Latest news with #JonathanGulliver
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Boston Globe
Hitting the road for July Fourth weekend? These are the best and worst times to travel.
'Fourth of July weekend is one of the busiest travel times of the summer,' said Jonathan Gulliver, the Highway Administrator at the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. 'MassDOT encourages travelers to plan ahead, expect delays, and drive safely to make sure everyone enjoys the holiday weekend.' In order to avoid congestion on the roads, AAA generally recommends drivers to travel in the morning to avoid the worst anticipated traffic in the afternoons. Advertisement Based on nationwide trends, these are the best and worst times to travel by car, according to INRIX, a provider of transportation data and insights. INRIX AAA said Route 3 will likely be one of the busiest routes in Massachusetts, so be prepared for backups there. In an effort to encourage drivers to plan ahead, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation created its own travel forecast for the upcoming holiday weekend. 'The heaviest traffic is expected on Wednesday, July 2, and Thursday, July 3, with delays extending into the evening,' MassDOT officials said in a statement. 'On Friday, July 4, travelers are advised to avoid mid-day and afternoon travel due to expected peak congestion. Saturday, July 5, and Sunday, July 6, are also expected to see heavier traffic throughout the day, especially in the morning and afternoon hours,' the statement continued. Advertisement MassDOT officials said the I-93 Boston-Quincy HOV lane will deploy early for the holiday, opening at 2 p.m. on Wednesday and 1 p.m. on Thursday. The HOV lane will not be deployed on Friday, and will return to its regular schedule on Monday, officials said. MBTA officials are also reminding the public that subway, ferry, commuter rail and RIDE trips will be free after 8:30 p.m. on July 4, and passengers can purchase the The Red, Orange, Blue, and Green Lines will operate on a modified Saturday schedule with increased service after 3 p.m., T officials said. All bus routes and the Silver Line will operate on a Sunday schedule; all commuter rail lines will operate on a weekend schedule; and all RIDE services will operate a Sunday schedule, officials said. The last MBTA trains on July 4 are scheduled to leave North Station and South Station between 11:30 p.m. and midnight, but if the fireworks are delayed, they'll leave up to 30 minutes after the end the of the fireworks, officials said. Emily Sweeney can be reached at
CBS News
21-06-2025
- CBS News
Mass Pike closure underway, reducing traffic to one lane in each direction near Boston
Traffic delays are expected just west of Boston this weekend as part of the Mass Pike is now reduced to one lane in each direction until Monday morning. The closures are on the Newton-Weston line so construction work can be done on a bridge replacement and rehab project at the intersection of the Mass Pike and I-95. Crews are now finishing the demolition of a highway bridge that goes over the MBTA. It's part of a $400 million project to repair eight bridges in the state. MassDOT is asking drivers to avoid that part of the Pike all weekend, if possible. Highway administrator Jonathan Gulliver said this weekend was chosen because it's the lightest traffic weekend of the summer. "This is the lightest traffic weekend of the summer. When we choose these weekends, we really look at what events are going on in the city. We look at historical travel data and this is this is one of the lightest travel weekends of the entire summer, which is why we chose this," said Gulliver. Lanes will be closed starting at 9 p.m. on Friday, June 20 until 5 a.m. on Monday, June 23. The closure also impacts the MBTA. The Commuter Rail is shut down between Framingham and Boston through Sunday, June 22. Shuttle buses will be available for riders. Amtrak train service between Boston and Albany will also be closed this weekend.
