Backups expected due to lane closures on I-93 in Boston Friday night and Saturday morning

By Sarah N. Mattero, Globe Correspondent

Lanes will be closed on Interstate 93 in Boston on Friday night into Saturday morning while the state Department of Transportation repairs a 600-foot section of deteriorating concrete leading out of the O’Neill tunnel to the Zakim Bridge.

The $400,000 project will require work crews to mill down between 1 ½ to 2 ½ inches of concrete and resurface the roadway with asphalt, said Michael Verseckes, spokesman for the department.

The closures will be in place from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday.

This particular patch of roadway used concrete mixed with silica sand to make it more durable. But it suffered greatly from harsh New England weather and high traffic volume, and it has been deemed too “rigid.” The concrete would crack and water that seeped in would freeze, leading to more cracking, potholes, and road debris, Verseckes said.

“It was expected to last longer than the eight-to-10-year period it has. However, the deterioration was hastened because of the weather,” Verseckes said.

The department intends to resurface parts of the southbound side sometime next year.

Verseckes warned those traveling north of Boston or to Logan International Airport to seek alternate routes because only one lane will be open during construction. Officials said northbound traffic could back up all the way to the Braintree split.