The Worcester-based Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council of Boston want to conduct a nine-month study on how to improve congested Interstate 495.
The I-495 area is a key driver of the state’s economy with several prominent companies and large employers headquartered there. But traffic congestion and safety concerns, especially at the interchanges with Interstate 290, Route 9 and the Massachusetts Turnpike, have planning officials worried.
Without improvements, I-495 may not be able to efficiently support future economic or population growth, officials said.
The project will begin this spring with a “stakeholders meeting,” which will seek comments from residents, business leaders and local government officials. The nine-month study will compare how traffic can move through the troublesome I-495 interchanges under different scenarios and how the roadway can be improved to accommodate more traffic.
