Transportation

Shuttle Buses for Weekend Red Line Users from Cambridge to Boston

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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.

Transportation

Seniors Can Get CharlieCards to Ride the T Without Going Downtown

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Senator Will Brownsberger announced he will sponsor a Senior CharlieCard Day on Monday, September 18 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Faneuil Branch of the Boston Public Library, located at 419 Faneuil Street in Brighton. Seniors age 65 or older can save a trip to the MBTA offices in Downtown Boston and apply for a Senior CharlieCard at this event. Sen. Brownsberger’s office sent out the following information:

Staff from the Office of Senator Brownsberger will be on hand to take photos and process applications, which will be provided. Seniors will just need to bring a valid, state-issued photo ID that includes date of birth. No advance sign-up required.

Transportation

Lane Reductions on the Mass. Pike This Weekend for Road Work

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that due to ongoing toll demolition and road reconstruction operations, there will off-peak, temporary lane reductions this weekend on I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) westbound in the immediate vicinity of the Allston/Brighton Viaduct. MassDOT sent out the following statement:

These off-peak traffic impacts will have capacity reduced to one lane of travel at times and will allow crews and contractors to safely and effectively continue construction work at the former toll plaza location which is being reconstructed to allow for normal highway travel. The full list of traffic impacts is as follows:

From 9 p.m., through 11 p.m., on Friday, September 8, I-90 westbound in the area of the Allston/Brighton toll plaza will be reduced from three to two lanes of travel. From 11 p.m., on Friday, September 8, through 8 a.m., on Saturday, September 9, I-90 westbound in the area of the Allston/Brighton toll plaza will be reduced from two to one lane of travel. From 8 a.m., through 11 p.m., on Saturday, September 9, I-90 westbound in the area of the Allston/Brighton toll plaza will then have two lanes of travel
From 11 p.m., on Saturday, September 9, through 5 a.m., on Sunday, September 10, I-90 westbound in the area of the Allston/Brighton toll plaza will be reduced from two to one lane of travel.

Labor Day

Track Labor Day Travel Conditions on State’s Website, App

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) encourages Labor Day travelers to make informed decisions, utilize all the available technology tools including www.mass511.com, and use public transportation if possible to reach destinations. MassDOT sent out the following announcement:

“We advise everyone who will be traveling during the Labor Day weekend to plan ahead, check traffic conditions before setting out onto the roadways, and make smart decisions regarding the best mode, route and time to travel,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “This is a great time to use www.mass511.com to view live drive times and traffic cameras or register to receive travel alerts, download our innovative GoTime mobile app, and visit www.mbta.com to view schedules and information on public transit.”

MassDOT is taking several steps to ensure safe and reliable travel for all citizens who utilize transportation systems across the Commonwealth and will be shutting down scheduled roadway construction for the Labor Day travel period effective atnoon, Friday, September 1, per MassDOT’s long-standing policy for holiday weekends. Scheduled road work will then resume at the start of normal business hours on Tuesday, September 5. “We know from past experiences there are higher traffic volumes during the Labor Day weekend, and members of the public should make smart, informed decisions and do their part to reduce congestion and promote efficient transportation,” said Acting Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.

Government

Changes to Watertown Square, Improving Buses Recommended in Final Arsenal Street Report

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Removing Charles River Road from Watertown Square, making changes to the 70 bus and improving access for bicyclists made the list of recommendations in MassDOT’s final Arsenal Street Corridor Report. The list of recommendations remained largely the same from the draft report released by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation in June. Officials added details to their recommendation for realigning Watertown Square, including removing one of the spokes off the intersection – Charles River Road. The benefits would be simplifying the intersection which then allows the traffic light phasing to change and make the intersection more efficient. The report acknowledges removing the road would have some complications,

“Eliminating the Charles River Road approach to the intersection may also reduce ‘cut-through’ traffic in the adjacent neighborhood.

Transportation

See How the Commonwealth Ave. Bridge Work Impacts the 57 Bus, BU Bridge

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is continuing to remind members of the public that weather permitting, trolley service on the MBTA’s Green Line B Branch near the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and access for private vehicles to the Commonwealth Avenue and Boston University Bridges is anticipated to resume by the middle of the upcoming week as a major phase of construction on the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge is expected to be completed. MassDOT sent out the following information:

Throughout Friday and Saturday, some of the final construction-related activities including placing rail and grout were taking longer than planned, and weather conditions including rain delayed some of the pouring of concrete.  On Sunday, crews have been continuing to work 24/7 to place new rail and concrete on areas of the deck. The concrete will need to cure for at least 24 hours and the rail must be tested prior to service. Sunday night, crews placed waterproof membrane on the bridge surface, re-stringing the catenary wire that powers the MBTA’s Green Line, and conducting additional track related work. Tomorrow, crews will be putting in place the first-level of pavement on the eastbound side of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. The full upcoming schedule of travel impacts as follows:

Through the middle of the upcoming week: the BU Bridge and Commonwealth Avenue Bridge are anticipated to remain closed to private vehicles.

Transportation

Mass Pike Opening All Lanes Monday, Work on Commonwealth Ave. Bridge Continues

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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that crews will return I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike) in Boston to its normal configuration of four lanes of traffic in each direction by 5 a.m., Monday, August 7, almost three weeks faster than originally scheduled as part of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Project. 
MassDOT sent out the following release:
The schedule for completing the remaining construction work and the other travel impacts remain unchanged; crews are on schedule, and as detailed below, impacts to travel along Commonwealth Avenue and local roadways, as wells as service impacts to the MBTA’s Green Line B-Branch and bus routes are expected to continue through Monday, August 14. “The hard work of our crews and contractors is allowing us to meet this important milestone ahead of schedule and open all four lanes in each direction on I-90 in Boston in time for the Monday morning commute,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “Our team has designed this major construction project in a way that considers the needs of the traveling public, as well as residents of the Greater Boston area, and we are pleased with the progress of work so far. We appreciate the continued support and patience of the traveling public and will continue to conduct our operations in ways that seek to minimize our impact on the local community and all those who travel throughout the Commonwealth Avenue/ Boston University region in Boston.”
“MassDOT’s engineering and construction staff have been working closely with the contractor throughout this project and we collaboratively modified the sequencing of key work to create opportunities for removing the 440-ton crane on the Pike more efficiently than originally planned,” said Acting Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “This change will lead to the return of I-90 to full capacity, which is four lanes in each direction, almost three weeks earlier than previously scheduled. This is an important but interim milestone and while we are pleased with the progress of construction so far we still have much work to do to complete our operations this summer.”

Government

Watertown Shuttle Could Start Running in Fall, or May Wait Until Spring

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Watertown’s first shuttle will likely run down Pleasant Street to Watertown Square and could start as soon as this fall, but may have to wait until the nice weather arrives in 2018. On Wednesday night, members of the Town Council’s Ad Hoc Committee on Transportation were eager to find out when they could see Watertown’s first shuttle. The Watertown Transportation Management Association (TMA) will run the shuttle, and if all goes right the first shuttles could start rolling this fall, said Allison Simmons, a consultant from Ease Consult hired by the Town to form the TMA. However, it may have to wait until spring. To get the shuttle started this fall, Simmons said, the Watertown TMA board would have to approve the shuttle pilot at its August meeting and get members to agree to fund it soon after.