BOSTON (WHDH) - State and city leaders gathered at the MBTA’s Wonderland station in Revere Wednesday to discuss impacts and planned mitigation measures ahead of a nearly two-month closure of the Sumner Tunnel slated to begin next week.
The main artery connecting East Boston to the rest of Boston is schedule to shut down from July 5 to Aug. 31 to make way for needed repairs, including work to replace the tunnel’s ceiling, pavement, walls and lighting.
Closures already in place on most weekends for the past year have given drivers a preview of what to expect.
One week before the longest tunnel shutdown in the Sumner Tunnel project to date, state Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver said Wednesday “We are very confident in our plan.”
“We have put a lot of work into this and we really want this to be a successful and manageable project,” Gulliver said.
Gulliver spoke alongside officials including Boston Mayor Michelle Wu.
“We know how disruptive this is, but this is the only way to get us to where we deserve to be in terms of updated, modernized infrastructure,” Wu said.
Officials said area community members should prepare for congestion as traffic detours through Everett, the Ted Williams Tunnel and Route 1 during the tunnel closure.
Traffic, according to the state Department of Transportation, could lengthen some commutes by an hour.
When possible, officials said, commuters should take public transit.
“We really need the public’s help to get as many vehicles off the road as possible,” Gulliver said.
State officials have announced mitigation measures ahead of the tunnel closure, including plans to run fare-free Blue Line service.
Other measures include reduced fare on the Commuter Rail and either free or reduced-fare harbor ferry rides. There will also be discounted tolls on the Tobin Bridge and the Ted Williams Tunnel and discounted parking at MBTA lots.
As area residents brace for impacts, officials at Logan Airport have advised air travelers to plan for two extra hours of travel time to and from the airport during the tunnel closure.
July 10, officials said, may be especially busy with the impact of July 4 travel.
7NEWS spoke to some neighbors on Wednesday as they prepare to navigate the impacts of the Sumner Tunnel shutdown.
“Typical commute, I would say, is probably 25 to 30 minutes max,” said Madison Quilter, who commutes through the Sumner Tunnel. “Now, I would say over an hour.”
Asked what her day-to-day travel is going to look like, Shelby Conyers, who drives through the Sumner Tunnel often, said “I have no idea.”
“I guess we’ll see on the fifth,” Conyers said. “I don’t know what getting home is going to look like.”
“I’d also would rather them fix it and get it done than have anything happen while I’m in the tunnel,” Conyers continued.
At Logan, concerns were already on the rise Tuesday as some people leaving for the Fourth of July weekend were already dreading their return.
“You’re tired, you’re exhausted, and then you come back and it just adds to your frustration,” said traveler Bill Boyle.
The Sumner Tunnel is one of the oldest tunnels in the country. Upcoming repairs, officials said, are part of a project years in the making.
See more information on planned mitigation efforts during the upcoming tunnel closure here.
Another two-month closure is scheduled for next summer.
(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)