This is a brief overview of construction operations and traffic impacts for the Tobin Bridge/Chelsea Curves Rehabilitation Project. MassDOT will provide additional notices as needed for high-impact work, temporary ramp and street closures, and changes to traffic configurations beyond those described below.
ROUTE 1 TRAFFIC IMPACTS
•ROUTE 1 NORTHBOUND: Approaching the Tobin Bridge from Boston, the work zone begins in the left lane. 2 of 3 travel lanes will be open during daytime hours (5 a.m.–10 p.m.)
•ROUTE 1 SOUTHBOUND: Approaching the Chelsea Curves from the North Shore, the work zone begins in the left lane before the Carter Street off-ramp. 2 of 3 travel lanes will be open during daytime hours (5 a.m.–10 p.m.) After the Carter Street off ramp, the South Bound lanes are split with a work zone in the middle. Traffic can travel in either side of the work zone.
•LANE REDUCTIONS OF ROUTE 1: Over the weekends of Aug. 28 and Sept. 11, Route 1 will experience lane closures where Route 1 passes through the Chelsea Viaduct portion of the combined Tobin Bridge/Chelsea Curves Rehabilitation Project, southbound (towards Boston) will be reduced to a single lane on the Friday of those weekends at 11 a.m., and northbound will be reduced to a single lane on Saturday of those weekends at 6 a.m. Both southbound and northbound will be restored to two lanes of traffic by 10 p.m. on Sunday. Signage will be posted to alert and guide vehicles. This operation is necessary to construct portions of the viaduct which cannot be replaced with prefabricated bridge units (PBU’s)
SILVER LINE ALTERNATING SINGLE LANE BUS TRAFFIC
•The Silver Line busway will continue to have single lane bus traffic underneath the Chelsea Viaduct. Silver Line service will be maintained without interruption or delay using alternating direction bus traffic. The single, alternating lane condition has now been extended through Friday, Sept. 18.
LOCAL STREET CLOSURES
•5TH STREET will be temporarily closed on Thursday Aug. 27 and 28.
WORK HOURS
•Most work will occur during daytime working hours (7 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) on weekdays. Some work will take place on a 2nd shift (2 p.m. – 1 a.m.) and overnight hours (9 p.m. – 5 a.m.) and on Saturdays (7 a.m. – 7 p.m.).
DESCRIPTION OF SCHEDULED WORK
•ROUTE 1 NORTHBOUND: Bridge deck and gutter repairs continue in the left lane over the Tobin Bridge. We will continue to remove bridge deck and install new bridge deck through the Chelsea Curves.
•ROUTE 1 SOUTHBOUND: Removal of existing bridge deck and installation of new bridge deck will continue through the Chelsea Curves.
•UNDERNEATH ROUTE 1: Crews will remove deck machines, weld bearings, install snow fence, paint steel, remove asphalt, and erect prefabricated bridge units (PBU’s).
TRAVEL TIPS
Drivers should take care to pay attention to all signage and move carefully through the work zone. Police details, lane markings, temporary barriers, traffic cones, signage, and other tools will be used to control traffic and create safe work zones.
The contractors are coordinating with local event organizers and police to provide awareness and manage traffic during events. For your awareness, there will be no events at the TD Garden during this look ahead schedule.