MassDOT Airs Proposed MetroWest Traffic Fixes
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The Massachusetts Department of Transportation released a draft report in July that included a number of recommendation to alleviate traffic and improve safety where Interstate 495 meets the Massachusetts Turnpike and Route 9. Both interchanges are shown here.
They may not compare to the busier junctions in Boston, but the interchanges of Interstate 495 at both the Massachusetts Turnpike and Route 9 in Westborough and Southborough are two spots MetroWest commuters dread at peak driving hours.
Finally, after two years of study, a draft report from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was published in July. It recommends fixes ranging from relatively low-cost solutions to much larger-scale projects with price tags to match.
Baby Steps First?
“It's not solely dependent on big-ticket investments,” said Paul Matthews, executive director of the 495/MetroWest Partnership in Westborough. “There's also a series of short-term steps that can be taken to address the congestion at the interchange and the needs of Route 9, and that's positive.
The more costly solutions include building braided on- and off-ramps, which would pass over each other, between Route 9 and I-495 to reduce morning traffic, a $25-million project, and ramp modifications at the interchange of I-495 and the Mass Pike, which will cost an estimated $100 million.
More financially feasible improvements include the widening of Route 9 to three lanes between Westborough and Southborough, intersection improvements, consolidating business park driveways along Route 9, and flattening the existing on ramp from the turnpike to I-495 northbound to reduce truck roll-overs. All told, MassDOT expects these measures to cost about $3 million.
The recommendations will be discussed at a meeting at the 495/MetroWest Partnership headquarters at the Westborough Office Park (coincidentally located in the heart of the traffic problems in question) at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 4.
Will Transportation Bill Help?
According to Matthews, a large-scale project to improve traffic at the I-495/Mass Pike interchange is still years away. MassDOT, which has control of those highways, has not even committed to paying for the project, though state officials have discussed plans to fund some of the improvements.
The draft report was published at an opportune time. Matthews said it provides a roadmap for improvements on the heels of a $500 million transportation bill passed by the Legislature this summer, which provides extra money for transportation infrastructure projects.
“The state's in the process of evaluating projects like this,” Matthews said.
The smaller-scale recommendations are certainly more affordable, though they may also be complicated to pursue. That’s because the projects require cooperation from a number of stakeholders, namelytown governments, private developers and MassDOT.
The 495/MetroWest Partnership has taken the lead on bringing those stakeholders together in the last two years as MassDOT has studied ways to improve the Route 9 commute, and Matthews said the Sept. 4 meeting is another opportunity to get the major players together to review the options.
“It's critical to get the landowners in the room, particularly when you start talking about expanding Route 9,” Matthews said.
MassDOT’s draft report is open for public comment until Sept. 16. Space is limited for the Sept. 4 meeting and those interesting in attending are asked to call 774-760-0495.
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