Comm. Ave. Bridge Construction: 90 Minutes Extra If Commuting

BOSTON, MA — The Monday morning commute has found a way to get uglier. You should factor in an additional 90 minutes in the morning, transportation officials said. "There's no way around it," Jonathan Gulliver, the acting highway administrator, said in a Sunday news conference.

Comm Ave is closed to from Kenmore Square to Packard's Corner to most vehicles while the Comm. Ave. bridge gets a much-needed update. The project began this week and will last until mid August, MassDOT says. The Mass Pike will be down to two lanes in both directions - and down to one lane eastbound and two lanes westbound from 7 p.m. - 5 a.m.

Pike delays were rough at times Sunday. Getting in and out for work or a Red Sox game is going to be much more of a chore than usual.

But you have to get somewhere on Comm Ave? Well don't fret, MBTA buses, emergency services, pedestrians, and bicyclists can still get through MassDOT said. Subscribe to Boston Patch for more locals news about the Hub.

What's impacted?

• BU bridge, which will be shut down at times;
• Green Line's B trolley, which will be replaced with shuttle buses;
• Mass Pike, which will see lane closures under the bridge;
• MBTA Worcester commuter rail and Amtrak service, which will be canceled for two weekends.

MassDOT is trying something different here. The eastbound lanes are going to be worked on this summer and the westbound lanes next summer in an effort to minimize traffic problems and shorten the overall length of construction time. MassDOT calls it "Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques," meaning highway crews will be working 24 hours a day and use faster-acting materials.

MasDOT's advice?

• Plan for extra travel time
• Avoid driving
• Have patience
• Check out the tweets from MassDot below

Check out MassDOT for more information on the traffic management and project background. There is also additional information below.

As far as the Comm. Ave. bridge goes, the concrete deck and steel beams on the span will be replaced after more than 50 years. There will also be safety updates, including a revised bike lane.

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Image via MassDot

-Mike Carraggi contributed to this article.