Blue Line to be free during Sumner Tunnel closure

This story has been updated.

WITH THE SUMNER Tunnel scheduled to close for most of July and August, state transportation officials are trying to reduce car travel in the area by making the entire Blue Line free and eliminating or reducing fares for ferries.

The Blue Line in both directions will be free while the Sumner Tunnel is closed from Wednesday July 5 to Thursday August 31. All parking at lots and garages along the line, including at Wonderland, will be reduced to $2 per day.

The ferry running between East Boston’s Lewis Mall and Long Wharf will also be free. A new weekday ferry service between Lynn and downtown Boston will cost $2.40 and parking at the Blossom Street dock in Lynn will be free.

Commuter rail riders from as far north as Salem and Swampscott will see their fares drop from $8.75 to $2.40 and parking will be $2 per day. Discounts are also available to those using the Tobin Bridge, the Ted Williams Tunnel, and Logan Express buses.

“Our message to residents and those traveling is when moving through this area, if possible, leave your car at home and explore the MBTA’s transit options, including the Blue Line, commuter rail, and ferry service options available to you,” said Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver.

Officials had no immediate comment Friday morning on whether the lost revenue incurred by the MBTA would be reimbursed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, but later in the day said the issue is being debated internally. “MassDOT is committed to providing safe, accessible alternative transportation options for travelers during the Sumner Tunnel shutdown. Full costs and cost-sharing options for mitigation services are currently being finalized across both 2023 and 2024.” officials said, noting that “mitigation is a necessary cost of the project.”

The Blue Line, like many of the MBTA’s subway lines, has been plagued by slow zones where trains travel at speeds as low as 10 miles per hour to reduce the chance of incidents on defective track. As of Friday, 31 percent of the Blue Line was covered by slow zones, compared to 20 percent for the subway system as a whole. But T General Manager Phillip Eng said most of the slowest slow zones have been eliminated on the Blue Line during recent repair efforts.

Officials say the Sumner Tunnel, built in the 1930s and one of the oldest in the nation, handles more than 39,000 vehicles per day but traffic is generally lower in the summer months. The $160 million project to refurbish the tunnel that runs beneath Boston Harbor will require a two-month shutdown this summer and another two-month shutdown next summer.