Everything you ever wanted to know about convention week
The Democratic National Convention is coming to Boston the last week in July. As everyone knows by now, security concerns have prompted organizers to dramatically limit access to parts of Interstate 93 that run through the city and past the FleetCenter. That's where the convention will be held, on the evenings of July 27 to 29.
Road restrictions will create chaos during afternoon commutes, so convention planners are recommending that everyone take public transportation into the city that week. But that's not an option for everyone.
Take Maria from Tewksbury. During convention week, she needs to get from her job in Andover to her aunt in Medford. Her aunt is recovering from a stroke and a heart attack.
My advice is to take a long lunch and get to Medford at noon. Later on, the city may be especially clogged, as southbound motorists are forced off of I-93 at Medford Square, onto Route 60.
If you must go in the evening, Medford police have called in extra officers that week, to ensure that intersections aren't blocked and that emergency vehicles can get through. If you think you can't get to your aunt, call the city's Council on Aging at 781-396-6010 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. or the Medford police at 781-391-6404.
Getting to workMichele from Lexington works as a per diem nurse at a Boston hospital from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. She only gets paid when she works, so she's worried that travel restrictions may force her to take an unpaid week off.
"I thought about Route 9 or the T, but have visions of sitting there, so backed up I'm an hour or more late for a shift," she wrote.
Again, Pesaturo recommends the T. If Michele can get to Massachusetts Avenue in Lexington, she can take a T bus to the Alewife T stop. She could also drive and park at Alewife, but even at 6 p.m., getting a parking space might be difficult. From there, she takes the Red Line into the city. All four subway lines will have more frequent service during convention week, he said.
Getting homefrom the hospitalDave from Stoneham is worried about getting home from Massachusetts General Hospital.
MBTA spokesman Joe Pesaturo recommends that Dave and other Boston-bound commuters drive to the Anderson Regional Transportation Center (in Woburn, off I-93, one exit north of the 128/93 interchange), park there, and board a T bus bound for South Station. MBTA buses will have their own travel lane on I-93 throughout the week.
From South Station, take the Red Line to Charles Street. In the evening, Dave ought to reverse the commute.
If the Anderson lot is full, go to the lot at Mishawum (exit 36 off 95/128). The T will open that for parking.
But remember, for security reasons, the T will not allow passengers to bring bags larger than pocketbooks or briefcases on the buses.
Getting homefrom the airportCaroline from Woburn thought she had escaped the madness, because she does not work in Boston. Then she realized that a business trip will put her at Logan on Thursday, July 29, at about 6 p.m.
Barbara Platt at MassPort said Caroline's easiest way home would be via the Woburn Logan Express. She can board the bus outside the terminal and exit at the Anderson Regional Transportation Center in Woburn. There's plenty of parking there. Logan Express buses will be running frequently that week. Check the schedules and rates at www.massport.com.
Getting homefrom the airport IIJennifer from Concord is returning from an overseas vacation on July 25 and is worried about getting home from Logan. "Will we be able to get there? What should I be doing to prepare?" she wants to know.
MassPort's Platt said Jennifer probably wouldn't encounter much trouble, because there aren't any roadway closures expected for that day. The airport may be bustling, with delegates arriving, though. Platt recommends finding MassPort staff and volunteers, who will be there en masse. Jennifer can ask them about area traffic conditions, and if it is heavy, MassPort staff will recommend ways to avoid it. But for Jennifer, too, Platt recommends the Woburn Logan Express.
Getting to campJennifer from Bedford plans to get to her job in Boston's South End by 6 a.m. convention week. She'll arrive early to leave early. Her daughter is in a day camp in Winchester center. To get there before roads start closing, Jennifer wants to leave work by 3 p.m.
She considered canceling camp, but there were no other weeks available, and pulling her daughter out would mean losing a $600 deposit.
But Mariellen Burns, spokeswoman for the DNC planning group, said Jennifer probably wouldn't have much of a problem. Despite all the attention on the 4 p.m. road closings, Burns said those times are still fluid, depending on traffic flow.
Also, she said, getting out of the city via I-93 north won't be difficult, because it is only the inbound side that will be heavily restricted in the afternoons. Check in for more exact details in a few weeks.
Getting out of townNancy from Medford is simply opting out. She usually travels through Boston to get to her job in Brockton and does so undaunted. "I've traveled through snowstorms, thunderstorms," she wrote.
For a while, she thought she'd travel during the convention. "I usually take things in stride, but the incredible security . . . has me crying, 'Uncle.' "
She'll enjoy the convention at an out-of-state bed-and-breakfast.
For more information, check out the following websites: www.boston04.com, www.mbta.com, and www.smartraveler.com. To speak to a person, call the City of Boston Info 2004 line at 617-635-2004, or tune in to NECN's NewsNight, where on Thursdays through July, from 8 to 8:30 p.m.,Burns will answer callers' commuting questions.
If you do get stuck in traffic, you can get real-time updates from SmarTraveler by calling *1 from a cell phone. In an emergency, dial *77 from a cell phone for the State Police. They'll be out in force that week.
Also, Boston Globe NorthWest plans to run a detailed map of road closings, parking bans, and other restrictions in its July 18 edition.
Starts & Stops/NorthWest runs every other Sunday. You can reach us at starts@globe.com.
