Comm Ave Bridge Replacement.

[George_Apley]

I don't really get the concern about DOT getting this done. How is this different from the "Fast Fifteen" other than being in a busier location? It's a choice between full shutdown for... what is it? two sets of 18 days? Or 9+ months of night work... Count me in with the optimists on this one.

 

[Jahvon09]

I'd tend to think that this job certainly would include some night work, since traffic during the wee hours is down to a minimum. I, also, don't think that they can do it within the planned time frame without some night work involved.

 

[jass]

jass, what don't you like about the bike lanes?

I dont like that theyre not fixing any of the current traffic issues. Right now there are two ways to go from comm ave eastbound to the bridge. The good way, and the bad way. Theyre accommodating the bad way. Its the middle of a college campus and theyre creating an intersection with 10 lanes

 

[George_Apley]

I'd tend to think that this job certainly would include some night work, since traffic during the wee hours is down to a minimum. I, also, don't think that they can do it within the planned time frame without some night work involved.

That's not my point. Of course there will be night work. But there will also be day work. The shutdown is total except for pedestrians. The alternative is to do partial shutdowns, lane-closures, and mostly work ONLY at night for months on end.

 

[Blackdog]

That's not my point. Of course there will be night work. But there will also be day work. The shutdown is total except for pedestrians. The alternative is to do partial shutdowns, lane-closures, and mostly work ONLY at night for months on end.

Did you mean to quote someone else... or are you arguing with yourself?

 

[George_Apley]

Did you mean to quote someone else... or are you arguing with yourself?

Hah yes... meant to quote Jahvon

 

[Jahvon09]

That's not my point. Of course there will be night work. But there will also be day work. The shutdown is total except for pedestrians. The alternative is to do partial shutdowns, lane-closures, and mostly work ONLY at night for months on end.

It does not matter whose point it is. The work is going to be done regardless.

I just don't want to see this become another years-long Big-Dig-style project.

 

[dwash59]

It does not matter whose point it is. The work is going to be done regardless.

I just don't want to see this become another years-long Big-Dig-style project.

The bridge replacement won't be. End of story. They already delayed the project by a year because they weren't ready to do it in the short timeline last year. I apologize if I contributed to this diversion somehow because I feel like it turned into a bunch of weird speculation when reality is all signs are this project is being carried out extremely competently.

This isn't the longfellow where you are restoring in place with techniques no one has used in over 100 years, giving an uncertain schedule. It is the type of bridge replacement MassDOT has a track record of hitting out of the park.

 

[matredsoxfan]

So let's answer some questions shall we. The substructure was rebuilt ahead of time years ago (remember that project with lane closures on I-90). During the median project a section of moveable (or zipper) barrier was placed between St Mary's Street and Beacon Street overpasses in the median. This is where traffic will cross over. Traffic will be separated by a zipper barrier with 2 lanes each direction on one side of the highway from near Beacon Street to the old toll plaza. How this will work is if work is being done on the Eastbound side of the Pike the Westbound barrel will carry both directions. The state is using accelerated methods. The beams will be fused with two steel beams together and lifted with cranes. Then precast concrete deck panels will be placed on top. Using precast eliminates the need to set forms, tie rebar, pour the deck and then let it cure. There will be DAY AND NIGHT WORK as part of the project. During the closure period of rapid construction the contractor will be working 2 shifts, 24/7.

The current day work is 2A Comm Ave project but the night work is associated with relocating utilities before the bridge work begins. Also the bridge will be open to pedestrians, bicyclists and transit buses during construction.

And if you think this is tough to deal with the original plan was a 4-5 year project with multiple lane closures, MBTA shutdowns and night work

 

[matredsoxfan]

I'd tend to think that this job certainly would include some night work, since traffic during the wee hours is down to a minimum. I, also, don't think that they can do it within the planned time frame without some night work involved.

Yes, work will be 24/7 during bridge closure.

 

[Jahvon09]

Yes, work will be 24/7 during bridge closure.

That's what I thought.

 

[matredsoxfan]

Dry run of the traffic set up on the Pike Scheduled for next weekend.

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

I dont like the bike lane plan

Sidewalks look huge and the re-work doesn't seem to take into consideration where heavy snows will go in relation to bike line traffic. Boston doesn't vacuum up thesnow like they do in Toronto and Montreal.

 

[Digital_Islandboy]

I dont like that theyre not fixing any of the current traffic issues. Right now there are two ways to go from comm ave eastbound to the bridge. The good way, and the bad way. Theyre accommodating the bad way. Its the middle of a college campus and theyre creating an intersection with 10 lanes

I don't see how anything would get better unless somethings were pushed underground or you create an 'El'. The Boston College "B" line runs down the center of Comm. Ave. That alone plus the lanes on the either side make it feel like you're crossing a HUGE expense of roadway (punctuated by rails in the middle).

This location is multi-level. the Mass Pike is under there and the Mass Pike leads onto an overpass at that same relative spot above the Grand Junction railroad tracks.
So you have Comm. Ave, above the Mass. Pike+Storrow Drive, and also above the Grand Junction rail yard / Commuter Rail. 10 lanes it-is, unless you have a plan to get some elements out of that junction. With all of these things converging there it means you have to start further away to begin to move things on different grading and that increases costs.

It appears that a few different designs have been thrown around. But there's a few light cycles that have to be implemented there as well.
--
Commonwealth Avenue Bridge (Boston, MA) - VISSIM Simulation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fmEfwf4Cro

 

[Charlie_mta]

I'd put the Green Line on an elevated structure down the middle of Comm Av from the Kenmore portal to just beyond Brighton Ave. Plenty of room for it, no shadow issue. etc.

 

[Jahvon09]

I go that way to and from downtown, and it looks very crumbly, like the surface of the bridge is getting very rickety & crappy!

Loose rocks, gravel, concrete and other debris.

 

[matredsoxfan]

Comm Ave bridge project dry run.

At 11:59pm on June 2nd thru 5:00am on June 5th a zipper barrier will be deployed narrowing I-90 the Mass Pike to 2 lanes in each direction from the old Allston-Brighton Tolls to the Beacon Street overpass. One entire barrel will be closed at a time with all traffic being diverted onto the other side. Also the Exit 18 Eastbound on-ramp from Cambridge St and the Exit 18 Westbound off-ramp will be closed internmently. The Westbound off-ramp detour will divert traffic to Exit 16 West Newton where drivers will exit take a right turn, and then a left turn back onto the I-90 EB on-ramp and will then use the Exit 18 off-ramp to Cambridge-Brighton.

Also prep work for the bridge work is well underway in the old Beacon Park Yards. Steel beams have been delivered and connections are being made. Each crane lift will lift two steel beams connected together to speed up construction. Also several precast concrete deck panels have also been delivered.

 

[matredsoxfan]

I'd put the Green Line on an elevated structure down the middle of Comm Av from the Kenmore portal to just beyond Brighton Ave. Plenty of room for it, no shadow issue. etc.

To do that over the bridge you would have to seriously reinforce the piers holding up the bridge to handle the extra weight and redesign the entire bridge to hold extra weight.

 

[Charlie_mta]

When/if an elevated Green Line were ever built, additional piers could be built into the Comm Ave bridge over the Pike and railroad. The Green Line elevated piers would be placed directly over the additional piers below. Not that hard to do.

 

[matredsoxfan]

When/if an elevated Green Line were ever built, additional piers could be built into the Comm Ave bridge over the Pike and railroad. The Green Line elevated piers would be placed directly over the additional piers below. Not that hard to do.

Your problem is the state spent millions rebuilding the piers 2 years ago. They arent going to do anything with those anytime soon.