June 4, 2004

Updated information released about DNC

In preparation for the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to be held July 26 to 29, the MGH continues to update its employees and patients about important issues concerning commuting and parking. The information below outlines further road closures, traffic changes and public transportation revisions recently released by the DNC committee. MGHers are encouraged to use this current information to plan their commute to and from the hospital during the convention dates and to help answer questions from patients and visitors. This information, however, is subject to change at any time.

Changes to MBTA/public transportation, parking
Red Line — The new temporary MGH/Charles Street MBTA Red Line Station now is open.

Parking at MGH — The DNC committee will be using the MGH Nashua Street Orange Lot and the Fleet Center underground garage. Employees who park in these areas will be parking in the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care underground garage from July 6 to Aug. 9. More details about this parking arrangement will be coming soon. In preparation for the DNC use of the Nashua Street Orange Lot, the vehicle stackers in that lot will be removed this week. They will not be reinstalled.

Changes to major arteries and roads
For security reasons, officials will not announce exactly what time the roads will close in the afternoon. There are indications that it will be between 4 and 6 pm. All interstate, highway and street closures will be initiated at the same time.

Route 93 — When the road closures are initiated nightly, all Route 93 on-ramps between Reading and exit 20 (Mass Pike) in Boston will be closed. All 93 northbound on-ramps between Braintree and exit 60 in Medford also will be closed.

Route 90/Massachusetts Turnpike — The Mass Pike will be open to traffic in both directions. There will be a restricted eastbound lane from the Western Avenue exit to the intersection with Route 93 at South Station. Access to this lane will be restricted to ambulances, police and MBTA buses.

Storrow Drive — The Storrow Drive/Leverett Circle connector to Route 93 north and south will be closed every evening when Route 93 is closed. Storrow Drive westbound will be open, but Storrow Drive eastbound will close at Western Avenue. The state police are encouraging as many drivers as possible to use roads other than Storrow Drive eastbound. Eastbound traffic at Leverett Circle will be directed to McGrath/O'Brien Highway or Martha Road. This may cause major delays on Storrow Drive eastbound.

Memorial Drive — Memorial Drive westbound will be open. Memorial Drive eastbound will be closed at the BU Bridge. State police are encouraging as many drivers as possible to use roads other than Memorial Drive.

McGrath/O'Brien Highway — The McGrath/O'Brien highway will be open westbound. Eastbound will closed at the intersection with Land Boulevard (near the Museum of Science). Vehicles exiting the Museum of Science parking garage after the roads have been closed must turn left and travel westbound.

Alternate driving routes — Alternate driving routes are being developed by law enforcement and transportation authorities and will be published prior to the convention.

The hospital will continue to update employees, patients and visitors with DNC information through broadcast e-mails as well as articles in Hotline. For more information about travel to and from the hospital during the convention, visit the hospital's DNC website at www2.massgeneral.org/dnc.