The restoration effort of the nearly 100-year-old Sumner Tunnel is expected to begin in the month of June, which will result in traffic troubles for drivers this summer.
Beginning the weekend of June 10, the Sumner Tunnel will close every weekend, from 10 p.m. on Fridays to 5 a.m. on Mondays, until spring of 2023, excluding holidays.
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Renovations to the tunnel are expected to cause traffic congestion and delays in East Boston and in areas north of the city throughout the summer months.
On the weekends that the tunnel is closed, the city will have detour routes to move traffic away from the tunnel. According to the website, these routes include detours to the Ted Williams Tunnel and Route 1A north to the Bell Circle Rotary.
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During this time, residents of East Boston and suburbs to the north of the city will experience traffic delays, noise and pollution, for which the city has created mitigation efforts like detour signs and the monitoring of noise and vibration.
The renovation of the tunnel will include rebuilding its infrastructure, roadways and an upgrade of new technology to modernize the dilapidated gateway to Downtown Boston.
The effort will also include removing and replacing the tunnel ceiling and arch support, reconstructing the tunnel deck and replacing the roadway surface, repairing walls and installing fire proof panels. It will have new LED lights, a new fire alarm system and closed circuit cameras.
The next steps in the restoration process include a complete shutdown of the tunnel between May 2023 and September 2023, then another round of weekend closures between fall and winter of 2023. Traffic will be rerouted during these times.
