Construction along Comm. Ave. to impact traffic until mid-August

The dreaded Commonwealth Avenue Bridge construction project has finally started, and so has the traffic nightmare.

The next step in the Comm Ave Bridge project is forcing the bridge to close down, affecting both drivers and MBTA passengers.

Phase two of the bridge replacement on the westbound side will take 15 days to complete, where traffic will be restricted starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday and will last through August 11.

The $110 million bridge replacement project is aimed at making the bridge safer by adding more bike lanes and making it more accessible for pedestrians.

Three 600-ton cranes will move 45-ton steel beams into place. Then, pre-fabricated bridge deck panels will be placed followed by concrete and asphalt to finish off the new section of the bridge.

Commuters are being advised to expect travel delays just like last summer when the eastbound side of the bridge was replaced.

“We were inconvenienced for a couple of weeks but it was not as a big a deal as I thought it would be," said John Sherman, who lives in the area with his wife.

Commonwealth Avenue and the BU Bridge into Cambridge will also be impacted by construction, as will MBTA service.

Comm. Ave. will be shut down on both directions starting Thursday and the MBTA's Green Line service will be replaced by shuttle buses as of Friday.

The Mass Pike will be reduced to two lanes each way during peak hours and then down to one lane at off-peak times. The BU bridge will be shut down for vehicles.

Massachusetts officials are set to hold a news conference Friday morning to go over the project and some possible alternatives for people's commutes. However, the best advice is still to avoid the area as much as possible.

MORE: A guide to the Comm. Ave. bridge project and its traffic impacts

Cox Media Group