As the weekend approaches, Massachusetts drivers are being alerted about the heavy congestion expected on the Mass. Pike due to extensive bridge construction taking place at the I-90/I-95 interchange. Major delays are anticipated from 9 p.m. on Friday, until 5 a.m. on Monday, as the highway will be reduced to a single lane in both directions between exits 123 and 125, as reported by NBC Boston. State officials are preparing for a severe, albeit temporary, gridlock in the Newton/Weston area.
Jonathan Gulliver, highway administrator for MassDOT, has painted quite the picture of what's in store, warning that without a reduction in traffic volume, travelers could face delays up to three hours. "With 100% normal traffic we could see delays of three hours. We don't want that. We're asking those who don't have to travel through here to really stay off the roadway this weekend," Gulliver said in a statement obtained by NBC Boston. The construction forms part of a larger, $230 million infrastructure revamp, which will see a total of eight bridges rehabilitated and five completely replaced.
MassDOT is banking on the use of accelerated bridge construction techniques to minimize the construction timeframe for the bridge that spans over MBTA Commuter Rail tracks. For travelers on the Framingham/Worcester commuter rail line, normal service will be substituted with shuttle buses during this period as per the information shared by Boston.com. MassDOT has urged anyone who needs to use the Mass. Pike into or out of Boston this weekend to allocate a substantial amount of additional travel time.
The department is imploring a target of 50% traffic reduction during the construction phase to alleviate the potential gridlocks, Gulliver indicated in an interview with WBZ. He remarked, "This is going to be a very intense period, and it will cause some traffic impacts" as more than 100,000 vehicles usually traverse the impacted stretch during a typical weekend day, according NBC Boston.
These efforts aim to keep delays "manageable," according to Gulliver's further comments to Boston.com.
The I-90/I-95 Interchange project not only addresses the urgent need for infrastructure renewal but will hopefully bring longer-term benefits in terms of traffic flow and safety. In advance of the weekend's challenges, MassDOT is working to keep the public informed and to mitigate the unparalleled disruption expected from this necessary but inconvenient construction.
