Headaches for drivers

From groundbreaking in 1992 until now, the Central Artery/Third Harbor Tunnel construction has been largely out of sight -- as the tunnel was being built -- and only underground-utilities relocation was taking place downtown.

Starting early next year, however, surface construction will begin along Atlantic Avenue, next to South Station. As they will elsewhere in the next decade, lanes will be narrowed and shifted to maintain as much traffic flow as possible.

No one thinks it will be pleasant. Even Transportation Secretary James J. Kerasiotes tempered his customary optimism in a speech early this year, saying, "What we've got to look forward to is a lot of headaches."

Project officials are legally committed to minimizing traffic and pedestrian impact -- bringing construction materials in by night if possible, for example. But they say their plan to construct the underground Central Artery while maintaining use of the elevated structure will cause less disruption than would just rebuilding the old one.

Expect a big public information campaign to take the MBTA and "seek alternate routes."