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.

Free coffee will be served at 18 MassDOT service plazas beginning at 10 p.m., Monday, May 27, and continuing through 5 a.m., Tuesday, May 28.

Entering its seventh year of service, the CapeFLYER will once again run trains from Boston to Cape Cod starting on Memorial Day weekend. Service will begin on Friday, May 24, and operate on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until Labor Day. On Memorial Day, Monday, May 27, the CapeFLYER will run trains on a Saturday/Sunday schedule.

The MBTA has released the following information regarding travel on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27:

• All subway and commuter rail lines, busses, and trackless trolley will operate on a Sunday schedule.

• There will be no service on the Hingham-Boston ferry.

• All other ferries and boats will operate on a weekend schedule.

• The RIDE will operate on a Sunday schedule.

• The CharlieCard store at Downtown Crossing in Boston will be closed.

• For full MBTA schedule details, please visit: http://www.mbta.com/holidays.•

Customers are also advised that Registry of Motor Vehicles offices are closed for the designated state holiday of Memorial Day on Monday, May 27. Please visit at any hour of the day the RMV online at www.mass.gov/rmv to perform many transactions. In addition, AAA members now have the opportunity to conduct many RMV services at numerous AAA branch office locations in Massachusetts during AAA normal business hours.

During the Memorial Day weekend, the MassDOT Highway Assistance Program, sponsored by MAPFRE Insurance, will have extra patrols on the state’s roads. Personnel in the MAPFRE vans assist motorists by fixing minor mechanical problems, repairing flat tires, providing gasoline if needed, and performing other tasks. The van drivers will be monitoring major roads, including those in Metro Boston, Worcester, and Springfield, and on Cape Cod. 

For traffic and road conditions, drivers may use the following options to make decisions:

• Download MassDOT’s GoTime mobile app and view real-time traffic conditions before setting out on the road.

• Dial 511 and select a route to hear real-time conditions on I-90 and other roads.

• 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.

• Download Waze, the real-time traffic navigation app that provides motorists with real-time traffic conditions across Massachusetts.

• Follow MassDOT on Twitter @MassDOT because motor vehicle incidents which impact traffic flow are generally mentioned in tweets if they occur on the state’s major highways. 

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation wishes all members of the public a safe and enjoyable holiday.

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