CBS News
20-06-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Major Mass Pike traffic delays near Boston anticipated again for 2nd weekend of lane closures
Major traffic delays are anticipated near Boston again this weekend as a second round of lane closures is scheduled to accommodate construction work on the Mass Pike in Newton and Weston, Massachusetts. There will only be one lane open in each direction between exits 123 and 125, near the I-95 interchange. Crews are finishing the demolition of a highway bridge that goes over the MBTA railroad. It's part of a $400 million project to repair of fix eight bridges in the state. MassDOT is once again telling drivers to avoid that part of the Mass Pike all weekend if possible. A map of lane closures on the Mass Pike this weekend. MassDOT When are the Mass Pike lane closures? Lanes will be closed starting at 9 p.m. on Friday, June 20 until 5 a.m. on Monday, June 23. "Drivers traveling through the affected areas should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution," the agency said in a statement. It's possible that the delays could extend into the Monday morning commute. Mass Pike traffic Before the first round of construction between May 30 and June 2, highway administrator Jonathan Gulliver warned that there could be delays of up to three hours on the Mass Pike if drivers didn't follow the recommendation to stay away. Typically, that part of the Mass Pike sees about 100,000 cars on an average weekend day. A MassDOT spokesperson that during the first weekend closure, there was a roughly 30% to 36% decrease in traffic volume. Wait times on the Mass Pike peaked at one hour. There will also be impacts felt by MBTA riders. The Commuter Rail on the Framingham/Worcester Line will be shut down between South Station and Framingham to accommodate the work, as will the Amtrak train between Boston and Albany. Shuttle buses will be offered instead during the weekend.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Phase one of Mass Pike weekend construction almost complete
Phase one of MassDOT's weekend project in Newton and Weston on the Mass Pike is almost over. Construction is to demolish and replace a bridge running over the MBTA railroad. MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said the lane closures went as planned. 'People took alternate routes or they adjusted their plans, and really we avoided the extreme delays that could've occurred otherwise,' Gulliver said. 'There was some heavy delays going through that site at one point yesterday. We saw it reach close to an hour, but that's nothing like it could've been.' MassDOT reduced travel to one lane in each direction on Friday night. Officials were preparing for up to three-hour delays if everyone who normally travels between exits 123 and 125 in Newton and Weston drove on through. Drivers Lars and Kim Waldmann said they avoided the Mass Pike altogether and took back roads to get to their destination. 'I have to commute on Route 128 to work every day, so I really didn't want to sit in traffic this weekend,' Lars Waldmann said. Uber driver Rick Higgins also dodged the long line of cars on Sunday. 'Once I saw that it was backed up, I tried to hop on 95, which I was successful in doing,' Higgins explained. 'So I avoided it, lucky me, I'm trying to avoid it, who likes to sit in traffic?' Phase two of the construction project will be the exact same, but traffic will be moved to the Westbound side of the turnpike during the weekend of June 20. 'That's the second lightest weekend of the summer this year so again, that's the reason we picked these weekends,' Gulliver said. 'Not a lot of events going on in the city and we're going to be asking for the same level of cooperation we got this time and hopefully we get it and things remain manageable for that weekend as well.' The phase one lane closures end Monday at 5 a.m. MassDOT said by doing the project in phases, it allows crews to get the work done in two weekends rather than two years., This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
CBS News
02-06-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Monday morning commute expected to be normal after weekend Mass Pike closure, MassDOT says
Traffic should be normal for Monday morning commute following Mass Pike closure, MassDOT says Traffic should be normal for Monday morning commute following Mass Pike closure, MassDOT says Traffic should be normal for Monday morning commute following Mass Pike closure, MassDOT says Officials with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation said traffic should be "normal" Monday morning after weekend closures on the Mass Pike caused lots of disruptions and frustration for drivers. Construction on a new bridge has reduced traffic to one lane in both directions on a two-mile stretch of the Mass Pike on the Newton-Weston town line. All weekend long, traffic has been bumper to bumper in this area. It's all part of a massive bridge replacement project by the I-95 interchange. To take a live look at the current delays, head to the Mass 511 map. State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver told WBZ-TV that the traffic will speed back up Monday morning when all the lanes are reopened. "That commute tomorrow should be pretty good for you after 5 a.m., once the road is fully restored," said Gulliver. "I'd expect a little bit of residual traffic to clear through and then should be a normal Monday morning commute any time after 5:15, 5:30." Gulliver advised commuters to delay the start of their day until after the roads reopen at 5 a.m. A second weekend of closures is planned for Friday, June 20, at 9 p.m. until Monday, June 23, at 5 a.m.
