The Casey Overpass will being shutting down forever this Saturday in preparation for its demolition, currently slated for the week of May 18. Major detours and construction of the new Casey Arborway surface streets will continue for more than 18 months.
The state Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting about the closure on Thurs., May 7, 7-9 p.m., at English High School, 144 McBride St.
Starting on Sat., May 9 at 7 a.m., the westbound lane of the overpass, toward Jamaica Pond, will close permanently. The eastbound lane will close May 16. Demolition of the overpass will begin the week of May 18.
The overpass is the bridge that carries Route 203 over the Forest Hills T Station at Washington Street and Hyde Park Avenue. The bridge will be demolished and replaced by a new six- to eight-lane surface road. The project is scheduled for completion in September 2016.
Transit operations at Forest Hills Station will not be immediately impacted by the closure of the overpass, according to MassDOT.
But there will be significant traffic detours. MassDOT issued the following details about those detours:
The southbound exit of Forest Hills Street, toward Shea Circle, will remain closed.
During the initial phase of demolition, westbound traffic will travel along the temporary roadway from Shea Circle to the Arborway onramp at South Street. Right and left turns will be permitted at the intersections with Washington Street and South Street. Eastbound traffic will be split at the western end of the overpass.
Traffic seeking to access South Street, Forest Hills Station, and points south, will bear to the right, making a right turn onto South Street at the bottom of the ramp. Left turns onto South Street northbound will not be permitted. Eastbound through traffic will bear left onto the eastbound temporary roadway. Eastbound right or left turns to South Street in either direction will not be permitted. Right and left turns at Washington Street will be open to traffic.
Bicycle connections will remain as they have since the temporary closure of the entrance of the Southwest Corridor Bicycle Path in April. At the end of the pathway, cyclists seeking to access South Street should bear to the right. Cyclists with destinations on Washington Street or to the east should bear to the left. These temporary connections are shared with pedestrians.
Pedestrian crosswalks will be provided at the Yale Terrace/Morton Street eastbound exit, Morton Street (Route 203) westbound entrance; Circuit Drive/Jewish War Veterans’ Drive, and Forest Hills Street exit of Shea Circle.
Signalized crosswalks will be present on the north and west sides of the intersection of Washington Street and the temporary roadway. Signalized pedestrian crossings will also be provided on the northern and western sides of South Street and temporary roadway intersection. Existing signalized crosswalks south of the Overpass on South Street and Washington Street will be maintained during this phase of construction.
For more information, visit bit.ly/1yMuRV6.