Comm Ave and BU Bridge Have Reopened

Workers put finishing touches Friday on the Comm Ave bridge deck as two weeks of replacement work neared conclusion. Comm Ave reopened at 5 am and the BU Bridge reopened midday on Saturday, August 11. Photo by Jackie Ricciardi

UPDATED Aug. 11, 3:10 pm: Commonwealth Avenue and the BU Bridge reopened to traffic on Saturday, August 11.  Final “finishing work” will occur during off-peak hours in the days and weeks ahead.

The MBTA Green B Line will resume normal service between Blanchard and Babcock Streets for the Friday, August 10, afternoon rush hour, the state announced.

The Commonwealth Avenue and BU bridges will reopen to all traffic Saturday, as workers finished replacing the Comm Ave bridge.

Friday’s announcement by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) did not specify the time of the bridges’ reopening Saturday. The Green Line’s service resumption will come ahead of schedule, as the state had originally planned to resume service Saturday at 5 am.

“We are pleased to be restoring MBTA Green Line trolley service today…and lifting vehicular travel restrictions on the Commonwealth Avenue bridge and the BU Bridge on Saturday,” said Jonathan Gulliver, MassDOT highway administrator.

“We have appreciated the cooperation and support from the traveling public, business owners, and local community throughout our operations,” he said.

Construction crews used accelerated bridge construction techniques—working 24/7 with prefabricated girders and concrete deck panels—to replace the Comm Ave bridge’s westbound lane. The state replaced the eastbound side last summer. The 53-year-old span’s age had left it structurally deficient.

The hyperfast techniques shaved what the state says would have been a four- or five-year project down to roughly a month over the two summers.

Work proceeded so smoothly that the Massachusetts Turnpike, which threads under the Comm Ave bridge and had lane closures to accommodate the construction overhead, reopened all lanes one day ahead of schedule on August 5.

MassDOT advises the public to use caution when passing through the area while workers put finishing touches on the project. Off-peak traffic delays may occur as crews complete sidewalks, pavement markings, and other work.

“The experience of last year’s closure gave us tremendous insight into this year’s project; warnings were heeded, and many, many people were flexible in getting around the campus,” said Thomas Daley, BU’s associate vice president for facilities management and planning.

The $110 million bridge replacement is part of a long-range spruce-up and safety upgrade of Comm Ave and environs that began 15 years ago and is scheduled to finish in 2019.

BU and MassDOT partnered on the work, launched with improvements to Kenmore Square, and continued with upgrades to Comm Ave from Deerfield Street to University Road and the BU Bridge.

The results so far have been visible to anyone walking or biking the avenue. In just the last academic year, crews reset sidewalk bricks from Agganis Way to Buick Street; installed curbs and upgraded drainage and utilities in the area; began installing bicycle lanes, which will protect cyclists from traffic as well as parked cars; put in islands between the BU Bridge and Acorn Street; and improved traffic lights for both motorists and bicyclists. The improvements also aim to provide better accessibility for people with disabilities.