The Sumner Tunnel is set to reopen, with more weekend closures on tap through fall

The Sumner Tunnel closure this summer caused epic delays and other traffic-related frustrations for drivers traveling from Logan Airport and East Boston. And after the tunnel reopens Monday, there are more weekend closures to come through the fall.

Despite state leaders urging commuters to “ditch the drive” and take public transit, it was a rough July, particularly on weekends. Drivers from the airport complained on social media about bumper-to-bumper traffic. One Uber driver told WBUR he wouldn't offer rides from the airport any later than 5 a.m. due to traffic concerns.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, state Department of Transportation Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver called traffic during the full-time tunnel closure “difficult but manageable.”

"There were some days that it was very, very difficult," Gulliver acknowledged. "There were some days that we know traffic was congested for a lot longer than we'd want it to be."

The Sumner Tunnel is the main route connecting traffic from Logan Airport to downtown Boston. During the closure, detours have sent drivers through the Ted Williams tunnel and across the Tobin Bridge. According to MassDot, both detour routes have seen thousands more cars per week than last year.

Preventing gridlock getting out of the airport has been a main priority of officials and state police. A spokesman for the Massachusetts State Police said they’ve been diverting traffic away from the Ted Williams “several times a day.”

The average travel time for drivers on detour routes ranges from 20 additional minutes to over an hour, according to the state's tracking data. The time it takes to get to or from Logan Airport can vary from day to day.

On a recent weekday morning close to rush hour, WBUR reporters found it took about 40 minutes to travel from Logan's Terminal E into town, whether by car or by public transit. But the traffic is hard to predict. State officials recommend checking Mass511.com for the latest.

Even with the Sumner slated to reopen Monday morning, Transportation Secretary Monica Tibbits-Nutt is still urging people to use public transit.

"Please use these alternative options," she said. "Once this tunnel is open, people will be getting through a lot smoother, but the congestion is still going to be there."

Contractors say the tunnel restoration project is about 90% complete. The remaining 10% will be done during weekend closures through October.

WBUR's Laney Ruckstuhl contributed to this report.