For the first time in years, all lanes were a go Thursday with all barriers removed on Interstate 195 — including on the Braga Bridge and under Government Center — as motorists went about their business.
As temperatures neared 70 on Thursday, the full-bore opening of all I-195 lanes and the much-maligned tunnel project became a ray of sunshine.
“The good thing about it is that stop sign — it’s gone,” Bernadette Vareo said of the eastbound merge from Route 79 where she said there were plenty of accidents.
“You had to go into the middle of the highway and really make sure there weren’t any cars coming,” said the Fall River resident, a receptionist/secretary in the mayor’s office.
Where the tunnel merged from three lanes into two was a “dangerous all-around” situation, she said.
But starting yesterday, it was all smooth sailing.
“It’s heaven,” said a regular commuter who did not want to be [...]

Original post by Michael Holtzman