Traffic and delays pile up in Boston as Sumner Tunnel's one-month closure begins
BOSTON - As the holiday weekend comes to an end, traffic and backups from Boston's Sumner Tunnel closure are expected to get worse.
Long delays to Logan Airport
"They seem to make the worst possible choices when it comes to the when and the how," said Massachusetts resident David Kaiser. Taking one for the team, Kaiser picked up a friend from Logan Airport on Sunday, leaving two hours early to avoid being late. "My dad used to say that the single greatest thing you can do for a person is to make a trip to the airport and this definitely has made it a lot harder."
With the Sumner Tunnel closed, cars rely on the Ted Williams Tunnel, clogging airport traffic.
"They could do more night work, or stretch it out, it seems like there's always another way that they can do it and when given the opportunity, they always seem to choose the way that's going to impact people the most," said Kaiser.
WBZ-TV reached out to Massport, who explained they've posted signage in person and on social media. The airlines are also including details about the tunnel closure in passengers' confirmation emails. But travelers aren't the only ones affected; commuters and businesses dealing with the traffic on the daily are frustrated.
Local businesses concerned
There are alternatives to driving. The Blue Line and the ferry are both free and for some, the Commuter Rail is discounted. But neighbors and businesses are concerned that may not be enough to help.
At Americano Espresso Bar, employees are worried about sustaining enough supplies to keep the business running.
"We do have deliveries coming in for our own shop and they get delayed, it's kind of hard to manage that," said one employee at Americano.
The Sumner Tunnel is undergoing repairs that MassDOT insists requires full closure. They're tearing up the driving deck to mitigate flooding during rainstorms and there's no turning back now but neighbors hope the next four weeks will fly by.
"I feel for people who have businesses trying to get stuff done because it's life changing," said Kaiser.
