Democratic National Convention – Important Traffic and MBTA Information
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IMPORTANT TRAFFIC AND MBTA INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION
The Democratic National Convention is coming to Boston during the last week of July. This is the first national political convention to take place since the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the United States Department of Homeland Security has declared it to be a National Special Security Event.
Road closures:
A number of road and lane closures will take place from Monday, July 26th through Friday, July 30th that will have a major impact on traffic in the region. The greatest impact will be felt on I-93, which, due to its proximity to the FleetCenter, will be closed in the afternoon and evening hours during the Convention.
Please note that these measures are subject to change. We strongly encourage the general public to monitor the news, Boston 2004 web site, www.Boston04.com and SmarTraveler, www.smartraveler.com for updates.
Specific closures and impacts are as follows:
I-93 Southbound from Woburn to Boston
Impact on morning commute:
I-93 will remain open during the morning commute, as will all on- and off-ramps. However, from Sunday, July 25 through Friday, July 30 there will NOT be an HOV lane. There will be a dedicated lane for emergency vehicles, and MBTA and authorized buses which will be in operation 24-hours a day.
Impact on afternoon & evening commute:
During the late afternoon and evening hours from Monday, July 26 through Thursday, July 29, I-93 South will be closed at exit 32 in Medford (Route 60). All southbound traffic will be diverted off at that point.
Motorists are encouraged to use Route 128 rather than continuing on I-93 � During these hours, southbound on-ramps to I-93 between Woburn and Boston will be closed. During these hours, access will be restricted from 128/95 onto I-93 South. Off-ramps will remain open up to exit 32, where all traffic must exit. I-93 North (north of exit 32) will remain open at all times.
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Additionally, from Sunday, July 25 through Friday, July 30 there will NOT be an HOV lane. It will instead become an emergency vehicle/bus lane which will be in operation 24-hours a day.
Travel to Logan International Airport
� Motorists traveling on I-93 north to Logan Airport should use exit 33. They should travel from Roosevelt Circle to the Fellsway (Route 28) to Route 16 to Route 1A. � Detours will be signed
I-93 Northbound from Braintree to Boston
Impact on morning commute:
� I-93 will remain open during the morning commute, as will all on- and off-ramps. � However, from Sunday, July 25 through Friday, July 30 there will NOT be an HOV lane. It will instead become an emergency vehicle/bus lane which will be in operation 24-hours a day. � Only 3 lanes will be available for travel inbound; motorists should expect long delays
Impact on afternoon & evening commute:
During the late afternoon and evening hours from Monday, July 26 through Thursday, July 29, I-93 North will be closed at exit 20 in Boston (the Mass Pike and South Station). All northbound traffic will be diverted off at that point.
At the Braintree split, motorists will be encouraged to travel on Route 128 rather than I-93. During these hours, on-ramps to I-93 North between Braintree and Boston will be closed.
Therefore, no access onto I-93 north will be permitted from Quincy, Milton or Dorchester. All off-ramps will remain open up to exit 20, where all traffic must exit. I-93 South (south of exit 20) will remain open at all times.
Full time Impacts
From Sunday, July 25 through Friday, July 30 there will NOT be an HOV lane in either direction. The normal HOV will instead become an emergency vehicle lane which will be in operation 24-hours a day.
Travel to Logan International Airport
Motorists will use the Ted Williams Tunnel to access Logan International Airport.
Route 1 and the Tobin Bridge
Impact on morning commute:
� Route 1 and the Tobin Bridge will remain open in both directions during the morning commute.
Boston 2004, Inc. ● Three Copley Place, Suite 501 ● Boston, MA 02116
Impact on afternoon & evening commute:
During the late afternoon and evening hours from Monday, July 26 through Thursday, July 29 all non-local southbound traffic will be diverted at Copeland Circle (Route 60) onto Route 1A, or back onto Route 1 North.
Local traffic will be permitted to continue on Route 1 southbound to Route 16 where all southbound traffic must exit.
