In this Aug. 6, 2020, file photo, Boston traffic at evening rush hour.
Good news for holiday travelers -- the Sumner Tunnel is expected to reopen Friday ahead of the busy Labor Day Weekend rush.
The tunnel closed July 5 as part of a restoration project, and will still be closed most weekends for the fall and winter, with another full closure planned next summer to complete the work.
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Reopening the Sumner Tunnel is just one of several steps the state Department of Transportation is taking to help deal with the usual uptick in traffic due to Labor Day Weekend travel.
All scheduled, non-emergency construction will also be shut down effective at 5 a.m. Friday, resuming at the start of normal business hours on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
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The High Occupancy Vehicle lane on Interstate 93 between Boston and Quincy will be deployed earlier than usual in the afternoons, opening at 2 p.m. on Thursday and at 1 p.m. on Friday. The HOV lane will have regular morning hours Thursday and Friday and will be closed in the morning and afternoon on Monday, Sept. 4.
The additional swing lane on Route 1A south at the Sumner Tunnel will not be deployed on Monday, Sept. 4, and will resume normal deployment on Tuesday, Sept. 5.
Because Monday, Sept. 4 is a state holiday, all Registry of Motor Vehicles customer service centers will be closed. Some RMV business can still be conducted online.
The MBTA has also released details on travel on Monday, Sept. 4, including adjusted holiday schedules:
- All subway lines, bus routes, and the RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.
- The Commuter Rail will operate on a weekend schedule.
- The Hingham-Hull-Logan Airport-Long Wharf ferry will operate on a Sunday schedule. There will be no Hingham-Rowes Wharf ferry service.
- The Charlestown Ferry and the East Boston Ferry will operate on a weekend schedule.
- There will be no Lynn ferry or Winthrop ferry service.
- The CharlieCard Store will be closed.
Massport is also expecting heavier than usual volume at Boston Logan International Airport around the holiday weekend and is suggesting that passengers leave additional time to get to the airport and through security.
Although the Sumner Tunnel will be open, Massport is encouraging passengers to use private or public transportation instead of personal vehicles to get to and from Logan airport, including the MBTA's Blue and Silver lines, private bus opetions and Logan Express service.
For traffic and road conditions, you can also download the Mass511 mobile app or visit www.mass511.com to view live cameras, travel times, real-time traffic conditions and project information before you hit the road. You can also call 511 to select a route and get real-time conditions.
