MEMORANDUM
TO:
FR:
RE:
DA:
Richard A. Davey, Secretary & CEO
Frank DePaola, Highway Division Administrator
Ongoing Work in the MHS Tunnels
August 15, 2014
To follow is a summary of maintenance and construction activities performed last week
in the Metropolitan Highway System Tunnels.
Overnight work:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
MassDOT closed the I-93 Southbound Tunnel overnight as part of its regular series of
overnight tunnel closures. The closures allow MassDOT to clean, maintain and repair
areas of the tunnel not normally accessible when traffic is flowing.
Contractors are repairing water infiltration at multiple points within the O’Neill
Tunnel (both directions) and on related ramps. Recent work included slurry wall
repairs and repair and replacement of fireproofing materials.
Water infiltration repair work is also underway in the I-90 Connector Tunnel (both
directions) and the Ted Williams Tunnel Eastbound.
A contractor working on behalf of the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority is
performing ongoing ceiling-related construction in the Prudential Tunnel. The
contractor is also installing new fireproofing materials. The contractor continues to
repair the walls and remove supplemental steel and concrete, which requires periodic
lane closures. The contractor has also begun installing a netting system to catch any
debris that could come loose over time as the result of vibrations in the tunnel. The
nets are designed to prevent debris from falling to the roadway.
A contractor working on behalf of the owner of the Prudential Center continued work
on the ceiling of the Prudential Tunnel Westbound. This is a different section of the
ceiling than what has been noted above.
MassDOT continued the Callahan Tunnel rehabilitation with repairs to the tunnel
wall and installation of the wall panel support system. The tunnel re-opened in
March; rehabilitation work continues with periodic lane closures and occasional full
closures as needed. There were three full overnight closures last week.
A contractor performed a routine inspection of portions of the I-93 Southbound
Tunnel and related ramps. A contractor also performed a similar inspection on the
Northbound side. Contractors are also inspecting the Eastbound and Westbound
tunnel sets.
A contractor continued repairs to the roadway wearing surface near the entry portal of
the Ted Williams Tunnel Westbound. The contractor is also making similar repairs at
the Eastbound entry portal.
A contractor performed test borings below the roadway near Dalton Street. The work
is part of the preparation for the future Dalton Street Bridge replacement project. The
work required lane closures in the I-90 Eastbound Tunnel.
MassDOT cleaned 15 traffic cameras in the I-93 Northbound Tunnel.
•
•
MassDOT workers replaced a faulty cable on a traffic camera near Ramp ST-SA/CN
(Sumner Tunnel to Surface Artery and Sumner Tunnel to I-93 Northbound).
A contractor took strain gauge readings as part of the ongoing efforts to monitor
thawing of soil frozen in the vicinity of South Station during construction of the I-90
Connector Tunnel. The work required a lane closure in the I-90 Connector Tunnel
Eastbound.