Transportation

Ted Williams Tunnel to be Closed at Night This Week

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The following announcement came from MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced that the Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston, which carries vehicles traveling on I-90, will be closed to all vehicular traffic during overnight hours on most nights next week. These closures will be implemented on evenings between approximately 11:30 p.m., and 5 a.m., and are necessary to allow crews to safely and effectively conduct milling, paving and concrete repair operations. During these overnight closures, vehicles will be detoured to the Sumner Tunnel and trucks will be directed north on Route 1A to the Tobin Bridge. The full dates of these overnights closures are as follows:

•  Evening of Monday, June 3

• Evening of Tuesday, June 4

• Evening of Wednesday June 5

• Evening of Friday, June 7

• Evening of Saturday, June 8

Signage and messaging will be in place to notify drivers of these operations. MassDOT encourages the public to be mindful of potential traffic impacts.

Transportation

MassDOT Releases Advice for Memorial Day Travelers

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) advises Memorial Day holiday travelers to plan ahead, utilize MassDOT’s “real time” travel tools to plan trips, and use public transportation if possible to reach destinations. On Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, Registry of Motor Vehicle customer service locations and all other Commonwealth of Massachusetts offices are closed. In addition, on Monday, the I-93 HOV lane will not be deployed, all MBTA subway, trolleys, commuter rail and buses will operate on Sunday schedules, and the MassDOT Highway Assistance Program will have extra patrols on state roads. “We traditionally see more vehicles on the roadways throughout Memorial Day weekend, so members of the public should plan their trips in advance and make smart decisions before setting out for their destinations,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.  “Anyone who will be driving should consider traveling during off-peak hours, build extra time into their trips, and check MassDOT’s Go Time app or other wayfinding navigational tools to help with decisions on which roads to take and when to travel.”

Per long-standing policy, MassDOT will be shutting down scheduled roadway construction activities on Friday, May 24, at 5 a.m. Scheduled road work will then resume at the start of business on Tuesday, May 28. 

The High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-93 between Boston and Quincy will have normal morning hours this week and will extend its afternoon hours on Thursday, May 23, to be open on Thursday from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., and on Friday, May 24, between the hours of 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. The HOV lane will not be deployed on Monday, May 27. Normal HOV lane operations will resume on Tuesday, May 28. The Sumner Tunnel Swing Lane will be open on Thursday, May 23, at 1 p.m. The Swing Lane will also be open throughout the holiday period beginning at 12 p.m., Friday, May 24, until 5 a.m., Tuesday, May 28.

Around Town

Mass. Pike Exit 17 to be Closed for Walk for Hunger

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The following information was provided by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced that the I-90 westbound Exit 17 off-ramp in Newton will be closed to all vehicular traffic on Sunday, May 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This temporary off-ramp closure is necessary to facilitate the annual Walk for Hunger. MassDOT encourages the public to be mindful of this traffic impact. Those traveling through the area should reduce speed and use caution. The schedule for this work is weather dependent and subject to change without notice. For more information on traffic conditions, travelers are encouraged to:

Dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions.Visit www.mass511.com, a website which provides real-time traffic and incident advisory information and allows users to subscribe to text and email alerts for traffic conditions.Follow MassDOT on Twitter @MassDOT to receive regular updates on road and traffic conditions.Download MassDOT’s GoTime mobile app and view real-time traffic conditions before setting out on the road.

Transportation

Snowfall Wednesday Night Could Impact Evening Commute, See MassDOT Info

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is advising the public that the National Weather Service is forecasting snowfall to spread from west to east across the Commonwealth beginning late this afternoon and into Thursday morning with accumulations of several inches in some areas. The forecast is for dry weather by Thursday afternoon. “Everyone traveling should monitor the forecast and expect to travel at slower speeds when the snow is falling,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “We advise people to drive the conditions during the storm which means keeping a safe distance behind other vehicles and allowing for plenty of time to slow down, and reducing speeds when making turns or traveling on highway on and off ramps.”

MassDOT’s snow and ice operations will be deployed throughout the Commonwealth as conditions necessitate. Highway Districts always conduct preparation activities in advance of new weather systems and are able to pretreat roadways with brine and Magnesium Chloride when necessary. In the most severe storms, MassDOT’s Highway Division is able to utilize up to 700 personnel to perform snow and ice removal operations on more than 15,000 lane miles of roadway throughout the Commonwealth.

Bicycles

MassDOT Seeks Input on Mass. Bicycle Transportation Plan

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The following information was provided sent out by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) urges members of the public to comment on the Draft Massachusetts Bicycle Transportation Plan through January 31. The draft plan can be found online here. MassDOT is focused on making the Commonwealth’s transportation system more sustainable – to make it safe for people to choose to walk, bike, and take transit for more of their daily trips. The Plan is important because residents, members of the business community and visitors choose to use a bicycle for daily trips, choosing bike to work, to school, to run errands, for recreation or to reach transit locations. The Draft Plan defines a vision for Massachusetts in which all people have a safe and comfortable cycling option for short trips. The goal is to have a plan which presents an action-oriented strategy which will lead to increased use of trails for short trips made by bicycling. Travel on designated bike and pedestrian thoroughfares will also lead to safer conditions, helping to prevent injuries and fatalities.

Transportation

New Year’s Holiday Travel Info, Including When Free MBTA Service Starts on NYE

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The following release came from the MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is advising the public to plan ahead for the New Year’s holiday, to drive sober and to take note of holiday schedules for the MBTA, use of the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-93 between Boston and Quincy, and for visiting Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) customer service center locations. MassDOT is taking several steps to ensure safe and reliable travel for all citizens who utilize transportation systems across the Commonwealth and will be shutting down scheduled roadway construction between 5 a.m., Friday, Dec. 28, and the start of business on Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019, per MassDOT’s long-standing policy of not scheduling work during high volume travel periods. The I-93 HOV lane between Boston-Quincy will operate on an adjusted schedule through Tuesday, Jan.

Transportation

MassDOT’s Holiday Travel Tips, MBTA Schedules & More

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The following piece was provided by MassDOT:

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is advising the public to plan ahead for travel during the upcoming holiday season from Dec. 20, 2018 through Jan. 2, 2019, to drive sober and to take note of holiday schedules for the MBTA, use of the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on I-93 between Boston and Quincy, and for visiting Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) customer service center locations. AAA is forecasting a record-breaking holiday travel season this year, with 2.45 million Massachusetts residents expected to be on the move. In a public statement, AAA said 2.1 million of these travelers are expected to travel by motor vehicle. The highest volume of traffic in the Boston area, according to AAA, is expected to be Wednesday, Dec.

Government

Sidewalk, Street Construction Around Hosmer School to Continue Through Fall

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The Watertown Department of Public Works provided this update on the construction on the sidewalks and streets around Hosmer School. 

Work has progressed on the MassDOT Hosmer School Safe Routes to School Project. The majority of work on the west side of School Street and in front of the Hosmer School has been completed. A section of the intersection at Chauncey Street has been left in a temporary condition as we continue to await Verizon and Eversource wire transfer. The focus of construction will now shift to the east side of Boylston Street, towards Fairfield/Dartmouth Street. Construction will continue during the fall.