Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced a suspension of all regular construction activity in the city due to concerns regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
The mayor's office said the halt to construction work would take effect Tuesday, March 17, 2020.
The city is saying that employers should maintain the necessary crews to keep their sites safe and secure, keep any materials from blowing away, and prevent trespassing. This work, the mayor says, needs to be completed in the next week.
After sites have been secured, skeleton crews will be permitted for the remainder of this suspension to ensure safety. The only work that will be permitted moving forward will be emergency work, which will need to be approved by the City of Boston's Inspectional Services Department.
Essential work that may continue includes emergency road work such as addressing sinkholes, as well as work which ensures the reliability of the transportation network.
In addition to the list of essential construction projects, the city will, on a case-by-case basis, review requests for exceptions to the temporary construction moratorium. These may be granted by the the Commissioner of Public Works for street-related work. These will be granted if they support increased public health and safety.
The mayor's office says this policy will be reviewed at regular intervals. New projects in the city cannot be started at this time, unless they meet the criteria previously mentioned. Also, any currently permitted and active construction project must be in a secure situation by Monday, March 23, the city says. This policy only applies to projects permitted by the city of Boston.
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SOURCE: City of Boston
