Massachusetts Turnpike/I-90 (Current Projects, Conceptual Improvements, & Long Term)

I know this has probably been discussed a million times ... but why can't we get an actually good I-90/I-95 junction out of this? For example, why in the world can't we get a direct ramp from I-95N to I-90E, and why can't we get a two-lane ramp from I-95S to I-90E? These don't even *seem* like NIMBYs should be able to stop them, but they probably can anyway.
 
irdesi said:
I know this has probably been discussed a million times ... but why can't we get an actually good I-90/I-95 junction out of this? For example, why in the world can't we get a direct ramp from I-95N to I-90E, and why can't we get a two-lane ramp from I-95S to I-90E? These don't even *seem* like NIMBYs should be able to stop them, but they probably can anyway.
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Look at the I-93/ I-95 junction in Woburn/Reading, it's been needed for 30+ years. It's the Massachusetts kick the can down the road tradition.
 
irdesi said:
I know this has probably been discussed a million times ... but why can't we get an actually good I-90/I-95 junction out of this? For example, why in the world can't we get a direct ramp from I-95N to I-90E, and why can't we get a two-lane ramp from I-95S to I-90E? These don't even *seem* like NIMBYs should be able to stop them, but they probably can anyway.
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The practical reason is that this is a bridge replacement project, not an interchange redesign. Given the saga in Allston, I can see the appeal of avoiding that, even though I generally agree with you that this interchange should be much more simple and compact.
 
www.bostonglobe.com

Bidding war for service-plaza contract draws Boston’s top lobbyists - The Boston Globe

The battle between Waltham-based Global Partners and Irish retailer Applegreen has been good for local lobbying firms.
www.bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com
Global has long been represented by Dorchester lobbyist Bobby White, whose firm Robert F. White Associates has several other fuel sector clients and ranks as a mid-sized lobbying shop based on its volume of activity. On June 18, the day it became public that Applegreen was the preferred bidder, Global also hired O’Neill and Associates, Boston’s third-busiest lobbying firm. Spokesman Reid Lamberty said Global has relied on White’s expertise across a variety of projects over the years, and the company tapped O’Neill to “help us navigate MassDOT’s final decision on the RFP — specifically to gain insight into the process and receive guidance as we moved forward."
Global made an unusual push to change MassDOT’s decision, after the staff recommended Applegreen, by bringing hundreds of supporters to a board meeting on June 25. But the MassDOT board members stuck with the initial recommendation.
Even after that meeting, Global continues to make the case to MassDOT and Governor Maura Healey’s administration that its bid is better, primarily because it contains a significantly higher rent price for the state and because of Global’s local ties.
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Equilibria said:
The practical reason is that this is a bridge replacement project, not an interchange redesign. Given the saga in Allston, I can see the appeal of avoiding that, even though I generally agree with you that this interchange should be much more simple and compact.
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Just for fun, here's how I'd redesign that interchange, with green being added or reconverted infrastructure, yellow being kept, and red being removed:

New Weston.png


Look at all that space! That's a lot of pavement!
 
I posted on here a few years ago a concept I had for the I-90/I-95 interchange, which would include a new local road connecting a new CR station to both expressways and to the Riverside GL station. It would also make new parcels available (shown in green) for transit oriented development (TOD),

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-Heres a version of the i90/95 interchange I posted in another thread:

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“So you have rt.30 right there going into newton, park rd is the road at the bottom left coming from rt. 30 which goes into lower falls to the right of the image, the commuter rail line with an existing office park (and new station), and the pike all right here. Plenty of space to construct a transit oriented neighborhood on land taken back from excessive highway infrastructure which is no longer needed. Oh yea and this is weston so on top of all of that you obviously have a golf course directly next to the commuter rail line too. If this first phase had happened then at some point in the future maybe it could have extended across the tracks to the other side where the course is (they have 2 more courses nearby anyways).

Obviously none of this can or will happen now, but this is more just a thought experiment about how much land is being wasted around transit lines and so close to the city and how with some imagination (and actual professional planning vs my crayoning) there are more possibilities out there hidden in plain sight.”


