Boston's next big travel headache

Also: A backlog of discrimination cases in Mass.; preparing for a wet, hot New England summer [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  May 31, 2022 🌤️ Mostly sunny, with a high near 76 and temperatures falling throughout the day. Good Morning Boston, Hope the Memorial Day weekend provided you all with some space to relax and reflect. Here's a look at what's ahead this week and beyond, as we wade into the unofficial first weeks of summer. - Brace yourself for summer construction season — or, in this case, Sumner construction season. Beginning next Friday, state officials will kick off[a series of disruption, full closures of the Sumner Tunnel]( to expedite a "top-to-bottom restoration" of the aging Boston tunnel. The project will increasingly complicate the drive back from Logan airport for many travelers. And the impacts for local residents won't be fun. - Why is this happening? The Sumner Tunnel — which brings drivers south from East Boston into downtown and links up with I-93 — is very old. In fact, it's the oldest vehicle tunnel in all of Massachusetts. And after 87 years of corrosion and wear and tear, officials say it needs a full rehabilitation, from the surface to the ceiling, in order to safely stay open. - What to expect: The project begins June 10 with weekend closures — from 11 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Monday — for 36 straight weeks, except for holidays. Then, beginning next May, the tunnel will be shut down 24/7 for four months. And then there's another series of weekend closures through the end of 2023. - How to get around it: Officials are encouraging people to take public transit when possible. But those who need to drive will be[detoured]( through the Ted Williams Tunnel or — if you're trying to get from the airport to I-93 North — a[circuitous route up Route 1A through Revere and Chelsea to Route 16](. - The inconvenience won't just be for drivers. Officials say East Boston, South Boston and waterfront residents will see more spillover traffic. East Boston residents in particular will face "more traffic, noise, and pollution." And construction will bring "unpleasant noise and vibrations" to the North End, which is built into the tunnel's roof. - State officials say this is the least inconvenient way to restore the critical tunnel and they're doing their best to minimize the disruption. But as Transportation Secretary Jamey Tesler recently said, it will "[undoubtedly test people's patience]( - Other questions? Check out [the state's project website]( or ask them at [the public meeting scheduled for Wednesday night](. - The humid start to this morning may be a sign of things to come. WBUR's Miriam Wasser reports that the NOAA is [projecting a hotter and wetter summer than usual in New England this year](. - That's maybe not a surprise, given the record heat we've already experienced this spring. According to Wasser, the Northeast is one of the fastest warming parts of the country due to climate change. And climate scientists say the region should expect the trend of more extreme heat and heavy rainfall to continue in the future. - Right now, Massachusetts [remains in a drought]( — though the forecast this week does call for a good chance of rain. - If you're escaping the heat at a state park or beach this summer, make sure to look before you leap. Roughly a half-dozen state parks had to turn away visitors Monday after reaching capacity in the middle of the day, and officials are reminding visitors to check before heading out. - How? The Department of Conservation and Recreation has a [handy webpage]( showing park closures and other advisories. - The Boston Fire Department is trying to figure out what started a six-alarm fire last night at the Suffolk Downs racetrack. Crews reported [smoke billowing from the roof of the grandstand building]( just before 11 p.m. and battled for several hours to [extinguish the blaze](. - It's not clear how the fire will affect the historic horse-racing track's current operations. While the property is in the process of being [redeveloped]( it has been open for simulcasting. - One other sign that it's unofficially summer: the first great white shark of the season has been spotted in Massachusetts waters. A [video]( taken Sunday (warning: it's a bit graphic and there's some foul language) shows a shark eating a seal off the beach in Nantucket. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy says it's the first official sighting of the year. - Reminder: Shark attacks are rare, but you can make them even rarer by [following these tips]( and reporting sightings [to lifeguards or rangers]( — or on the [Sharktivity]( app. P.S.— On Point just launched [a new four-part series]( exploring how artificial intelligence is changing health care — for better or worse. Check out [the first installment on the potential of AI in America's financially motivated health care industry]( or listen Friday at 10 a.m. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [State commission takes years to resolve discrimination cases. One took 17. Another took 15]( Many people have been waiting years for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to make rulings. And the backlog of old cases has surged during the pandemic. [Read more.]( [State commission takes years to resolve discrimination cases. One took 17. Another took 15]( Many people have been waiting years for the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination to make rulings. And the backlog of old cases has surged during the pandemic. [Read more.]( [Progressives take a leaf out of the conservative playbook to target school boards]( There has been a groundswell of conservative enthusiasm around school politics in the last few years. Progressives are hoping to have their own source of organization to counter that enthusiasm. [Read more.]( [Progressives take a leaf out of the conservative playbook to target school boards]( There has been a groundswell of conservative enthusiasm around school politics in the last few years. Progressives are hoping to have their own source of organization to counter that enthusiasm. [Read more.]( [EU leaders agree to ban 90% of Russian oil by the end of 2022]( The embargo covers Russian oil brought in by sea, allowing a temporary exemption for imports delivered by pipeline, a crucial move to bring Hungary on board on a decision that required consensus. [Read more.]( [EU leaders agree to ban 90% of Russian oil by the end of 2022]( The embargo covers Russian oil brought in by sea, allowing a temporary exemption for imports delivered by pipeline, a crucial move to bring Hungary on board on a decision that required consensus. [Read more.]( [Law enforcement and clergy call for state to fund summer jobs and programming in wake of violence involving teens]( Suffolk County Interim District Attorney Kevin Hayden said his office will prioritize diversion programs for the teens in these cases, rather than criminal penalties. [Read more.]( [Law enforcement and clergy call for state to fund summer jobs and programming in wake of violence involving teens]( Suffolk County Interim District Attorney Kevin Hayden said his office will prioritize diversion programs for the teens in these cases, rather than criminal penalties. [Read more.]( [How the newest federal prison became one of the deadliest]( Federal prisoners said to be the most dangerous are sent to a special unit at an Illinois penitentiary. NPR and The Marshall Project have uncovered violence, abuse and a string of inmate deaths there. [Read more.]( [How the newest federal prison became one of the deadliest]( Federal prisoners said to be the most dangerous are sent to a special unit at an Illinois penitentiary. NPR and The Marshall Project have uncovered violence, abuse and a string of inmate deaths there. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - Music critic Karen Muller writes that— despite a few pitfalls and noticeable differences— Boston Calling [offered many pleasant surprises]( in its return from hiatus this past weekend. - Meanwhile, fans of the Del Fuegos were unpleasantly surprised by the last-minute cancelation of the Boston band's reunion concert at the Roadrunner. Music writer Jim Sullivan [goes inside the messy fallout](. - Colombian filmmaker Lorena Hernández Leonard grew up amid gun violence. She [writes in this commentary]( about learning to manage the trauma — and if school shooting survivors will be able to do the same.  What We're Reading 📚 - How a Boston doctor diagnosed the first US case of monkeypox ([The Boston Globe]( - 78 long minutes ([The New York Times]( - What school shootings do to the kids who survive them, from Sandy Hook to Uvalde ([Washington Post](  Tell Me Something Good [Neighboring florists step in to help provide flowers for Uvalde funerals]( A local florist says she's putting aside sunflowers for one of the victims, the daughter of one of her high school classmates. "Their baby's favorite was sunflowers," Kelly Baker said. [Read more.]( [Neighboring florists step in to help provide flowers for Uvalde funerals]( A local florist says she's putting aside sunflowers for one of the victims, the daughter of one of her high school classmates. "Their baby's favorite was sunflowers," Kelly Baker said. [Read more.]( Before you go: [Expectation vs. reality]( Boston edition. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2022 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.