Major Crane Lifts and Nighttime Utility Work Planned This Weekend at Lechmere Viaduct in Support of GLX

Massive precast concrete pier caps continue to be lifted into place atop new Lechmere Viaduct support columns.

Detours for Monsignor O’Brien Highway scheduled Friday through Sunday evenings.

The MBTA announced today it will continue to advance major crane lifts again this weekend at the new Lechmere Viaduct now under construction between the Gilmore Bridge and Lechmere Station along Monsignor O’Brien Highway. The operation, entering into its third consecutive weekend work window, is progressing as planned.

The activity is in support of the Green Line Extension (GLX) project. Setup operations for crane work will begin around 9 PM tonight, July 24, and traffic detours will be in place by the early morning hours of Saturday, July 25. In addition to the placement of concrete pier caps, the steel spans for the viaduct are being hoisted into place. The actual crane lifts are scheduled from 7 AM to 10 PM on Saturday and from 7 AM to 7 PM on Sunday.

In addition to the crane lifts, nighttime utility work is scheduled to take place on North First Street in East Cambridge over the weekend from 6 PM to 6 AM on Friday and Saturday nights.

Traffic detours for motor vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists traveling through the area along Monsignor O’Brien Highway will be in place throughout the weekend. The purpose of the construction work is to place a series of prefabricated concrete pier caps atop the support columns for the new Lechmere viaduct. This construction method was chosen over casting the structures in place to save time on the project, which is on schedule for completion in December of 2021. The GLX project will extend Green Line service from the new Lechmere Station along two new branches to Union Square in Somerville and to College Avenue/Tufts University in Medford.

Delivery of the pre-cast materials and preparations for the series crane lifts will take place between 10 PM and 7 AM on Friday and Saturday nights. Anticipated noise levels during the overnight periods are expected to be light to moderate. The materials will be set in place from 7 AM to 10 PM on Saturday and 7 AM to 7 PM on Sunday.

Weekend Detour Routes: July 25 – 26

On Friday night, Monsignor O’Brien Highway will be closed to outbound traffic from East Street to the Gilmore Bridge/Charlestown Avenue in East Cambridge and inbound from Third Street to Cambridge Street.

During this phase, all motor vehicles traveling outbound (northwest) on Monsignor O’Brien Highway will be directed to bear left on Edwin H. Land Boulevard, make a right on Binney Street, turn right on Third Street, and proceed to Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

All motor vehicles traveling inbound (southwest) on Monsignor O’Brien Highway will be directed to make a right on Third Street, turn left on Cambridge Street, and proceed to Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

Trucks traveling outbound (northwest) will be directed to make a right at the Gilmore Bridge, turn left on Rutherford Avenue, turn right on Washington Street at the Sullivan Square Rotary, and proceed to McGrath Highway.

Trucks traveling inbound on McGrath Highway will be directed to make a left on Washington Street, turn right on Rutherford Avenue at the Sullivan Square Rotary, turn right at the Gilmore Bridge, and proceed to Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

Pedestrians traveling outbound (northwest) on Monsignor O’Brien Highway will be directed to cross over to the south sidewalk and continue on Monsignor O’Brien Highway, bear left on Cambridge Street, turn right on Second Street, turn right on Gore Street, and proceed to Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

Pedestrians traveling inbound (southeast) on Monsignor O’Brien Highway will be directed to turn right on Gore Street, turn left on Cambridge Street, and proceed to Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

Bicycles traveling outbound (northwest) on Monsignor O’Brien Highway will be directed to turn left on Edwin H. Land Boulevard, turn right on Rogers Street, turn right on First Street, turn left on Cambridge Street, turn right on Third Street, and proceed to Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

Bicycles traveling inbound (southeast) on Monsignor O’Brien Highway will be directed to turn right on Third Street, turn left on Cambridge Street, and proceed to Monsignor O’Brien Highway.

The MBTA appreciates the patience and understanding of motorists and others affected by construction as the GLX Project Team continues to make strides in delivering GLX to the region on schedule. The MBTA also thanks its city partners, municipal leaders, and stakeholder groups for their continued collaboration and support of GLX.