Why are they fixing the Sumner Tunnel?

What we need to do. Corrosion and wear-and-tear have deeply impacted wall panels and gutters. There's exposed rebar on the ceiling, and even after resurfacing, pavement conditions are poor – a fact that should be obvious to anyone who drives the length of the tunnel.



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The tunnel was constructed to handle automobile traffic from the North End of Boston to East Boston. The tunnel opened in 1935. Also included are three parcel maps with corresponding lists of property taken for “Haymarket Square Improvement.”

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The Sumner Tunnel was opened on June 30, 1934. It carried traffic in both directions until the opening of the parallel Callahan Tunnel in 1961. The Sumner Tunnel is named for William H. Sumner, the son of Governor Increase Sumner.

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It was originally a two-way road that carried traffic in both directions, until the opening of the parallel Callahan Tunnel in 1961. The tunnel is 8,448 feet long, of which approximately 3,960 feet are underwater. In 2017, the state removed the tollbooths as part of a switch to electronic tolling.

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The tunnel is 8,448 feet (2,575 m) long, of which approximately 3,960 feet (1,210 m) are underwater. A toll is collected in both directions, through the E-ZPass electronic toll collection system, formerly named the Fast Lane system.

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Since the Sumner Tunnel runs one way from Logan Airport to the North End, getting to the airport during the tunnel closure is not as challenging as getting from the airport. Most traffic will be detoured into the Ted Williams Tunnel and onto the Tobin Bridge to connect with Interstate 93.

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The Big Dig separated the co-mingled traffic from the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Sumner and Callahan tunnels.

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To reduce traffic congestion during tunnel closures, MassDOT encourages those traveling to or from Logan Airport to leave their cars at home and explore Massport's list of transportation options to and from Logan, which include: the Blue Line or Silver Line, the Logan Express, the Logan Water Taxi, or the Hingham/Hull ...

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On-Airport Shuttle Massport provides free shuttle bus service between airline terminals, the Rental Car Center, the Water Transportation dock, and Airport Station on the MBTA Blue Line.

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Opened to traffic June 30, 1934. It was originally a two-way road that carried traffic in both directions, until the opening of the parallel Callahan Tunnel in 1961. The tunnel is 8,448 feet long, of which approximately 3,960 feet are underwater.

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The Ted Williams Tunnel interface in East Boston between the land-based approach and the underwater section is 90 feet below the surface of Boston Harbor, the deepest such connection in North America. The project's seven-building ventilation system is one of the largest highway tunnel ventilation systems in the world.

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The Sumner Tunnel is undergoing a restoration that began in the spring of 2022. This work requires the tunnel to be closed to traffic periodically.

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Built in the 1930s, the Sumner Tunnel (Route 1A South) is the first traffic tunnel in Massachusetts and takes vehicles from Logan Airport to Boston/I-93.

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Weekends of November 10 and December 1, 2023 Over the course of these weekends, MassDOT will be installing precast ceiling panels, fire alarm conduits, concrete below the deck, radio and CCTV system components, and completing all cleaning operations required to open the tunnel by Monday morning.

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The four tunnels vary in age between 19 years old and 88 years old. Both the Ted Williams Tunnel, which opened in 1995, and the Thomas O'Neill Tunnel, which opened in 2003, were part of the historic Big Dig project.

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