MassDOT stated they’ve carried out inspects throughout over 150 factors all through the Boston-area tunnel system after concrete got here crashing down on drivers within the Prudential Tunnel final week.
“The inspections identified no additional areas requiring immediate repairs beyond the work already completed at the Huntington Avenue expansion joint in the Prudential Tunnel,” a MassDOT spokesperson stated.
5 inspection crews deployed throughout the tunnel system Friday night time after the incident and inspected 154 places for indicators of unfastened concrete, in keeping with MassDOT.
On Friday afternoon, a 4 to 5-long chunk of concrete got here crashing down and did minor harm to a number of autos on the westbound aspect of the Mass Pike within the Prudential Tunnel, Freeway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver acknowledged on the time. MassDOT video launched reveals some vehicles hit and others drive over the wreckage earlier than site visitors begins to gradual.
No accidents have been reported, however the incident triggered a serious site visitors backlog amid the Friday rush hour.
MassDOT attributed the collapse to “recent freeze/thaw cycles,” which trigger “concrete to become saturated, freeze, and then delaminate as temperatures rose.” The joint that failed was scheduled to be inspected “in the coming weeks,” Gulliver stated.
The Prudential Tunnel is at present being totally inspected and is inspected each two years, in keeping with MassDOT. Gulliver stated Friday the Ted Williams, O’Neill, Sumner, Callahan and Storrow tunnels could be inspected instantly as effectively.
The division stated Boston’s overpass bridge joints are inspected routinely for freeze/thaw motion via the spring.
Freeze Thaw inspections of overpass bridge joints are ongoing throughout the state as a part of MassDOT’s routine inspection program and can proceed via the spring.
“Overhead shielding has been installed at the Huntington Avenue expansion joint and, as a precaution, will also be installed at five other expansion joint locations within the Prudential Tunnel,” the MassDOT spokesperson stated as of Saturday. “This work will be done during overnight hours and is expected to be complete by Tuesday.”
The shielding is designed to catch used to catch any small items of deteriorated concrete.
Throughout inspections, groups conduct visible and hands-on searches for delamination, voids or weakened areas, in keeping with the division.
MassDOT stated the Prudential Tunnel is totally open and secure, and extra work will happen in a single day.
