Sumner Tunnel

[tysmith95]

http://www.universalhub.com/2017/sumner-tunnel-approach-changes-turning-east-boston

A quote from an Eastie representative

"The new design has created traffic backups unseen in East Boston since the pre-Ted Williams Tunnel days. In fact, the current traffic is even worse. Beyond the impact on commuters, this increase in neighborhood and tunnel traffic has dangerous implications for emergency vehicles that cannot get through the gridlock.
In the redesign, traffic impacts to the community were not fully considered. On a daily basis, residential streets in East Boston are entirely congested, including streets that never experienced traffic before. While the transition to all-electronic tolls appears to have improved traffic flow in other areas throughout the State, this particular redesign has resulted in a tremendous step backwards. Simply, East Boston residents deserve better."

Whoever designed the new intersection should be hanged. The Sumner Tunnel entrance worked great before when you had the pass through toll gates. Hopefully MassDOT quickly redesigns this intersection, or at least returns it to what it was before.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/408282242636625/permalink/1048862248578618/

 

[Charlie_mta]

Did they narrow the highway into the tunnel down to one lane? I was against that when it was discussed on this board. There's no reason two lanes couldn't continue through the intersection. Here's my idea:

 

[BKNA]

The complaints in the article are about traffic on local roads. If there is traffic on the local east Boston streets, wouldnt making them merge with a 2nd 1a lane (instead of them having their own lane into the tunnel) make things even worse?

 

[Equilibria]

http://www.universalhub.com/2017/sumner-tunnel-approach-changes-turning-east-boston

A quote from an Eastie representative

"The new design has created traffic backups unseen in East Boston since the pre-Ted Williams Tunnel days. In fact, the current traffic is even worse. Beyond the impact on commuters, this increase in neighborhood and tunnel traffic has dangerous implications for emergency vehicles that cannot get through the gridlock.
In the redesign, traffic impacts to the community were not fully considered. On a daily basis, residential streets in East Boston are entirely congested, including streets that never experienced traffic before. While the transition to all-electronic tolls appears to have improved traffic flow in other areas throughout the State, this particular redesign has resulted in a tremendous step backwards. Simply, East Boston residents deserve better."

Whoever designed the new intersection should be hanged. The Sumner Tunnel entrance worked great before when you had the pass through toll gates. Hopefully MassDOT quickly redesigns this intersection, or at least returns it to what it was before.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/408282242636625/permalink/1048862248578618/

Forgive my ignorance, but if they just demolished the tolls, are we in the final state yet? Is this about the new arrangement or the construction arrangement?

 

[datadyne007]

Forgive my ignorance, but if they just demolished the tolls, are we in the final state yet? Is this about the new arrangement or the construction arrangement?

This is about the construction arrangement and it was fixed overnight:

MassDOT has announced that beginning on Thursday morning, May 25, it will be implementing the following adjustments to the traffic pattern in the area of the entrance of the Sumner Tunnel in order to improve traffic flow as construction activities continue for the ongoing toll demolition and road reconstruction process:

MassDOT will be adjusting the existing work zone and traffic logistics in order to restore the traffic pattern that was in place approximately two weeks ago.

This will involve making the right lane on Route 1A southbound exit only.
The left lane on Route 1A southbound will have exclusive access to the Sumner Tunnel and the right lane will be exclusive access to local traffic, except during the peak evening travel time (3 p.m., through 8 p.m.).
Local access to the Sumner Tunnel from Visconti Road will remain controlled by traffic signals.

During the peak evening travel time (from 3 p.m., to 8 p.m.) there will be an additional left lane added on Route 1A southbound, meaning there will be two lanes through the work zone for drivers who are traveling on Route 1A into the Sumner Tunnel. Local traffic during the evening peak commute will merge into the right lane of Route 1A.

In order to accommodate Memorial Day weekend travelers, the additional lane will open early for the peak evening commute at 2 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, and Friday, May 26.

MassDOT will also continuously monitor traffic conditions and utilize this additional lane during off-peak hours on an as-needed basis in order to mitigate delays.

Drivers will notice increased and new signage on the roadways, new pavement markings, updated traffic signal timings, and new temporary pavement and barriers that will be installed during the off-peak overnight hours on Wednesday, May 24.

These updates to the traffic pattern are the result of public feedback and detailed traffic analysis and roadway monitoring by MassDOT as it works to conduct its construction operations in ways that minimize the impact on the traveling public and local community.

Throughout the planning stages for this project, MassDOT has worked and is continuing to work closely with the local community through public meetings, coordination meetings with elected officials, business groups and leaders, and other key stakeholders. At the request of the local community, MassDOT waited to proceed with toll plaza demolition activities at this location and incorporated public feedback into the project design through all phases of construction.

MassDOT appreciates the cooperation and understanding of the traveling public as it continues the toll demolition and road reconstruction operations and work towards achieving the benefits of All Electronic Tolling including reduced congestion, less harmful environmental impacts, and increased safety.

Written By: Klark Jessen

http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/sumner-tunnel-traffic-adjustments/

 

[tysmith95]

The complaints in the article are about traffic on local roads. If there is traffic on the local east Boston streets, wouldnt making them merge with a 2nd 1a lane (instead of them having their own lane into the tunnel) make things even worse?

Drivers from the airport are using local East Boston streets to get to the Sumner since traffic is backed up to the terminals. I believe that is what is hurting local traffic.

 

[Arlington]

Drivers from the airport are using local East Boston streets to get to the Sumner since traffic is backed up to the terminals. I believe that is what is hurting local traffic.

There's going to be a lingering effect of toll removal: when we've decongested the tolls, the approach streets will clog up with people happy that they don't have to wait at the tolls anymore.

We see this in Cambridge as the evening outbound crawls for blocks and blocks as people queue for their chance to get to a free-flowing (over-built) Rt 2.

We saw this in Medford with the O'Neill Tunnel too: Once the central artery was more free-flowing, people were willing to wait in new traffic jams on I-93 in Medford (Fellsway West / Rt 60 / Rt 16 exists) for their turn at using the improved downtown links . During the bad old Artery days, northside I-93 jams had started closer in to Assembly each morning.

 

[tysmith95]

There's going to be a lingering effect of toll removal: when we've decongested the tolls, the approach streets will clog up with people happy that they don't have to wait at the tolls anymore.

We see this in Cambridge as the evening outbound crawls for blocks and blocks as people queue for their chance to get to a free-flowing (over-built) Rt 2.

We saw this in Medford with the O'Neill Tunnel too: Once the central artery was more free-flowing, people were willing to wait in new traffic jams on I-93 in Medford (Fellsway West / Rt 60 / Rt 16 exists) for their turn at using the improved downtown links . During the bad old Artery days, northside I-93 jams had started closer in to Assembly each morning.

The traffic was fine a month ago under the old system (lots of lanes going into decommissioned toll plazas in a free for all). It flowed very well. The issues have only started recently when the toll plazas were torn down and only one lane went from 1A to the tunnel.