Callahan Tunnel
 The downtown Boston entrance to the tunnel | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Boston, Massachusetts |
| Coordinates | 42°22′04″N 71°2′46″W / 42.36778°N 71.04611°W |
| Status | Open |
| Route |   Route 1A north |
| Start | Downtown Boston |
| End | East Boston |
| Operation | |
| Constructed | high-strength steel and concrete infill |
| Opened | November 11, 1961 |
| Owner | Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
| Operator | Massachusetts Department of Transportation |
| Toll | Between $0.20 and $2.05 |
| Technical | |
| Length | 0.96 mi (1.54 km) |
| No. of lanes | 2 |
| Operating speed | 40 mph (64 km/h) |
| Tunnel clearance | 13.4 ft (4.1 m)[1] |
| Width | 24.2 ft (7.4 m)[1] |
The Lieutenant William F. Callahan Jr. Tunnel (colloquially Callahan Tunnel) is a road tunnel under Boston Harbor between the North End and East Boston. It carries northbound Massachusetts Route 1A, forming a one-way pair with the Sumner Tunnel. Opened in 1961 to complement the Sumner Tunnel, it carried all northbound traffic under the harbor until the Ted Williams Tunnel opened in the 1990s as part of the Big Dig.
History
[edit]
The tunnel was opened in 1961 to complement the Sumner Tunnel. It was named for the son of Turnpike chairman William F. Callahan, who was killed in Italy days before the end of World War II.[citation needed] A toll plaza was located at the East Boston end of the tunnel. On May 2, 1983, one-way tolling was implemented in the Sumner and Callahan tunnels and on the Tobin Bridge. The Callahan Tunnel toll plaza was removed, while tolls on the Sumner Tunnel doubled to 60 cents.[2][3]
Repairs to the tunnel were made in the early 1990s.[4]
A major overhaul began in December 2013, which completely replaced the deck, curbs, and wall panels; and cleaned and repaired its ceiling and vent systems (above the ceiling and below the deck). It was planned for three phases: complete closure from December 27, 2013 to March 12, 2014 during deck and curb replacement; closures 11pm-5am from March 13, 2014 to late August 2014 for wall panel replacement; and final work until November 2014. McCourt Construction of South Boston was awarded the $19.3 million contract in August.[5] During closures, Logan-bound traffic was diverted into the Ted Williams Tunnel, Tobin Bridge, and Massachusetts Route 1A South via Revere or East Boston.[6]
In 2016, cashless tolling systems were installed in both directions, entering the Sumner Tunnel and exiting the Callahan Tunnel as part of a plan to modernize toll collection the Boston area.[7] As of 2016, a toll of $1.50 is charged for non-commercial two-axle vehicles with a Massachusetts E-ZPass, while non-Massachusetts E-ZPass holders are charged $1.75. Vehicles without E-ZPass are charged $2.05 through MassDOT's Pay By Plate MA program. For residents of certain Boston ZIP codes, a discount is in effect using an E-ZPass transponder, costing $0.20.
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Rehabilitation of the Sumner/Callahan Tunnels" (PDF). Concrete Repair Bulletin. International Concrete Repair Institute, Inc. May–June 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 30, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- ^ Pillsbury, Fred (May 1, 1983). "One-way toll experiment starts in Hub tomorrow". The Boston Globe. pp. 1, 21 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Massachusetts Port Authority (April 28, 1983). "One-way Tolls. [advertisement]". The Daily Item. p. 8 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hanson, Melissa (December 27, 2013). "Callahan Tunnel closure begins at 11 p.m." Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 30, 2014.
- ^ Chesto, Jon (November 17, 2013). "Here's what you need to know about the Callahan Tunnel's three-month closure". Boston Business Journal. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
- ^ "Callahan Tunnel Rehabilitation Project". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on December 30, 2013. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
- ^ "Toll Rates". EZDRIVEMA. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Callahan Tunnel at Wikimedia Commons
Crossings of the Boston Harbor | ||||
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