East Boston residents frustrated with exit closure during Sumner repairs

EAST BOSTON - The people of East Boston are 13 days into the Sumner Tunnel shutdown. As they halt in traffic, MassDOT crews say they are 40% done with the work.

Tunnel remains on track to open Aug. 5

Residents are already fed up with the long drive times, and extra closures surrounding the tunnel.

"We're at the stage in the project now where they are just wrapping up all of the concrete work that's going on on the bridge deck," said MassDOT Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. "We are shifting gears the next few days for paving the next few weeks."

MassDOT says they remain on track to reopen the tunnel on Aug. 5 and that date can't come soon enough for Eastie residents.

Bennington Street exit impacting drivers in East Boston

"Gaining access to go to work takes at least an hour and a half for a 20-minute ride," explained Joanne Pomodoro, a Mass General Hospital social worker who lives in East Boston.

Her drive to work is impacted by the closure of the tunnel, but typically, Pomodoro takes Route 1A as part of her route to get home. The drive avoids the Sumner, but has been running her into another problem that has plagued East Boston residents for two summers during the closures.

"The exit to 145, which is the Bennington Street exit, is usually blocked off," said Pomodoro.

When it is shut down, the commute home is extended back onto the highway, sometimes into Revere.

"There is no advanced warning or notice when that is closed," tells Pomodoro, "The highway is backed up all the way to the airport. No one has access to anywhere. We have offered suggestions, and they have gone without even consideration."

Neighbors tried to get law makers to take notice last year, and they are again this year. This week residents launched a social media push for pictures and videos of the traffic caused by the Bennington exit closures. The evidence is being gathered to take to state officials.

"We don't feel like it's East Boston. We feel every decision is swayed towards the airport," said Pomodoro.

"Logan has a plan in place where if traffic starts queuing up into some of the terminals, they will close certain ramps and bring traffic up towards Bennington Street and up Route 1A," explained Gulliver.

State Representative Adrian Madaro says the call to close the exit is made by State Police to alleviate airport traffic spilling into city streets. He says Lyft and Uber drivers will clog up East Boston streets as a work around to the airport. Madaro has worked with MassDOT to use signage in the tunnel to alert drivers when the exit is closed. He says that just went into place late last week, however now drivers will have to get off earlier and into the airport exit. While some residents have noticed the signs, others say the they are inconsistent, and that some days the exit is closed, but the signs aren't active.

"There's so many places you can make a minor adjustment, and it would make a big difference, but, again, no one is listening," adds Pomodoro.