Starting June 10, Sumner Tunnel To Close Every Weekend For 9 Months Due To Construction
BOSTON (CBS) -- In a matter of weeks, one of Boston's most-traveled tunnels will start weekend closures as infrastructure improve projects begin.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced this week, starting June 10, the Sumner Tunnel will close every weekend for the next 36 weeks.
It is part of a major overhaul to the 100-year-old tunnel that is expected to last nearly two years.
"It's going to be horrible. It's going to take much longer," one driver said.
Drivers who frequent the tunnel from East Boston to downtown said they are bracing for the headaches to comes.
"Well, there is a lot of traffic, but it depends on the time of the day," said Kathy Curley of South Boston. "But I can't imagine where all that traffic is going to go if they close the tunnel."
Curley said she works in East Boston and uses the tunnel daily to get home.
"Sometimes you do look around when the lights are off and stuff when you think something is going to fall," said Curley.
MassDOT said the project will fix a list of issues:
- Chipped and crumbling concrete
- Rusted reinforcements
- Cracked wall panels
- Broken light fixtures
- Deteriorating roadway
Although the Sumner will be closing on the weekends, to start, the adjacent Callahan Tunnel will remain open. This means drives in downtown heading outbound will not be impacted.
When this phase of weekend closures is complete, MassDOT said the tunnel will move into its next phase where it will close seven days a week for a period of four months to finish the work.
DETOUR OPTIONS
Drivers from East Boston and Logan Airport seeking to reach Downtown Boston will be rerouted to the Ted Williams Tunnel via Bennington Street and onto I-93.
Drivers leaving Logan Airport seeking to reach I-93 North will follow signs to the Tobin Bridge.
CLICK HERE for more information and detailed detour maps.
