Comm Ave Bridge Replacement Project to Start July 26

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is reminding members of the public of its upcoming intensive construction operations to replace the westbound side of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge over 15 and one-half days from Thursday, July 26, through Saturday, Aug. 11.

During these construction operations, MassDOT said there will be significant service impacts to all modes of transportation in the Boston University/Saint Paul Street neighborhood of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue, including MBTA, commuter rail and Amtrak customers, vehicles along Commonwealth Avenue and the Boston University Bridge, and traffic on The Pike.

This $110 million bridge replacement project, which would take an estimated four to five years using conventional techniques with significant lane-takings and service disruptions, is scheduled for completion in 2019 under the accelerated plans. The westbound side of the bridge will be constructed this summer using three cranes that weigh 600 tons each. Crews will utilize this equipment to put in place 45 steel beams and 215 pre-fabricated concrete deck panels along with 680 cubic yards of concrete and 520 tons of hot mix asphalt.

The full upcoming travel impacts will be as follows:

Pedestrians and Bicyclists

• Pedestrians and bicyclists will have access across the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge on the eastbound side throughout construction.
• Download the Blue Bikes app on the App Store or Google Play to find a station near you. For a limited time, Blue Bikes is dropping their Single Trip Pass to $1 from July 26 – Aug. 11, available in the Blue Bikes app.
• MassDOT is also partnering with the City of Boston to provide an additional temporary Blue Bikes station at Silber Way on Commonwealth Ave during the construction period.

Drivers

Commonwealth Avenue

• Commonwealth Avenue (between Packard’s Corner and Kenmore Square) will be closed to vehicular through traffic (local access only) from 7 p.m. on July 26 to 5 a.m. on Aug. 11. Access through this area will be maintained for local businesses and customers, residents, MBTA buses, emergency services, pedestrians, and bicyclists during this time.

Boston University (BU) Bridge

• The BU Bridge will be closed to vehicular and bus traffic from 7 p.m. on July 26, to 5 a.m. on Aug. 11. Access will be maintained for pedestrians and bicyclists only.

I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike

• From 9 p.m., on July 27, to 5 a.m., on Aug. 6, I-90 (between the Allston Interchange and the Beacon Street Overpass) will have no more than two lanes open in each direction during peak hours. I-90 in this area will be further reduced to one lane in each direction at various times during off-peak, weekend, and weekday overnight hours.
• The I-90 eastbound on-ramp from Cambridge Street/Soldiers Field Road will be closed during this entire period.
• The I-90 westbound Exit 20 off-ramp to Brighton/Cambridge will be closed intermittently.
• I-90 will fully restored to four lanes in both directions at 5:00 a.m., on August 6.

MBTA Green B Line

• The Green B Line will be replaced with shuttle buses between Babcock Street and Blandford Street stations from 5 a.m. on July 27 to 5 a.m., on Aug. 11. The MBTA will be providing regular service updates to customers.

MBTA Commuter Rail

• The Commuter Rail Framingham/Worcester Line will operate regular service on weekdays. On the weekends of July 28-29 and Aug. 4-5, bus shuttles will replace Commuter Rail service in this area.

MBTA Bus

• MBTA Bus Routes CT2 and 47 will be detoured from their normal routes from 7 p.m. on July 26, to 5 a.m. on Aug. 11. These detours are expanded from the 2017 detour routes due to the closure of the Boston University Bridge this summer to all vehicles including MBTA buses.
• The Route 57 Bus will operate its normal route and will not make outbound stops in the construction area.