Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Reconstruction and What it Means to Cambridge Residents

An intensive construction window for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s (MassDOT) upcoming Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Replacement Project is scheduled to take place between July 26, 2017 and August 14, 2017. There will be significant service impacts to all modes of transportation in the Boston University/Saint Paul Street neighborhood of Boston along Commonwealth Avenue, for Amtrak, MBTA, and commuter rail customers, BU Bridge vehicles and on I-90 (the Massachusetts Turnpike). As a result, Cambridge residents will also potentially be effected – to varying degrees -- by these service impacts. 

Here are some of the noteworthy impacts that the Cambridge community should be aware of:

• The Commonwealth Avenue and Boston University (BU) Bridge will be closed to non-emergency and non-transit motor vehicles from 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 14. Access will be maintained on the BU Bridge only for MBTA buses, emergency services, pedestrians, and bicyclists.
• I-90 between the Allston Interchange and the Beacon Street Overpass will be reduced to two lanes in both the eastbound and westbound directions during peak periods from 9:00 p.m. on Friday, July 28, through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 7.  The westbound Exit 20 off-ramp will also be closed at different periods of time.
• MassDOT has requested that the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) allow vehicular traffic on Memorial Drive in Cambridge on Sunday, July 30, and Sunday, August 6 to minimize impacts on local roadways and allow for reliable travel throughout the area.
• Detour routes through Cambridge will potentially create traffic backups.
  
  

For more information, residents are encouraged to visit http://camb.ma/MassDOTProj or contact CommAveBridge@dot.state.ma.us.