Storrowing inside the O'Neill Tunnel causes impressive delays on I-93 from the north

People riding the T aren't actually delayed "every single day".

Very little that you can't incrementally eliminate - like getting better tires to prevent flats, etc.

Today was so beautiful for biking, too. Chilly, perhaps, but I have layers for that. Gorgeous fall morning.

I was gobsmacked when I got to work and heard how bad it was on I 93 - and grateful to not use the express bus today. I kind of wondered why there was so little traffic through Sullivan and Charlestown and down into the North End.

Or did you forget the keyboard kaopectate?

I'd rather take the T or bike even if driving is quicker. On the T I can read or answer emails. When riding I feel better and get some exercise plus I'm never stuck in traffic.

To each their own.

It sounds like there may be a localized clearance problem, if what Roadman says is correct.

If that is the case, DOT needs to fix the problem or change the clearance or alert drivers not to use that lane.

And if the clearance was really only 13'-6", as the web site indicates, this sort of thing would be happening far more frequently than it does (13'-6" legal height trailer up against a 13'-6" max height interstate highway tunnel - ZERO margin of tolerance). Also, if the vehicle grossly exceeded a height of 13'-9", then explain how it managed to get that far into the tunnel without hitting the ceiling (or anything mounted to it) prior to the I-90/Albany Street exit, where the roadway profile quickly changes from a downgrade to an upgrade AND superelevation beginning in the curve.

Yes, I am aware that the State Police has since cited the driver for having a vehicle that was both overheight and overwidth. One question, what were the exact dimensions of the truck and how much did they exceed the legal standards? Knowing this could go a long way to determining whether there may be an actual clearance "pinch point" within the tunnel.

Lastly, as I noted in my previous post, there have been previous cases where a container/trailer combination that meets the legal maximum height of 13'-6" has managed to strike the ceiling of the O'Neill Tunnel at the very same spot as this morning's incident. The only difference was that, in the prior cases, the truck was going slower and got hung up instead of breaking apart from the impact.

Note that, unlike cars, truck trailers do not ride perfectly smooth and level as they go down the highway. Not uncommon for a truck to "bounce", even on a road that is only moderately rough or uneven, sometimes to the point of "clipping" the bottom of overhead signs - which are normally mounted at 17'-6" above the road. In fact, one of the most common maintenance activities in the O'Neill Tunnel is the replacement of overhead signs, that are mounted above the posted clearance point, with new ones due to damage from truck impact.

So, and with respect, I'm sticking by my scenario until somebody comes up with hard evidence to disprove it.