July 21 - Salsa Concert transportation and parking

The City of Cambridge is holding a free outdoor Salsa concert this Wednesday evening, July 21, at the intersection of Vassar and Main Streets. The concert is scheduled between the hours of 7:00 PM and 10:30 PM.

The Vassar and Main Street intersection will be closed after 4:00 PM on July 21. Those vehicles leaving the MIT parking lots in the effected areas will be able to exit, but only in the direction away from the concert site. Main Street will be closed from Portland to Ames Street. Vassar street will also be closed, but those vehicles departing our parking lots will be able to proceed towards Mass. Ave. Shuttle buses will have to be rerouted during this time. We expect the streets to reopen after cleanup operations are complete, sometime during the overnight period.

MIT police will provide an extra presence and will be posted at building enterances near the concert site, and only those individuals with MIT IDs will be permitted to access these buildings.

The following MIT services and facilities will be impacted from 4PM to Midnight on Wednesday, July 21, due to the Salsa Concert:

• Tech Shuttle stop #3 at building 39 on Vassar Street will be closed.
• Tech Shuttle stop #9 will stop at 600 Tech Square at the intersection of Albany and Portland Streets.
• Saferide Cambridge East stop #10 at Tech Square (NE43) will be closed.
• Saferide Cambridge West stop #20 at buildings 56/66 and stop #21 at building 34 will be closed.
• Vehicles parked in the East Lot will exit east on Main Street.
• Vehicles parked in the Stata Garage and Main Lot will exit west on Vassar Street.

MIT campus shuttles

EZRide Shuttle: (7/26-7/30) EZRide will provide service from the Kendall/MIT station to all points along its route EXCEPT North Station. EZRide will operate as far as First Street in East Cambridge. Further schedule and route changes will be announced at

http://www.masscommute.com/tmas/crtma/ezride.html

Tech Shuttle: (7/26-7/30) The Tech Shuttle will begin service at 6:00 am, one hour earlier than usual. There will be additional service every 10 minutes from 7:00 am to 9:00 am and from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

http://web.mit.edu/parking/techshuttle.html

SafeRide: (7/26 – 7/29)

Cambridge East – Normal schedule and route
Cambridge West – Normal schedule and route
Boston East – Normal schedule and route
Boston West – SafeRide will not stop at Simmons Hall, stop #11, due to closure of Memorial Drive eastbound.

http://web.mit.edu/parking/saferide.html

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Subways

Special Note: Expect higher than normal usage at all park and ride lots. Many lots may fill up earlier than normal. See Park and Ride Opportunities below.

Orange Line: The Orange Line will operate normal service between Oak Grove and Forest Hills, with the following exceptions:

• North Station (subway) will be closed beginning Saturday, July 24th. The station will reopen sometime on Friday, July 30th.
• Expect large crowds at Oak Grove, as all Haverhill commuter rail passengers will be transferred to the Orange Line at that point.

Orange Line information is at:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_subway_orangeline.asp

Green Line: Due to the North Station Superstation project, Green Line service between North Station and Lechmere will be replaced by bus service beginning in June 2004, for approximately one year. During the DNC, the replacement shuttle will operate in a one-way loop, in the following order:

• Lechmere
• NO STOP at Science Park
• NO STOP at North Station/Causeway St .
• Stop at Haymarket (Green and Orange Lines)
• Stop at Government Center (Green and Blue Lines)
• Return to Lechmere via Longfellow Bridge

Green Line trolleys will operate normal service between the western end of the four branches (Boston College (B line), Cleveland Circle (C line), Riverside (D line), and Heath Street (E line)) into either Government Center or Haymarket. While some service will operate to Haymarket, expect more trains than normal to terminate at Government Center .

For information on the North Station Superstation Project, please see the MBTA’s website: http://www.mbta.com/projects_underway/northstation.asp

Green Line Information is at:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_subway_greenline.asp

Red Line: The Red Line will operate normal service between Alewife and Ashmont and Braintree. Expect larger than normal crowds boarding at Porter Square and South Station, where Commuter Rail riders will be diverted to the Red Line.

