News

Commonwealth Avenue Bridge reopens in time for morning commute

BOSTON — There’s a sigh of relief for commuters on Commonwealth Avenue as the bridge project wraps up in time for the Wednesday morning commute.

Cars and trains now once again are able to move through the area, which has been shut down for weeks.

Crews have been working to replace the eastbound side of the bridge. On July 28, buses started replacing the MBTA’s Green Line trolley service, and on July 30 restrictions were put into place for vehicles.

The Mass Pike was also affected by the construction project.

But on Tuesday night, MassDOT crews finished paving, removed the heavy equipment and painted travel lanes in time for the Wednesday morning commute.

The MBTA tested power and the B Line track so Green Line service would be ready in the morning.

But the MBTA did say passengers may still notice a slight change for the next two days.

“As the rail bed settles, our train customers can expect a slightly slower ride than they did just prior to construction,” MBTA Deputy Manager Jeff Gonneville said. “Just as the rail bed settles. It will be two days before we can get back up to operating speed.”

The MBTA said once they reach normal operating speed, it will actually be a bit faster than before. They also thanked customers for their patience over the past few weeks.