I-93 Overnight Closures Twice Each Month Planned

MassDOT is scheduling complete overnight lane closures twice each month on I-93 beginning tomorrow night, Tuesday April 3, at 11:00pm.  The closing schedule follows:

I-93 Southbound closed on the 1st Tuesday of each month from 11:00pm to Wednesday at 5:00am
I-93 Northbound closed on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 11:00pm to Wednesday at 5:00am

The overnight closures are part of MassDOT's enhanced maintenance schedule of Interstate 93 through Boston and will impact overnight traffic on Interstate 93 and inside the O’Neill Tunnels two overnights each month.  

“The complete lane closures will allow MassDOT to perform its routine maintenance quickly and in the safest manner possible by eliminating traffic. Crews will have unrestricted access to center lanes that are challenging to reach with the single and double-lane closures that overnight commuters are accustomed to seeing,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Frank DePaola.

On the first Tuesday night of each month, I-93 SOUTHBOUND traffic will be detoured off of the highway at Rt. 38/Mystic Ave onto surface streets and allowed to re-enter I-93 Southbound in the vicinity of South Station. Traffic destined for I-90 Westbound will access the I-90 Westbound on-ramp just south of Kneeland Street. This closure gives maintenance crews access to the Lower Deck, Zakim Bridge and O’Neill Tunnel Southbound.

On the third Tuesday night of each month, I-93 NORTHBOUND traffic will be detoured off the highway at Exit 18 (Mass Ave exit) to Frontage Road Northbound. Ramps from Frontage Road Northbound allow traffic to get to I-90 Eastbound (Logan Airport) and I-90 Westbound. I-93 Northbound traffic will continue on Atlantic Avenue and re-enter I-93 Northbound at the on-ramp near TD Garden. Traffic destined for Route 1 Northbound (Tobin Bridge) should stay on the surface streets and access the Route 1 Northbound on-ramp in City Square.

Maintenance crews, contractors, along with State and Boston Police will begin set-up for the closure on Tuesday evenings at 11pm. The full closure will begin at midnight on Wednesday and last until 5am Wednesday morning.

Comments

[Brian]

It would be useful if the VMS boards on the Mass Pike Eastbound, before the Cambridge exit, would show that the Pru Tunnel is closed and all traffic will be diverted to surface streets. I have run across this closure in the early morning several times lately, and there NEVER is any forewarning of the closure (not on the TRaffic signs, nor ont he MassDOT site). Just a diversion sign as one reaches the Pru Tunnel - and then toally inadequate diversion signs until one can 'find' an onramp to I-90 somewhere near South Station again. It sure would be helpful if we knew early enough to take Storrow Drive and than I-93 to Logan. Very poor planning (and on a consistent basis) by both MassDOT & the State Police.
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Thanks for your comments, forwarded. Live traffic cams and weekly traffic alerts online:

http://www1.eot.state.ma.us/#

[boblothrope]

Hi. Could you respond to my suggestion to install an electronic sign on I-95 north approaching 128 in Canton?

This would allow through traffic to go around the city on 95 if the 93 tunnel is closed. Right now, there's no electronic sign until you're already on 93 north, which is too late.
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Forwarded to Sign and Traffic staff, thanks for the suggestion.

[James Pansullo]

I live in Quincy, I just got a job at logan. I have to be there at 4am. Last week the exit (#20) into the tunnel was closed and i ended up in boston with no signs letting me know how to get back to the tunnel. Almost lost my job. I have two questions, 1. Can i take the HOV lane into the tunnel if there is only me in the car. 2. How do I know when the split (to the left)once on to exit 20, leading to the tunnel is going to be closed??? Please help me stay employed. what a mess.

[boblothrope]

One of the most important places for an electronic sign would be on I-95 north approaching 128 in Canton. This would allow through traffic to take 128 north around the city when the 93 tunnel is closed or there's another problem.

But there's no electronic sign until you're actually on 93, when it's too late to easily take that alternate route.

Could you look into installing an electronic sign in this location?

[John Ronayne]

I have been working at my job in Boston near the TD Garden going on three years in May and I get off at midnight.I can count on one hand in that time the amount of times I have been able to make it through the tunnel with out some kind of detour. My commute to Quincy every night is taking 45min to an hour instead of 20 min. Everything was just fine with the old tunnel before William Weld got the brain storm for the big dig.So I guess what I am trying to say is the only people in this state that are fine with this project is the constuction workers and the state police who are making money hand over fist,do you really needed all those troopers in the tunnel if you want to pay them o/t let them patrol the highways and protect the commuters from all the DUI's.

[Mike]

Last week I was driving south on 93 heading toward the split at about 11:15pm when I got out of work. A VMS board said, "Exit 7 closed seek alternate route". I got to the split and not only was Exit 7 not closed, but the work was being done on the opposite side going south on Rt 93 toward Braintree. So everyone was moving over thinking exit 7 was closed while it was still open and then they had to squeeze into one lane because of the "real" construction.

Now, to make matters more comical, after going south through the "closed" exit 7, I got to about exit 14 on Rt 3 south. And then the entire southbound highway was closed. Oh well, so much for my alternate route. Took an hour and a half to get back to Middleboro that night.
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Thanks for the information, have forwarded to district Highway representatives.

[Dave Lathbury]

How long will this take place?
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It is anticipated the Tuesdays overnight work schedule will continue through the summer and will be evaluated going forward at that time.

[boblothrope]

How many months will this last?
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It is anticipated this Tuesday overnight work schedule will continue through the summer.

[john]

Can we use the Electronic Reader Boards along Mass highways to alert drivers of this or are they occupied by telling drivers to only pass in the left lane?
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VMS boards are regularly used to notify motorists of lane restrictions and closures ahead, thanks.