Due to the Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation Project, shuttle buses will replace Red Line trains in both directions between Park Street and Kendall/MIT Stations, with a stop at Charles/MGH Station on weekends beginning on Saturday, September 30, through Sunday, December 17, MBTA officials announced. The bus route and stops are shown on this map.
MassDOT sent out the following information:
The Longfellow Bridge will also be closed to all private and commercial vehicular traffic on these weekends when work is taking place, with access maintained for bus shuttles, emergency vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians. The bridge is currently scheduled to be open and Red Line trains will be in use for the Head of the Charles weekend (October 21 and 22).
On each weekend, the use of bus shuttles will begin at the start of service on Saturday and will end at the beginning of service on Monday, and the Longfellow Bridge will be closed to all vehicular traffic from 11:00 p.m., each Friday to 5:00 a.m., the following Monday.
Bus shuttles and emergency responders will be the only motor vehicles permitted on the bridge. Bicyclists, both inbound and outbound, and pedestrians will use the shared upstream sidewalk during the work. All other motor vehicles, including passenger vehicles and trucks will need to use one of two Boston-bound routes to reach Charles River Dam Road (Monsignor O’Brien Highway/Route 28) and Leverett Circle.
Inbound Detour Routes: Height restrictions are in place for Memorial Drive, so all buses and trucks must use the 3rd Street to Binney Street detour described below.
- From Main Street, turn right onto Memorial Drive westbound, and make a U-turn at Ames Street to access Memorial Drive eastbound. Follow Memorial Drive eastbound to Land Boulevard and turn right onto Charles River Dam Road (Monsignor O’Brien Highway/Route 28) to reach Leverett Circle.
- From Broadway, turn left onto 3rd Street, turn right on Binney Street, turn left onto Land Boulevard, and then turn right onto Charles River Dam Road (Monsignor O’Brien Highway/Route 28) to reach Leverett Circle.
The Cambridge-bound detour remains in place using a signed route from Charles Circle following Charles Street to Leverett Circle, Monsignor O’Brien Highway/Charles River Dam Road, and Edwin H. Land Boulevard.
During these weekends, elements below the Red Line’s right of way will be replaced, which requires the removal and replacement of all Red Line track systems near Charles/MGH Station. The replacement of the track may also require some speed restrictions in this area of the Red Line for the days immediately following each weekend.
The MassDOT Longfellow Bridge Rehabilitation Project is part of the Commonwealth’s Accelerated Bridge Program. The Longfellow Project aims to upgrade the bridge’s structural capacity and bring it up to modern code with improved multi-modal access and bridge-to-city-street accessibility connections. For more information about the project and to sign up for email alerts, visit the project website.
MassDOT encourages drivers to avoid the area and seek alternate routes to minimize delays. Those traveling through the area should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution. The schedule for this major infrastructure project is weather dependent and subject to change without notice.
MBTA customers are encouraged to subscribe to T-Alerts and follow @MBTA on Twitter for updates. For more information on public transit, please visit www.mbta.com.