Sumner Tunnel Reopening: What To Know As Future Closures Loom

BOSTON, MA — Boston's Sumner Tunnel will reopen early Friday morning following a two-month closure, a drop in the bucket for the 90-year-old structure.

But don't get too used to riding through the southbound tunnel — more closures are coming soon.

The tunnel, which carries traffic under Boston Harbor from East Boston, closed July 5 for repairs. The tunnel has been closing intermittently on weekends for much longer. State officials toured the refurbished tunnel on Wednesday, making sure it would be all set to open at the foot of the Labor Day weekend.

The tunnel will return to its schedule of weekend closures this fall on Sept. 15, and those are set to continue through summer 2024. Then there will be another summer long closure beginning in July and lasting about the same amount of time as this summer's closure, according to MassDOT.

The tunnel closures most directly impact drivers heading south out of East Boston and commuters coming from North Shore towns. But the closures also have statewide ramifications, blocking drivers and services like Logan Express on trips out of Logan Airport.

What was accomplished during this summer's closure? Construction crews installed new lights, stormwater pumps, a ventilation system and hundreds of precast ceiling panels. The closure also gave MassDOT engineers a chance to inspect the structure.

The tunnel opened in June 1934, named after William Sumner, the son of governor Increase Sumner, and a key figure in developing the East Boston neighborhood, which used to be an island.