WEEKLY STATUS SUMMARY
This week, the project will mainly continue the operations detailed below. The Newbury Street on-ramp may be closed some overnights during Turnpike lane closures: we will update the website once any dates are confirmed. Limited noise is expected overnight for fence removal in the eastbound Turnpike, and ongoing material removal and drain installation near the railroad. During days, foundation wall installation and mass excavation are progressing on site and within the Turnpike workzones.
DETAILED LOOK-AHEAD
Week of October 24
Week of October 24
TURNPIKE & TRAVEL
Turnpike Eastbound (inbound): slow-speed (right) lane remains closed from the Allston Viaduct (the Exit 131 interchange) to just past Mass Ave.
Starting today (Friday 10/22) and into next week, the eastbound Turnpike work zone will be extended further east with metal safety barriers, to just past the Mass Ave tunnel. See Overnight Work below for details.
Turnpike Westbound (outbound): slow-speed (right) lane is closed from the Prudential Tunnel to just past Beacon St. This extended closure allows safe and continuous set-ups for Parcel 12 and for the neighboring project to the west, called the Fenway Center.
Overnight single-lane closures are expected on the Turnpike, requiring closures of the Newbury Street on-ramp. We will post dates on Construction Updates once confirmed by MassDOT.
Concrete wall repairs: within the Eastbound Turnpike workzone and under the Mass Ave Bridge, we will continue chipping and repairing the concrete wall. Noise is expected. This work will be limited to daytime hours. Westbound repairs are complete.
The second stage of deck support wall construction is underway on the Turnpike. These foundation walls are being built adjacent to the slow-speed lanes in both directions. This week, we will continue pouring pile caps and walls and prepare for barrier installation. This phase is on track to be complete in Fall 2021.
Please continue to move carefully through the workzones: pay extra attention to your speed, lane markings, traffic signage, barriers, and any police or construction workers you see.
ON SITE
Mass excavation throughout the Boylston Street site is ongoing with interior foundations continuing, which includes pouring pile caps to support walls.
Installation of electrical fixtures along the Turnpike foundation walls in both directions will be ongoing this week.
Foundation work including walls, drilled mini piles, and pile caps will continue along the Newbury Street parcel.
Foundation work adjacent to the railroad requires careful coordination with train schedules, as certain activities are limited to off-peak periods.
Drilled foundations are installed between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.
OVERNIGHT WORK
Nighttime work will continue in the highway, along the railway, and within the Boylston Street site along the railroad tracks where required for safety and logistical reasons. The project is taking all appropriate steps to avoid and mitigate noise from demolition. Upcoming overnight work includes:
Barriers will be installed overnights to extend the Eastbound Turnpike workzone to just past the Mass Ave tunnel, to allow concrete wall repairs. This work begins on Friday 10/22 and will wrap up this coming week. Limited noise is expected during barrier delivery and installation, and will be minimized however possible.
Fence removal along the Eastbound slow-speed fixed workzone will continue this week. Minimal noise expected.
We hope to start fence removal along the Westbound slow-speed fixed workzone this week. Similar minimal noise expected.
Permanent concrete barrier delivery and installation along the new foundation walls (within the slow-speed Turnpike workzones) will begin this week. Minimal noise expected.
We will continue installing an underground drain adjacent to the railway overnight throughout this week, with some noise expected including using hand tools to remove granite in the drain path. We will use sound blankets to mitigate any limited noise this may cause. This drain work has to occur overnight in accordance with rail operating restrictions. We will minimize noise as much as possible, including white-noise back-up alarms. When work is active near the railway, due to national train safety protocols, airhorns will be used to alert workers when trains are passing.
Removal of material and loading of the workzone will continue overnight within the Turnpike workzones in both directions. This work requires travel lane closures that cannot occur during the day. While removing material, the contractor will place sand in the bottom of the trucks to dampen metal noises and will move pieces slowly into the trucks to limit noise.
Loading and unloading of the construction zone at the Newbury on-ramp will continue overnight and in the early morning to support the ongoing foundation activities.
Always check the Construction Updates page for the latest information and scheduled activities. Workhours are coordinated with MassDOT and with MBTA and are subject to change based on weather.
OTHER NEARBY WORK
Verizon is doing daytime utility work in the left lane of Newbury Street approaching the I-90 on-ramp. Access to the ramp is maintained while this work is going on, though it may appear blocked when approaching from Mass Ave. Any closure should include posted detour signage.
Construction and maintenance work unrelated to this project continues in the area. This includes local utility and street work, rehabilitation of portions of the Mass. Ave. Bridge, other construction projects along I-90 and in the neighborhood, and routine road maintenance. These other construction activities may have noise and/or traffic impacts that are not covered in these BuildP12 project updates. We will strive to provide information about these as a courtesy wherever possible.