Red Line Information is at:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_subway_redline.asp

Blue Line: The Blue Line will operate normal service between Wonderland and Government Center/Bowdoin. Expect higher than normal ridership at Wonderland, where Newburyport/Rockport Commuter rail riders are being diverted.

Blue Line Information is at:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_subway_blueline.asp

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Commuter Rail

Special Note: Expect higher than normal usage at all park and ride lots. Many lots may fill up earlier than normal. See Park and Ride Opportunities below. See a PDF of the MBTA DNC service plan.

All South Station Commuter Rail lines are unaffected by the DNC, and will run normal service. North Station will be closed from the late evening of Friday, July 23rd, until sometime on Friday, July 30th or Saturday, July 31st. Changes are as follows:

Fitchburg Line: All trains will terminate at Porter Square, where riders will transfer to the Red Line. All trains will arrive and depart at regularly scheduled times at stations between Fitchburg and Porter Square.

Fitchburg Line Information is at:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_commuter_linedetail.asp?line=fitchburg

Lowell Line:

All trains to South Station will terminate at Woburn/Anderson Regional Transportation Center (RTC). Stay on the train if you are traveling to the Winchester, Wedgemere or West Medford Stations. Riders will transfer to buses for service to South Station via I-93. Buses will arrive and depart South Station behind the Federal Reserve building, near the corner of Summer Street and Dorchester Avenue. Trains will arrive and depart stations between Anderson RTC and Lowell at their regularly scheduled times.

Additional bus service will be provided on weekdays from Winchester, Wedgemere, and West Medford stations to Haymarket prior to 3:00 PM, and to South Station after 3:00 PM. Weekend travelers should use bus routes 80, 94, 95, or 134.

Lowell Line Information is at:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_commuter_linedetail.asp?line=lowell

Haverhill/Reading Line: All trains will terminate at Oak Grove, where riders will transfer to the Orange Line. All trains will arrive and depart stations between Haverhill and Oak Grove at their regularly scheduled times.

Haverhill/Reading Line Information is at:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_commuter_linedetail.asp?line=haverhill

Newburyport/Rockport Lines: Trains will operate between Rockport/Newburyport and Chelsea, however riders headed to Boston should transfer to shuttle bus service at Lynn Station:

• Before 10:00 AM on weekdays, buses will operate between Lynn and South Station via the Ted Williams Tunnel.
• After 10:00 AM, and all day on weekends, buses will operate between Lynn and Wonderland Station on the Blue Line. All riders will need to go to Wonderland (Blue Line) for their afternoon commute home, even if they arrived at South Station!

Passengers from Chelsea to Boston should use regular MBTA bus routes (subway connections in parentheses):

• Route 111: Woodlawn – Haymarket (Green/Orange) or Wood Island (Blue) via Bellingham Sq. (NOTE: This route is being diverted to Wood Island WEEKDAYS AFTER 3:00 PM during the DNC. See bus service section below.)
• Route 112: Wellington (Orange) – Wood Island (Blue) via Bellingham Sq.
• Route 114: Bellingham Sq. – Maverick (Blue)
• Route 116: Wonderland (Blue) – Maverick (Blue) via Bellingham Sq.
• Route 117: Wonderland (Blue) – Maverick (Blue) via Bellingham Sq.

Trains will arrive and depart stations between Lynn and Rockport or Newburyport at their regularly scheduled times. Outbound trains will depart Chelsea 15 minutes earlier than normal.

