The light at the end of the tunnel is here.
Closed since July 5, Boston's Sumner Tunnel reopened at 1:14 a.m. Friday ahead of Labor Day weekend.
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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation called the project "a $160 million investment in the Commonwealth's infrastructure."
Workers removed the suspended ceiling to make way for over 700 concrete arches, MassDOT said. The project also saw fireproof wallboard installed through the tunnel's entire length, with more than 500 new light fixtures were installed.
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"I want to thank the residents and travelers who have been impacted by this project for their patience as we complete this critical work," Transportation Secretary and MassDOT CEO Gina Fiandaca said in a statement Thursday before the tunnel's reopening. "Since July 5th, our crews have worked around the clock on this project. The women and men of MassDOT set the example and managed the most impactful infrastructure project the Commonwealth has seen in a decade. I'm proud of the safe, on-time work they accomplished."
Gov. Maura Healey visited the tunnel this week with Fiandaca to see the changes made.
The closure has affected traffic in and around the city for much of the summer.
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Beginning at 5 a.m. Friday, MassDOT will shut down scheduled, non-emergency construction outside of fixed work zones for the Labor Day travel period.
Crews will be deploying the HOV lane on Interstate 93 between Boston and Quincy earlier than normal — starting at 2 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. on Friday. Those times are in line with what travel experts anticipate to be the busiest travel times ahead of the holiday weekend.
Friday traffic, though, is expected to be more spread out — basically from 11a.m. to 9 p.m., there will likely be higher than normal traffic volume on the roads.
Regular fares resume systemwide on the MBTA on Friday, after discounts were put in place to encourage commuters to take public transit during the tunnel closure.
