Sumner Tunnel scheduled to re-open Friday, but there will still be weekend closures
EAST BOSTON - It has been the summer of detours for drivers in East Boston and along the North Shore, but that is all expected to change Friday morning.
The Sumner Tunnel is scheduled to open on time and just before the Labor Day weekend rush, said Governor Maura Healey at a news conference Wednesday.
The near 100-year-old tunnel has been closed since July 5th for what the state has deemed as critical repairs. All those cars had to find other ways to get west of the Boston Harbor. Many were forced to cram into the Ted Williams Tunnel.
"It is wildly crazy because you never know what you are going to get," said Beven Baker of Quincy. Baker had been driving nearly every day to visit her mother in East Boston and those trip times started to add up. "It's hours. You don't even know what roads are closed or open. It's a mystery even getting back into the Ted Williams Tunnel. It's been a mess," she said.
During her tour Wednesday, the governor made note of the lighting, piping, ceiling, ventilation and structural improvements that had been made. The state said the goal of this restoration work was to increase the lifespan of the tunnel by at least 50 years. "While I know aggravating no doubt, to be without the tunnel for a couple of months, it's been absolutely essential," Healey said. "Absolutely imperative."
The end of the tunnel closure means the start of fares again for MBTA riders of the Blue and Commuter Rail lines. The state had halted fares during the closure as an incentive for people to "Ditch the Drive." Those fares resume Friday morning.
This is not the end of construction for the Sumner Tunnel. MassDOT said they have eight weekend closures planned for the remainder for the year. The entire tunnel will close again next summer for the same period of time.