If you take the Massachusetts Turnpike, your morning commute should be back to normal as of Monday morning.
All four lanes in each direction on I-90 are open once again, as of 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 7, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
The Pike was previously whittled down to less lanes because of the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge construction. Now, the lane restoration has been completed three weeks ahead of schedule, officials said.
“The hard work of our crews and contractors is allowing us to meet this important milestone ahead of schedule and open all four lanes in each direction on I-90 in Boston in time for the Monday morning commute,” Transportation Secretary Stephanie Pollack said in a statement.
To accommodate the construction project, I-90 was reduced to three lanes in each direction beginning July 7, then further reduced to one or two lanes of travel beginning July 28.
The turnpike was scheduled to be fully reopened to all four lanes by Aug. 28. It’s fully restored early, officials said, because workers were able to finish installing beams and remove a 440-ton crane on I-90 “more efficiently than originally planned,” said Acting Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.
Lane reductions on the turnpike throughout the duration of the project will now be reserved for off-peak hours and short-term durations as needed.
The transportation changes for the rest of the options impacted by the project are unchanged. Interruptions along Commonwealth Avenue as well as the MBTA Green Line B Branch and bus routes are expected to continue until Aug. 14 as planned.
“Our team has designed this major construction project in a way that considers the needs of the traveling public, as well as residents of the Greater Boston area, and we are pleased with the progress of work so far,” Pollack said. “We appreciate the continued support and patience of the traveling public and will continue to conduct our operations in ways that seek to minimize our impact on the local community and all those who travel throughout the Commonwealth Avenue/ Boston University region in Boston.”
Members of the public can check transit schedule information and learn about the shuttle buses replacing the B Line service at mbta.com and MassDOT’s app GoTime, which has real-time travel information.
