North Shore Commuters: Tobin Lane Closures Could Have Been Worse

PEABODY, MA — North Shore commuters reported few problems with the first day of lane closures on the southbound side of Route 1 over the Tobin Bridge. There were few complaints on social media, with most commuters reporting just 5 to 10 extra minutes on their commute time. By 10 a.m. Monday, the Tuesday morning rush hour had mostly cleared out over the bridge, as well as Interstate 93.

The second phase of a two-year rehabilitation project on the bridge started Tuesday, forcing the lane closures. Massachusetts Department of Transportation officials opened the HOV lane on Route 93 north of Boston to all drivers in hopes of alleviating congestion over the bridge. While it was just the first commute on the first day of what is expected to be two years of shifting traffic patterns, the better-than-expected commute suggests MassDOT's fixes and warnings to drivers had worked.

Northbound lane closures linked to the project started on April 1. The $169 million project to repair the Tobin Bridge and the $42 million Chelsea Viaduct restoration are scheduled to be completed by 2021. In addition to the daytime lane closures, travel over the bridge in both directions is restricted to one lane in the overnight hours.

The bridge carries about 63,000 vehicles each weekday. Neither the bridge nor the viaduct have had extensive work since the 1970s, MassDOT officials said, and while the Tobin Bridge is safe, it is showing signs of deterioration.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).