BOSTON (WHDH) - Traffic experts warn that the Orange Line shutdown is likely to cause a challenge for many Boston drivers.
“I think the first few days of the shutdown are going to be the most unpredictable,” said Andrew Stober, who heads up global partnerships with Waze, a navigation software.
MassDOT released an image of a red haze blanketing Boston meant to show where traffic will be impacted by the Orange Line shutdown for the next 30-days as a fleet of shuttle buses prepares to join the busy city streets.
“There will definitely be an impact to congestion. Especially on some arterials and freeways heading in and out of Boston,” said INRIX Transportation Analyst Bob Pishue.
Highway officials are urging T commuters not to drive into the city, predicting critical traffic bottlenecks popular areas.
The areas most likely to be congested:
- Charles Circle
- Leverett Circle
- Sullivan Square
- The Fellsway at Mystic Valley Parkway
- I-93
- Route 1
However, experts have a few more areas to add.
“On the Pike, Columbus Avenue and Huntington Avenue, some of those big streets that run adjacent to the Orange Line,” said Stober.
The 7NEWS Traffic Tracker drove the Orange Line shuttle bus route Tuesday afternoon experiencing heavy traffic without the buses on the road yet.
While the state has a plan in place, experts said it will likely need to be tweaked.
“Hopefully, after a few days they can go back and visit and ok lets take 30 buses and put them over to that street, lets take 30 and do that. Try to really leverage the flexibility of buses where possible,” said Pishue.
For drivers already dealing with daily bumper to bumper traffic, they’re going to have a lot more company.
“I think disruptions like the Orange Line shutdown remind drivers just how important having quality transit lines are,” Stober added.
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