Information Meeting Tonight at CGS on Upcoming Comm Ave Bridge Closure
State officials will answer questions about July 26 to August 14 shutdown
Tonight’s public meeting at the College of General Studies will include information on detour routes during the July 26 to August 14 Comm Ave bridge shutdown. Photo via BU Bridge Deck OxBlue webcam
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) officials will answer questions about the upcoming closure of the Commonwealth Avenue bridge tonight, Tuesday, July 11, during an on-campus public meeting.
The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. in the College of General Studies Jacob Sleeper Auditorium, 871 Commonwealth Ave. As well as answering questions, MassDOT officials will review detour routes in effect during the closure.
The agency has scheduled a second info session Thursday, July 13, in the Newton Free Library’s Ducker Auditorium, 330 Homer St., Newton, also starting at 6:30 p.m.
The half-century-old Comm Ave bridge over the Massachusetts Turnpike will be closed from July 26 to August 14 to all but MBTA buses, pedestrians, bicycles, and emergency vehicles. The closure will allow workers to replace the eastbound lanes, the sidewalk, the bike lane, and the MBTA trolley area. Next summer, a similar closure will allow the replacements on the westbound side.
“The two public meetings, along with earlier public meetings on the project and increasing media coverage, are designed to let the public know how best to plan accordingly during the first phase of the construction period,” says Michael Donovan, BU vice president for real estate and facility services.
Donovan notes that those who can’t make the meetings can check for the latest information about the project on either the state’s website or the University’s website.
The $110 million bridge replacement is part of a BU-MassDOT partnership that has been upgrading Comm Ave and environs since 2003 and is scheduled to culminate in 2019. The improvements will include new sidewalks, improved accessibility for those with handicaps, new traffic signaling for motor vehicles and cyclists, and a protected bike track on the eastbound and westbound lanes of Comm Ave.
The University is encouraging employees to take vacation time or work from home if feasible during the upcoming closure.
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