“Fortunately, there were no injuries and only some minor vehicle damage,” Jonathan Gulliver, the state highway administrator, said at a late afternoon news conference. “Our crews were able to get out there and address it very quickly. So I first and foremost want to address that the tunnel is safe again.”
State transportation officials were quick to reassure the public that the tunnel on the westbound side of the Massachusetts Turnpike was safe for motorists.
Several vehicles were damaged after a section of concrete suddenly fell onto Interstate 90 in the Prudential Tunnel in Boston on Friday afternoon, causing a major backup at the start of the busy weekend commute.
Gulliver explained that a section of concrete, measuring about 4 inches thick and 4 to 5 feet long, that was part of an expansion joint dislodged in a section of the tunnel below Huntington Avenue.
Advertisement
The concrete piece fell into a travel lane at about 1:30 p.m. on the side of the tunnel heading out of Boston. Several vehicles ran into, or over, the concrete and its debris, but no windshields were smashed, Gulliver said.
“It did not go through anybody’s windshield,” he said. “My understanding is it was more from them driving over it after it had landed in the roadway.”
A video shared by the department showed a large chunk of debris fall suddenly from the ceiling to the ground as traffic passed by. The debris appeared to fall in front of two vehicles, which drove over the debris while other drivers hit their brakes and maneuvered around the rubble.
Concrete section falls onto Mass Pike in Boston Share Concrete collapsed onto Interstate 90 in the Prudential Tunnel in Boston on Friday afternoon, officials said.
Transportation officials said incidents like this are “incredibly rare,” and the recent frigid cold weather, and warmer temperatures on Friday, likely was a factor in loosening the concrete.
Gulliver compared what happened to what happens to concrete when a pothole forms on a roadway.
“Recent freeze/thaw cycles caused the concrete to become saturated, freeze, and then delaminate as temperatures rose today,” officials said.
Concrete is generally bonded onto a surface, Gulliver said.
“In this case, the joint, which is a gap that allows normal expansion of the bridge and structure,” he said. “When things start to thaw out, the ice that had been causing pressure on that joint and holding the concrete in place loosened up, and allowed some of that concrete to fall.”
Advertisement
That particular joint was about 50 years old, he said.
The Transportation Department is in the midst of conducting freeze/thaw inspections on all bridges and tunnels, but had not yet gotten to this particular stretch, Gulliver said.
“Massachusetts is on a regular inspection cycle,” Gulliver said. “Something we do on a regular basis is make sure that we inspect them, that they remain safe.”
Gulliver said the Prudential Tunnel has been under active inspection for the last month and a half.
“It has just not progressed to the point yet where they have gotten to this particular joint,” he said.
The tunnel is a major entry point from the turnpike into the city, and significant traffic backups lasted for several hours. Two lanes were closed as crews inspected the area and removed any remaining debris, officials said.
All lanes were opened by about 4 p.m., with traffic flowing smoothly through the early evening commute.
Transportation workers returned to the tunnel Friday night to conduct a more thorough inspection.
Officials warned drivers to expect delays in the area, as further inspections will take place Friday night and over the weekend. Inspections will also be conducted at the city’s other tunnels, the O’Neill, Callahan, and Sumner to identify any similar issues, officials said.
Tonya Alanez of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.
Nick Stoico can be reached at nick.stoico@globe.com. Rita Chandler can be reached at rita.chandler@globe.com.
Delayed flights, NFL advice and epic rants: How traveling in expanded conferences is impacting teams
- Advertisment - 
Recent Comments
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports announces Matt Ryan will join NFL studio show. Longtime analysts Simms and Esiason depart
on Carlos Sainz’s Soccer Fanboy Emerges as Spaniard Shares Defining Moment With This Real Madrid Legend
on Biden: ‘At this point I’m not’ planning to visit East Palestine, Ohio, after toxic train derailment
on ‘Best Intention’: Chris Kirk Has Absolute Trust in Jay Monahan and PGA Tour’s Widely Debated Model
on Ahead of big sports weekend, dispute with Disney leaves millions of cable subscribers in the dark
on A heavy wave of Russian missile attacks pounds areas across Ukraine, killing at least 4 civilians
on 2024 Super Bowl: CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports HQ to combine for 115 hours of weeklong coverage
on 2023 NFL All-Rookie Team: CBS Sports draft expert, former GM unveil league’s best first-year players
on Army vs. Coastal Carolina live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez Spreads Joy and Sportsmanship to the Youth of Loma de Cabrera
on After UFC Fallout, Conor McGregor Offers a Valuable Piece of Advice to Free Agent Francis Ngannou
on Dubai International Airport sees 41.6 million passengers in first half of year, more than in 2019
on Devout athletes find strength in their faith. But practicing it and elite sports can pose hurdles
on Despite strong Lunar New Year holiday data, consumer spending in China isn’t roaring back just yet
on Dave Portnoy: Taylor Swift’s security should ‘drag Kim Kardashian to jail’ if she attends Eras Tour
on CONCEPT ART: New Details Revealed for Disney Cruise Line Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point Destination
on “Completely Knocked Me Out”: Rob Lowe Recalls Boxing Match With Tom Cruise On 1983 Brat Pack Classic
on CBS Sports, Serie A announce new TV rights deal; Paramount+ to air over 400 Italian soccer matches
on Cam Newton’s Violent Public Incident Draws Hilarious Reaction From 3x All-Star: “Where Do I Sign Up
on Boston College vs. Army live stream, how to watch online, CBS Sports Network channel finder, odds
on Angel Reese Launches Foundation Dedicated To Empowering Women Through Sports & Financial Literacy
on A weaker dollar, skyrocketing prices and ‘record’ visitor numbers: Good luck in Europe this summer