Following the major traffic headaches that were seen by motorists who were caught off guard by the first Sumner Tunnel weekend closure, state Sen. Lydia Edwards, D-East Boston, is hopeful that things will go more smoothly this time around.
“Our goal right now, in the interim period, because the Sumner Tunnel will be closed from now until Labor Day,” Edwards said, “is to get as many people out of their cars if they’re coming to downtown Boston.”
Following the first weekend closure, which started back on June 10, Edwards said she held a meeting with state leaders, MassDOT, the MBTA, Boston Transportation Department and local police departments from affected cities and towns.
Most of the mitigation measures discussed revolved around ways to get people out of their cars and onto public transportation, while the tunnel is closed for construction, she said.
Edwards said the state has agreed to open up its parking lot across the street from the Wood Island T station to allow people to take the Blue Line into the city. In addition, the developers behind the Suffolk Downs project, HYM Investment Group, will allow public parking when its construction is completed.
Edwards said MassDOT and the MBTA have also been receptive to discounted parking at the Wonderland station, and the Senate has allocated funding for a regional ferry that would service East Boston, downtown Boston, Lynn, Quincy, and Winthrop residents next year.
This weekend will mark the second of 36 planned Friday night to early Monday morning closures of the Sumner Tunnel, which was kept open during the past several weekends due to Juneteenth celebrations, MBTA service shutdowns and the Fourth of July holiday.
The 88-year-old tunnel, the major thoroughfare into the city for East Boston and north of Boston commuters, is undergoing a multiyear, $156.67 million restoration by MassDOT. It will be completely shut down from May to September 2023, and then again on weekends from the fall to winter of 2023.
Over the next two weekends, starting at 11 p.m. Friday, MassDOT will be preparing tunnel walls for future repairs, conducting surveys, relocating existing utilities at the boat section walls and completing all tunnel operations required to reopen the tunnel by 5 a.m. Monday, according to a notice sent to EZDriveMA customers.
“To reduce traffic congestion during tunnel closures, MassDOT encourages those traveling to or from Logan Airport to leave their cars at home and explore Massport’s list of transportation options to and from Logan, which include the Blue Line or Silver Line, the Logan Express, or the Logan Water Taxi,” the notice said.
A separate notice from Massport urged people flying out of Logan International Airport this weekend to plan ahead and give themselves an extra hour to get to the airport if they’re driving, due to anticipated traffic congestion.
“Massport is strongly urging travelers to use HOV modes throughout the tunnel closures, which will significantly reduce the amount of vehicles on our roadways,” the notice said.
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