Daily News Briefs, August 31, 2023

This is a Subscribers-Only area. If you are a subscriber, please login. If not...

Become a Subscriber Today »

MassDOT Will End Summer-Long Closure Of Boston's Sumner Tunnel Tomorrow

Boston Herald reports, “The city’s summer of traffic torment will soon come to an end, after the governor and MassDOT officials announced work on the Sumner Tunnel is done enough that it will reopen on time [tomorrow]. Closed at the start of July, the 90-year-old [toll] tunnel connects the North End with Logan Airport and points beyond. Its closure, planned to allow construction crews 24-hour access to the tunnel for an interior roof replacement project, has meant a drive north that used to take a resident 10 minutes on Route 1A might instead take an hour through detours.” MassDOT is in the midst of a challenging multiyear, $157-million rehabilitation project that includes wall and ceiling replacements, roadway resurfacing, and installation of new lighting, GPS equipment, fire alarms and surveillance systems. Although the reopening is welcome, “weekend closures will continue sporadically from now until next Summer, when another two-month-long closure is scheduled so that MassDOT can replace the tunnel’s asphalt decking and shore up underlying concrete.” The article looks at the infrastructure changes 39,000 daily motorists will notice as they return to the Sumner, as well as the lessons learned during this year’s full closure. (TRN moved a link in the quoted text.)

Boston Metro Area Highway-Tunnel-Bridge Maintenance Massachusetts Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT)

Top


WSP Elevates Shalonda Baldwin To Northern California Transportation Business Leader

WSP announced this afternoon that Shalonda Baldwin has been appointed transportation business line leader for northern California. She joined WSP last November as a senior vice president and director of its Advisory Enterprise Management and Strategy team. From her base in San Francisco, Ms. Baldwin will now be responsible for supporting strategic growth, technical excellence and project delivery in California. According to the firm’s news release, she has “24 years of experience in guiding strategy, delivering pragmatic business and operational solutions and promoting inclusive infrastructure and mobility in municipal governments, public transportation and the infrastructure industry. She was raised in San Francisco and she has worked in transportation throughout the state, including the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency, the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority and the office of two San Francisco mayors. Prior to joining WSP, she served on President Biden’s National Infrastructure Policy Committee. . . .”

Appointments-Promotions-Retirements California San Francisco Bay Area (CA) Women in Transportation WSP

Top


Virginia State Police Focus On Enforcing 66 Express HOV Requirements

Patch (Vienna, VA) reports, today and tomorrow, state police officers will be intensifying their enforcement of HOV rules on the I-66 express lanes operated by Express Mobility Partners outside the DC beltway  According to a change in HOV regulations adopted by Virginia in 2022, a vehicle must have at least three occupants (HOV 3+) and be equipped with an E-Z Pass Flex transponder to qualify for exemption from the managed lane tolls. “HOV violations can result in a $125 fine for the first offense, $250 for a second offense within five years, $500 for a third offense within five years and $1,000 for a fourth offense within five years.”

In a news release on the enforcement campaign, I-66 Express Mobility Partners commented, “HOV violations harm all drivers by adding to traffic in the 66 Express and increasing toll rates. Higher traffic volumes result in higher toll prices and slower travel, impacting all users of the roadway.”

66 Express Lanes (Outside DC Beltway) Carpooling Cintra US Express Lanes I-66 Express Mobility Partners Scofflaws Virginia Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Washington (DC) Metro Region

Top


These are just some of the toll industry developments TRN is following.

If you’re not already a Daily News Briefs subscriber and you want a complete picture of today’s news, click here or call 717-991-2823 for subscription information. If you’re a newcomer to TollRoadsNews.com, click here.

Top