opportunity to bring it up to code," McInerney said.