Painting Resumes on the Tobin Memorial Bridge
Motorists advised of lane closures

May 18, 2007

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) today announced long term lane closures on the upper and lower level roadways of the Tobin Memorial Bridge beginning May 21, 2007 and ending in November 2007. Lane closures are to allow for painting of the upper and lower level roadways from the Little Mystic Truss to the Toll Plaza Area as well as along the upper level approach spans to the CANA tunnel in Charlestown.

Lane closures include:

• Upper Level-Southbound after the Toll Plaza, vehicles merge to center two lanes past Little Mystic Truss.

• Lower Level-Northbound after the CANA Tunnel, vehicles merge to two lanes up to the Old Toll Area.  Chelsea exit ramps will remain open.

Work will take place Monday through Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on weekends if necessary, through November 2007, at which time the project will end for the winter and begin again in the spring of 2008. All work is traffic and weather permitting.

This painting project consists of phases two and seven of Massport's nine phase, $43 million, painting project begun in 1992. The on-going painting process is necessary to protect the steel structure from corrosive effects of New England winters and ocean salt and to insure the integrity of the bridge.