We're in the next phase of the World Cup: the round of 32 games. And there's one at Gillette Stadium today: Germany will face off against Paraguay at 4:30 p.m. (We'll have more details on what to expect from these knockout rounds in a special newsletter coming this afternoon.) At this point, you know the drill: Summer Street will be fully closed in both directions for eight hours between Purchase Street at Dewey Square and Dorchester Avenue for fans in line for the MBTA's trains to the stadium. (A plea from the T, don't show up early to South Station; come at your designated boarding time!) The southbound HOV lane on I-93 will open early at 1 p.m., but still expect traffic delays in Boston, Foxborough and around Gillette Stadium before the match. Speaking of bumpah-to-bumpah traffic ... Not another holiday record travel weekend: Happy 250th birthday America! To celebrate, we're gifting you advice from traffic experts to avoid holiday backups, whether you're heading north or down the Cape. AAA expects record travel for the Fourth of July, with more than 1.7 million people in Massachusetts venturing at least 50 miles from their homes — most by car. (That's just ever-so-slightly higher than last year's record.) - When to leave? AAA spokesman Mark Schieldrop told WBUR's Fausto Menard drivers should consider hitting the road early, like Monday or Tuesday. But if you're working like the rest of us saddies, aim for early Thursday. "Anytime before lunch time should get you pretty smooth sailing," he said. "The worst of the travel and the impacts that you'll see are going to be occurring right in that afternoon commuting time. So the early bird certainly gets the worm and also beats the traffic just a little bit."
- When to head home? Early is, again, the name of the game Sunday. Return travel is expected to worsen between noon and 6 p.m.
- Filling up: While the recent dip in gas prices could give folks "a little bit of a boost and encouragement" to travel this weekend, they're still pretty darn high, according to Schieldrop. "Big picture, we're still looking at prices more than a dollar higher than they were last year," he said. "And last year, prices were relatively low in the grand scheme of things. Prices were barely above $3 a gallon over the holiday last year in Massachusetts."
In the loop: Boston's new "Harbor Loop" ferry route begins today with year-round weekday service. Stops are at Lovejoy Wharf, Central Wharf, the Seaport and Logan Airport, which will allow "people to be able to embrace water transportation and other ways to get to the airport," MBTA General Manager Phil Eng said during a board meeting. - The deets: The ferry will run clockwise in the mornings and counter-clockwise in the evenings. Fares cost the same as a subway trip: $2.40.
- In other ferry news: You can take a boat to see the Tall Ships, which is quite fitting. Tickets to take the MBTA ferry to Spectacle Island to watch the massive sail boats come in on July 11 go on sale tomorrow.
Cutting contracts: Now that the city of Boston has finalized its FY27 budget, Boston Public Schools is officially notifying teachers and aides that layoffs are coming in the face of budget cuts. WBUR's Rachell Sanchez-Smith reports BPS and the Boston Teachers Union say the final number of eliminated positions won't be known until September. But so far, more than 500 teachers have been told their contracts won't be renewed for the upcoming school year, and according to The Boston Globe, over 100 paraprofessionals are also reportedly slated to be cut. - Zoom in: Losing classroom aides essential to special education, in addition to the other layoffs, will make it "more difficult to meet the needs of all students," Boston Teachers Union president Erik Berg told the Globe.
P.S.— You may have just wrapped breakfast, but tonight's Michelin-inspired Curated Cuisine at CitySpace will have you drooling. Join WBUR's Tania Ralli and chefs from Michelin-rated restaurants at 7 p.m. for a conversation about what this long-awaited recognition means for the city’s dining scene and what's next for Boston as a rising food destination. Plus, you'll see a live Mahaniyom martini mixing demo, and get to try bites of the restaurant's Nan Kai Todd (fried chicken skin) and eggplant caponata with pine nut dressing from Giulia. Buy tickets here. |
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