Sumner Tunnel to close for a month this summer

Travelers leaving Logan Airport and East Boston, and heading into Boston and areas north of the city, will be most impacted by the closure.

This summer’s closure of the Sumner Tunnel will last just one month instead of the initially planned two, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced Tuesday.

Commuters and visitors should prepare for detours and traffic around the start of work on Friday, July 5. State officials expect the tunnel to reopen no later than Monday, Aug. 5, but drivers should prepare for additional weekend closures both before and after the month-long closure, MassDOT said.

Weekend closures will take place Fridays beginning at 11 p.m. and ending Mondays at 5 a.m., the release noted.

This upcoming work is the next phase of the $160 million Sumner Tunnel project, which began in April 2022 and includes work on the tunnel ceiling, roadway, walls, and lighting, as well as improvements to overall safety and climate resiliency, MassDOT said.

The work this summer will focus primarily on the road deck and associated elements, according to state officials.

What areas will be most impacted by the tunnel work?

MassDot said the work will not affect those traveling to Logan Airport and East Boston, but rather those leaving Logan and Eastie, and heading into Boston and areas north of the city.

Discounted or free public transit options

Similar to last summer’s closure, state officials encouraged drivers to utilize public transit as much as possible. MassDOT shared the following incentives for those who choose public transit over driving during the closure:

• Free MBTA Blue Line rides
• Free or reduced cost MBTA water ferry options
• Reduced MBTA commuter rail fares on the Newburyport-Rockport line
• Free service for riders on key Chelsea bus routes, including the Silver Line 3
• Discounted parking at select MBTA and Commuter Rail lots and garages
• Free trips via the RIDE that begin and end within 3/4 mile of MBTA services, July 5 to Aug. 5
• Discounted tolls for Resident Discount Program participants

“As MassDOT and the Highway Division tackles critical infrastructure projects like the Sumner Tunnel Restoration Project, the importance of a multimodal transportation system is front and center,” said MBTA General Manager Phillip Eng in the statement.

“With enhanced ferry service and the Blue Line now operating at full speed, along with our other modes, we are pleased to welcome all that choose to use mass transportation,” Eng added. ”Thank you to our riders for continuing to utilize the MBTA as we encourage motorists to leave the driving to us again this year during the tunnel closure and even after it reopens.”

For more information about the tunnel work, visit mass.gov/sumner-tunnel.   Additionally, MBTA service information can be found at mbta.com. 

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