Newburyport/Rockport lines information is at:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_commuter_linedetail.asp?line=newburyport

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Buses

The following bus routes will be affected by the DNC closures:

• 4 North Station – World Trade Center : No service this week
• 6 Boston Marine Industrial Park – Haymarket: Will operate between South Station and BMIP only, no service to Haymarket/North End after 3:00 PM weekdays.
• 92, 93 Assembly Square – Downtown/ Sullivan Square – Downtown: No service to Downtown. Buses will not go past City Square in Charlestown after 3:00 PM weekdays.
• 111 Woodlawn – Haymarket: Runs normal route until 3:00 PM; after 3:00 PM weekdays, bus diverted to Wood Island (Blue Line)
• The following Northside Express Buses will originate/terminate at South Station instead of Haymarket or State Street AFTER 3:00 PM WEEKDAYS ONLY:
  • 325 Elm St. Medford
  • 326 West Medford
  • 352 Burlington
  • 354 Woburn
  • 355 Mishawum
  • 424 Eastern & Essex, Lynn
  • 426 Central Sq., Lynn & East Saugus
  • 428 Oaklandvale
  • 434 Peabody Square
  • 441 Marblehead
  • 442 Marblehead
  • 450 Salem
  • 455 Salem

Additional bus service changes may be necessary. Please visit the MBTA website for ongoing updates to bus service as the DNC approaches.

Bus schedules and maps are available here:
http://www.mbta.com/traveling_t/schedules_buses.asp

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Potential Park & Ride Opportunities for North of Boston Commuters

At present, the MBTA anticipates that the following Park and Ride locations may be good options for commuters North of Boston:

• Wonderland: Blue Line to Boston
• Suffolk Downs: Blue Line to Boston
• Lynn Station: Buses to Boston or Blue Line (Wonderland)
• North Shore Mall: Buses to Boston (rush hours only)
• Woburn/Anderson RTC: Buses to Boston – South Station
• Woburn/Mishawum: Buses to Boston (rush hours only)

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Water Transportation

Lovejoy Wharf near North Station will be closed for the duration of the DNC shutdown period.

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Traffic changes/restrictions

The morning driving commute should be free of road closures and detours, but expect delays. The afternoon commute will be impacted by significant road restrictions and closures as well as heavy traffic. If possible, begin the afternoon commute before 4 pm.

Smartraveler

During the DNC week please utilize the smartraveler service to keep up to date on road restrictions and closures.

http://www.smartraveler.com

*1 on cellular phones, or (617) 374-1234

Route 93

Normal two-way traffic flow expected from 1 am to 4 pm each day.

Closed in both directions each night from Exit 20 to Exit 32 (Mass Pike to Route 60), from approximately 4 pm to midnight, July 26-30.  

Route 93 North

All on-ramps to route 93 northbound will be closed from Braintree to Boston each night (7/26-7/29) between 4 pm and 7 pm. All northbound traffic that remains on 93N heading to Boston will be diverted at Exit 20 from 4 pm to midnight.

Route 93 South

All on-ramps to route 93 southbound will be closed from Route 128 to Boston each night (7/26-7/29) between 4 pm and 7 pm. All southbound traffic that remains on 93S heading to Boston will be diverted at Exit 32 from 4pm to midnight.

Route 1 South – Tobin Bridge

Route 1 south and the southbound lanes of the Tobin Bridge will be closed from Exit 32 during Route 93 closure.

Route 1A – Sumner Tunnel

Sumner tunnel will be closed during Route 93 closure. Callahan Tunnel will remain open.

McGrath/O’Brien Highway

The McGrath and O’Brien highway will be closed southbound at Land Boulevard during the Route 93 closure.  

Memorial Drive

Memorial Drive will be closed eastbound at the BU Bridge during Route 93 closure.

Storrow Drive

Storrow Drive will be closed eastbound at Western Avenue during Route 93 closure.

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MIT Parking

All MIT parking facilities will be unaffected by the DNC. Public transportation is encouraged during the DNC week, but service on some lines will be affected. For members of the MIT community who do not have a parking permit, and feel that they must commute by car, the Parking and Transportation Office will make special arrangements. Contact the Parking Office at (617) 258-6510.

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T-pass Distribution

August T-pass pickup is scheduled for July 28, 29 and 30.

For those who may not be able to pick up their T pass on the scheduled dates, a mailing option is being provided. Participants in the T pass program may send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to the T pass Office in Room E32-105 to have their August pass mailed to them. These passes will be mailed out on Wednesday, July 28, with the expectation that they will be delivered by July 31. The Parking and Transportation office cannot be held responsible for lost passes once they are placed in US Mail.

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