What do the colors in the Boston tunnels mean?


What do the colors in the Boston tunnels mean? The next time you're driving through one of the tunnels in Boston, take note of those tiles on the side of the road. If they're brown, it means you're under ground. If they're blue, you're under water.


Why are there green lights in tunnels?

These green bands will move at a speed safe and appropriate to traffic conditions in the tunnel with hopes to encourage drivers to maintain a consistent speed, while never exceeding the tunnel's speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour.


Does the blue line go underwater?

Perhaps ironically, the Blue Line takes several points of pride from its proximity to water, which gives it its name. Local historians claim the tunnel that runs under the harbor as the first underwater subway tunnel in the United States.


Which Boston tunnel goes to Logan Airport?

Built in the 1930s, the Sumner Tunnel (Route 1A South) is the first traffic tunnel in Massachusetts and takes vehicles from Logan Airport to Boston/I-93.


Is Callahan Tunnel underwater?

It was originally a two-way road that carried traffic in both directions, until the opening of the parallel Callahan Tunnel in 1961. The tunnel is 8,448 feet long, of which approximately 3,960 feet are underwater. In 2017, the state removed the tollbooths as part of a switch to electronic tolling.


What are the dangers of tunnels?

Accidents in tunnels are more dangerous than in the open air. An explosion or fire may cause considerable damage and hazardous substances cannot be removed quickly. Smoke causes poor visibility, lack of oxygen rapidly occurs and there may be panic. It is difficult to escape from a tunnel.


Where is the big dig in Boston?

The Central Artery/Tunnel Project (CA/T Project), commonly known as the Big Dig, was a megaproject in Boston that rerouted the Central Artery of Interstate 93 (I-93), the chief highway through the heart of the city, into the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel.


How many tunnels are in Boston?

The four tunnels vary in age between 19 years old and 88 years old. Both the Ted Williams Tunnel, which opened in 1995, and the Thomas O'Neill Tunnel, which opened in 2003, were part of the historic Big Dig project.


What tunnel is shut down in Boston?

The Sumner Tunnel is undergoing a restoration that began in the spring of 2022. This work requires the tunnel to be closed to traffic periodically.


Is the Sumner and Callahan Tunnel the same?

The Sumner Tunnel was opened on June 30, 1934. It carried traffic in both directions until the opening of the parallel Callahan Tunnel in 1961. The Sumner Tunnel is named for William H. Sumner, the son of Governor Increase Sumner.


Why do they tile the inside of tunnels?

Ceramic tile is an advantageous material in road and railway tunnels to provide the tunnel walls with a durable surface layer that is easy to maintain and adds additional protective qualities. Ceramic tile is made to withstand anything thrown its way, as it is resistant to cracking, chipping, staining, and denting.


Which tunnel is the Callahan Tunnel?

The Lieutenant William F. Callahan Jr. Tunnel (colloquially Callahan Tunnel) is one of four tunnels, and one of three road tunnels, beneath Boston Harbor in Boston, Massachusetts. It carries motor vehicles from the North End to Logan International Airport and Route 1A in East Boston.


When did the Boston tunnel collapse?

The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the July 10, 2006, ceiling collapse in the D Street portal of the Interstate 90 connector tunnel in Boston, Massachusetts, was the use of an epoxy anchor adhesive with poor creep resistance, that is, an epoxy formulation that was not capable ...


What are the three tunnels in Boston?

The tunnels involved are the Thomas O'Neill Tunnel that carries Interstate 93 underneath downtown Boston, the Ted Williams Tunnel that ferries drivers along Interstate 90 east and west across the harbor, and the westbound Sumner and eastbound Callahan Tunnels linking Boston and East Boston.