WEEKLY STATUS SUMMARY
Deck installation will continue today with the 3rd of 4 weekend rail service shutdowns. Interior foundation and core work remains ongoing in both the Boylston and Newbury Street parcels. We will also continue the ongoing operations detailed below: limited noise is expected overnight for restoration of both Turnpike workzones as we continue to prepare to remove the permanent workzones. We will continue erecting steel during second shift within the Boylston Street parcel. As emailed on Tuesday, the Newbury Street / Mass Ave will remain open this weekend.
DETAILED LOOK-AHEAD
TURNPIKE & TRAVEL
Weekend rail: Installation of the deck platform structure will continue tomorrow, the 3rd of 4 weekends through 12/19. During work, the Commuter Rail will use weekend shutdowns to ensure the safety of riders and workers, starting Friday night and ending by 5am Monday morning. We will continue to send reminders in weekly look-ahead emails. The MBTA will also share service alerts and information on their social media and mbta.com.
Turnpike Eastbound (inbound): slow-speed (right) lane remains closed from the Allston Viaduct (the Exit 131 interchange) to just past Mass Ave.
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.
The second stage of deck support wall construction is nearly complete on the Turnpike. The foundation walls on both sides of the highway have been fully poured, and we are finalizing a few activities before demobilizing the workzone.
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.
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 complete with interior foundations continuing. This includes excavating and pouring pile caps to support the slab on grade, and continuing to form & pour the concrete elevator core walls.
Steel erection within the Boylston Street site will begin Monday 12/6, and will be ongoing from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. during weekdays. Noise will be limited, and we will utilize white-noise back-up alarms during material delivery.
Installation of underground plumbing and electrical will continue throughout the Boylston and Newbury Street sites.
Installation of electrical equipment along the Turnpike foundation walls in both directions will be ongoing this week.
Foundation work including walls and pile caps will continue along the Newbury Street parcel, in addition to beginning to form & pour the concrete elevator core mat.
Preparation for the Newbury St parcel tower crane will continue.
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:
We have begun building the deck platform, by lowering concrete bridge planks into place over the rail tracks 24/7 on weekends including overnights. This work will resume today and continue through the weekend of 12/19. The work is not expected to be loud compared to background highway noise.
During deck installation, we will also prepare to install light fixtures and fire protection along the existing concrete walls under the Mass Ave Bridge. We will start by repairing concrete during the full track service shutdowns starting 12/3. Noise is expected, but will only be limited to daytime hours during the weekend.
Permanent concrete barrier delivery and installation along the new foundation walls (within the slow-speed Turnpike workzones) will continue this week. Minimal noise expected.
Restoration of both slow-speed fixed workzones will continue this week: we have completed the final paving and will start striping markings this week. Minimal noise expected.
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
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.