The demolition of the Government Center parking garage in downtown Boston is set to resume Monday, nearly four months after a deadly collapse.
Road closures at the demolition site are expected to be in effect until Labor Day.
"It seems like it's kind of a cursed project," said Mike Werner, who usually crosses under the garage on Congress Street when commuting to work.
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The garage was being demolished as part of a $1.5 billion development project. Work was put on hold after part of the ninth floor caved in on March 26, killing Peter Monsini, a 51-year-old demolition worker who was operating a construction vehicle.
"In my mind, the sooner that they can get rid of that thing and actually have it demolished, have all the questionable beams out of the tunnels," Werner said, "the better."
As work continued on Monday, a spokesperson for Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said the investigation continues as prosecutors await a final report from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. For its part, OSHA said Monday it continues to investigate and it didn't have a timeline for when its investigation might be complete.
"I think it is a big mess," Orlando Abreu said Monday as he left work. "I grew up around here, I seen this building, it is a mess, it is a big mess."
The collapse that killed Monsini is believed to have caused structural damages to the train tunnels below the garage, prompting the MBTA to announce a temporary suspension of train service in June.
HYM Investment Group, the company behind the Bullfinch Crossing project, said it is ready to resume operations on Monday.
Road closures related to the project began Sunday, leaving drivers and pedestrians to figure out the new routes.
The section of Congress and Merrimack streets that runs under the garage will be closed for about two months, diverting traffic around the block.
"This is pretty new. I've been walking underneath for a while," said Julian Rossello. "It's definitely inconvenient, but I get it, with what's happening with the demolition of the parking lot."
"Maybe it [will] take me five more minutes," said LingXi Yen. "It's a little inconvenience, not a lot."
Aside from the road closure, a section of Sudbury Street will turn from a one-way street to a two-way street until the demolition is complete.
As for the MBTA, no impact to bus and train service at the Haymarket Station is expected.
