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WEBVTT IT MIGHT LOOK OK AS YOU WALK ORDRIVE BUT IT IS A WHOLEDIFFERENT STORY UNDERNEATH.52 YEARS LATER, THE COMM AVEBRIDGE IS STARTING TO SHOW ITSAGE, CRUMBLING CONCRETE,ANDCORRODING STEEL BEAMS, SOMASSDOT PLANS TO TEAR IT DOWNAND REBUILD IT.THE FIRST PHASE OFTHIS BRIDGEMAKE-OVER STARTS THIS SUMMER, ONJULY 26,AND WILL END ON AUGUST14>> I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THESEDATES WERE CAREFULLY SELECTED TOMINIMIZE TRAFFIC IMPACTS ON THEAREA.REPORTER: STILL, CLOSING THEOVERPASS WILL IMPACT THOUSANDSOF PEOPLE EVERY DAY.THIS IS A NORMAL EVENING RUSHHOUR HERE ON COMM AVE.DURING THOSE 17 AND HALFDAYS,THE COMM AVE BRIDGE,AND BUBRIDGE WILL BE CLOSED TO PRIVATECARS BUSES,EMERGENCY VEHICLES,PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS,WILLSTILL HAVE ACCESS, THE GREEN BLINE TROLLEY SERVICE WILL BEREPLACED BY BUSES, TWO WEEKENDSOF THE WORCESTER COMMUTER RAILAND AMTRAK SERVICE WILL BECANCELLED,AND EASTBOUND LANES OFTHE MASS PIKE WILL SEE LANECLOSURES>> AND THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TORESTORE I90 TO FOUR LANES TRAFFIC IN EACH DIRECTION BEFORELABOR DAY.REPORTER: THE ACCELERATEDPROJECT WILL LIKELY MEANCOMMUTER HEADACHES, BUT ON;Y FORTHOSE 2 WEEKS.TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTIONTECHNIQUES WOULD HAVE MEANT AFOUR TO FIVE YEAR PROJECT.THE PROJECT COMES WITH AN $82MILLION PROCE-TAG, PHASE 2 OFTHE PROJECT WILL BE SHORTER, ANDWON;T TAKE PLACE UNLESS NEXT

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State officials are planning to share details of a bridge replacement project that will cause "significant service impacts to all modes of transportation" this summer.Officials said the project to replace the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge in Boston will impact vehicles on I-90, Commonwealth Avenue near Boston University, vehicles using the BU Bridge, B Line MBTA Green Line customers, and some customers traveling by Amtrak and the MBTA Commuter Rail.Key project notes:18.5 day closure of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, from July 26-Aug. 14Bridge will remain open to bikes, pedestrians and buses onlyEastbound bridge deck and Green Line tracks will be demolished and replacedTraffic on the MassPike will share the eastbound side for about four days and the westbound side for the next four days during demolitionJune 3-4 will be a "dry run" for the MassPike crossover strategyWestbound work will occur next yearBridge was originally built in 1965Green Line B branch service will be suspended between Babcock and Blandford stations. Buses will replace the trains.Commuter Rail service will end at Boston Landing for the Worcester-Framingham line. A bus will carry passengers to the Green Line.Officials said the schedule for the work was picked "strictly to try to minimize the impacts to the public." They wanted to avoid the July 4 holiday and complete the work before the students move in to the local colleges and universities. The schedule also keeps the impacts on the MassPike to five working days. Project impact statement from MassDOT:I-90 between the Allston Interchange and the Beacon Street Overpass will be reduced to 3 lanes in both the eastbound and westbound directions beginning on Friday, July 7 to allow for preparation operations, major equipment to be put in place for the construction activities starting later in the month, and a crane to be built in the median of I-90. I-90 between the Allston Interchange and the Beacon Street Overpass will be reduced to 2 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 eastbound on-ramp from Cambridge Street will be closed and the westbound Exit 20 off-ramp will also be closed at different periods of time.Throughout the construction activities from 9:00 p.m. on Friday, July 28, through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 7, a “crossover” will be in place on I-90 using traffic channelization equipment, such as zipper barrier, line striping, and variable message boards to direct traffic to one side of the highway. From 9:00 p.m. on Friday, July 28, through 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 2 both eastbound and westbound traffic will be on the westbound side of I-90. From 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 2 through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 7 both eastbound and westbound traffic will be on the eastbound side of I-90. This “crossover” is necessary to allow MassDOT crews and its contractor to conduct construction activities on the bridge above I-90. During the June “dress rehearsal” this “crossover” will be implemented and traffic will be observed. I-90 between the Allston Interchange and the Beacon Street Overpass will then be opened to 3 lanes in both the eastbound and westbound directions from 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 7, through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 28 to allow the safe removal of major equipment and construction logistics from the work zone. By Monday, August 28, I-90 will return to its full 4 lane configuration in each direction after the conclusion of these removal activities. Commonwealth Avenue Bridge and Boston University Bridge (Local Traffic)Commonwealth Avenue eastbound and westbound will be closed to through private vehicular traffic between Brighton Avenue/Packard’s Corner and Kenmore Square from 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 14. Access through this area will be maintained for local businesses and customers, residents, MBTA buses, emergency services, pedestrians, and bicyclists during this time.The 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 for MBTA buses, emergency services, pedestrians and bicyclists.MBTA Service ImpactsBuses will replace rail service on the MBTA Green Line B Branch from Babcock Street to Blandford Street Stations from 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26, through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 14. The MBTA will be providing regular service updates to customers. The MBTA Route 47 and CT2 buses will detour from their normal routes and potentially experience delays from 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, August 14. Users of the Route 57 bus should also expect possible delays during this time period.The MBTA’s Worcester Commuter Rail Line will not operate trains between South Station and the future Boston Landing Commuter Rail Station on the weekends of July 29-30 and August 5-6. Bus shuttles will run for Worcester Commuter Rail Line customers between the future Boston Landing Commuter Rail Station and the MBTA’s Reservoir Station on the Green Line D Branch during these weekends.Bus service will be provided between the Boston Landing Commuter Rail Station and the Yawkey Station during Boston Red Sox games.Amtrak Service Impacts Buses will replace Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited line service between Albany, New York, and South Station on the weekends of July 29-30 and August 5-6.