The Massachusetts Department of Transportation announced Monday that it will continue construction on the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge for 15 and a half days starting in July.
According to a press release sent out by MassDOT on Monday, construction will occur between July 26 and Aug. 11.
All modes of transportation in the Boston University/Saint Paul Street neighborhood of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue will be affected, including impacts to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Green Line, commuter rail, Amtrak and traffic on Interstate 90.
This phase of construction comes nearly a year after the first phase. While the construction project last summer focused mainly on the eastbound side of the bridge, as well as the MBTA tracks in the center, this phase will focus mainly on the westbound side. The project will likely cost $110 million.
The goal of the project is improved infrastructure. According to the press release, it will replace the bridge’s infrastructure and add “functional and safety improvements” such as more bike lanes and “extensive” pedestrian improvements.
BU spokesman Colin Riley said he does not foresee a huge level of disruption due to MassDOT’s ahead of schedule work from last summer.
“If it goes as smoothly as it did last year, even though there’s a tremendous amount of construction, there won’t be as much disruption as people anticipate,” Riley said.
Since last year’s construction took place while most students were away for the summer, Riley said, it did not interfere greatly with university operations.
“Students in [summer] activities on campus coordinated so that anything that was taking place on campus could be held with the least [amount of] problems,” Riley said.
Because last year’s renovation was also more extensive than the work planned for this year, the construction should not be as big of an impediment to BU students, Riley said.
BU has a close working relationship with MassDOT when it comes to construction that will affect students, Riley said.
“It’s been an ongoing conversation for many years and a continued very positive working relationship,” Riley said. “Everything is being coordinated. We’ve been in conversation on what their planning entails and what our needs are, so they’re very accommodating.”
Several detours and transit shuttles will be put in place over the 15 and a half days of construction. These will be necessary for some stations on the Green Line B Branch and MBTA Bus Routes CT2 and 47, according to the press release.
Contractors will be working 24 hours a day, using accelerated construction techniques in order to minimize the impact of the project.
MassDOT planners have even set up shop in one of the university’s buildings on Commonwealth Avenue, Riley said.
Commuters during the construction period will experience changes in transportation routes in various ways, according to the press release.
Pedestrians and bicyclists will have full access to Commonwealth Avenue and the bridge through the eastbound side. For drivers, Commonwealth Avenue between Packard’s Corner and Kenmore Square will be closed to through traffic between 7 p.m. on July 26 and 5 a.m. on Aug. 11.
“Access through this area will be maintained for local businesses and customers, residents, MBTA buses, emergency services, pedestrians, and bicyclists during this time,” the press release states.
The BU Bridge will face closures to vehicles and buses from 7 p.m. on July 26 to 5 a.m. on Aug. 11.
The I-90 will face serious restrictions during the reconstruction period as well, with MassDOT operating a “dry-run” of the closure before the actual construction period from June 1 to June 3.
In terms of ramp closures, the I-90 eastbound on-ramp from Cambridge Street/Soldiers Field Road will be closed during the construction period, and the I-90 westbound Exit 20 off-ramp to Brighton/Cambridge will be closed at various points in time, according to the press release.
The changes to the MBTA Green Line may affect BU students attending summer sessions during the construction period.
The Green B Line will be replaced with shuttle buses between Babcock Street and Blandford Street from 5 a.m. July 27, to 5 a.m. Aug. 11.
The Route 57 Bus will have its route remain unchanged, while the CT2 and 47 buses will see detours from their normal routes.
Both commuter rails and the Amtrak will be intermittently replaced by shuttle buses.
The Framingham/Worcester line of the commuter rail will operate regularly with the exception being July 28-29 and Aug. 4-5, when it will be replaced by shuttle buses. For those same weekends, Amtrak trains between South Station and Albany, New York will be replaced by shuttle buses.