All on-ramps to Route 1 southbound will be closed south of Route 60.
Route 1 and the Tobin Bridge northbound will remain open at all times.
Travel to L o gan Intern ational Airport
Motorists travel from Route 1 to Route 60 to Route 1A
Sum n er T u nnel
Impact on morning commute:
The Sumner Tunnel will remain open during the morning commute.
Impact on afternoon & evening commute:
The Sumner Tunnel will be closed during the late afternoon and evening hours from Monday, July 26 through Thursday, July 29. � The Ted Williams Tunnel will serve as the alternate route.
Leverett Co nnecto r
Impact on morning commute:
� The Leverett Connector will remain open during the morning commute.
Impact on afternoon & evening commute:
The Leverett Connector will be closed in both directions during the late afternoon and evening hours from Monday, July 26 through Thursday, July 29. All access points to the Leverett Connector will be closed during this time.
Storrow Drive eastbound
Impact on morning commute:
Storrow Drive will remain open in both directions during the morning commute.
Boston 2004, Inc. ● Three Copley Place, Suite 501 ● Boston, MA 02116
Impact on afternoon & evening commute:
Storrow Drive eastbound will be closed at Western Avenue during the late afternoon and evening hours from Monday, July 26 through Thursday, July 29. � Traffic will be diverted onto the Mass Pike, onto Western Avenue or back onto Storrow Drive westbound.
Memorial Drive east bound
Impact on morning commute:
� Memorial Drive will remain open in both directions during the morning commute.
Impact on afternoon & evening commute:
� Memorial Drive eastbound will be closed at the Reid Overpass (BU Bridge) during the late afternoon and evening hours from Monday, July 26 through Thursday, July 29. � Traffic will be diverted over the BU Bridge into Boston, into Cambridge or back onto Memorial Drive westbound.
M a ss Turn pike
Impact on morning commute
� The Massachusetts Turnpike will remain open in both directions
Impact on afternoon & evening commutes:
� There will be a designated lane for emergency vehicles and buses from the Allston toll through East Boston. � The restrictions will be in place both eastbound and westbound.
MB TA Service
Some MBTA service will be affected during the week of the Convention. However, the T will provide increased rush hour subway service on all lines throughout the city during the entire week of the Convention.
North Station will be closed from the evening of Friday, July 23 through Friday, July 30. Orange Line trains will not stop at North Station. Green Line ends at Haymarket — buses shuttle to Lechmere from Government Center. Bus Route #4 North Station to World Trade Center will not operate. Fitchburg Commuter Rail line will terminate at Porter Square and riders will be diverted onto the Red Line
Boston 2004, Inc. ● Three Copley Place, Suite 501 ● Boston, MA 02116 Lowell Commuter Rail line riders from the outer stations will be diverted onto MBTA buses at Anderson RTC in Woburn that will travel into Boston on the dedicated lane on I-93. The buses will stop at South Station. Commuter Rail Riders from Winchester, Wedgemere and Medford will be serviced by an extension of Express Bus #326 to Haymarket (returning from South Station after 3:00pm). The Haverhill Commuter Rail line will terminate at Oak Grove and riders will be diverted onto the Orange Line.
Newburyport and Rockport Commuter Rail lines riders will be diverted at Lynn to MBTA buses to South Station before 10:00am and to Blue Line trains at Wonderland Station after 10:00am.
Water Travel
The locks will close at 12:01 a.m. on July 26th and will be remain closed until July 30th at 2:00 a.m.
Lovejoy Wharf will be closed to commuter ferries; passengers will be dropped off at Long Wharf.
For continually updated information, please utilize the following resources: www.boston04.com (the official website of the Convention Host Committee). Your local newspapers, radio stations and TV news. SmarTraveler: *1 on your mobile phone or 617-374-1234. To schedule a briefing, please contact Boston 2004, Inc. at 617-247-2004
Boston 2004, Inc. ● Three Copley Place, Suite 501 ● Boston, MA 02116