-This could also tie in with a different idea I have had to connect rt. 30 to washington st in newton, giving a connection to west newton and newton corner via washington st. and downtown watertown via watertown st. I feel like this should have been done a long time ago, because now it would require taking 2 houses and possibly the corner of a warehouse depending on how wide it would need to go.

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New routes opened up in red, existing in blue.
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-maybe we should have an infrastructure crayoning thread, idk.
 
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stick n move said:
maybe we should have an infrastructure crayoning thread, idk.
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LOL. I'd be all over that one, designing expressway interchanges since I was 10 years old. I did end up being a civil engineer, designing highways but not expressway interchanges. It is fun.
 
I was kind of thinking more of a miscellaneous infrastructure crayoning thread for just..anything. Ive crayoned land reclamation projects in the harbor, highway stuff, a new logan airport in the sea and a street grid extension of eastie on old logan, covering the rest of the air rights parcels with a park that connects to the southwest corridor park… all kinds of stuff. Maybe it could be a misc. thread minus transit?
 
ceo said:
How do you get from I-90 EB to I-95 NB?
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Hmm. Good catch! Maybe keep the existing ramp then?

stick n move said:
I was kind of thinking more of a miscellaneous infrastructure crayoning thread for just..anything. Ive crayoned land reclamation projects in the harbor, highway stuff, a new logan airport in the sea and a street grid extension of eastie on old logan, covering the rest of the air rights parcels with a park that connects to the southwest corridor park… all kinds of stuff. Maybe it could be a misc. thread minus transit?
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I like that idea. I work in geographic information systems and there is a slider tool I use every once in a while to compare a "before" map or image with an "after" map or image, which I have fallen madly in love with! It would be cool to be able to look at a location and show what exists now versus what I think should be there (at my job it's only what will be there).
 
www.metrowestdailynews.com

Mass Pike off-ramps to Route 9 west in Framingham face overnight closure. Here's why

Overnight work is planned for Aug. 7-8 on Mass Pike off-ramp bridges over Route 9 in Framingham.
www.metrowestdailynews.com
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) announced that work will occur from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on the evenings of Thursday, Aug. 7, and Friday, Aug. 8. The project is expected to be completed by 5 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9, according to the announcement.

During these two evenings, the Mass Pike eastbound and westbound (Exit 111) off-ramps to Route 9 westbound will be closed. Motorists are asked to instead follow Route 9 eastbound, and reverse direction at Country Club Lane to access Route 9 westbound.
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KCasiglio said:
There's ~100 people protesting outside the state transportation building right now related to this.

EDIT: The demonstration lasted about 30 minutes. Not clear where everyone went.

EDIT2: They came inside! They're crowded in the atrium while there is a hearing related to the bid going on in the main boardroom.
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They're here again! I've never seen a company so forcefully advocate for a lost bid
 
www.bostonglobe.com

Applegreen drops out of Mass. highway service plaza deal - The Boston Globe

Losing bidder Global Partners had been challenging the lucrative deal to redevelop and operate Turnpike travel plazas.
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Applegreen, which is backed by private equity firm Blackstone, indicated in a brief statement that Waltham-based Global’s opposition played a role in the decision to back away at this time.
The company said: “After three months of good faith negotiations, Applegreen and MassDOT have not reached agreement on definitive terms for the redevelopment of 18 motorway service areas in Massachusetts. The open issues have significant implications for the commercial viability of the concession award. These commercial realities have been coupled with costly and continued litigation threats from an opposing bidder that have jeopardized the project’s timeline and financing. In light of these circumstances, Applegreen has terminated ongoing lease discussions.”
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Given the current abhorrent state of the service plazas, that sucks.
 
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www.bostonglobe.com

Suffolk Construction urges Healey administration not to pick Global for service plaza redo - The Boston Globe

Suffolk’s general counsel sent a letter to MassDOT head Monica Tibbits-Nutt, urging her to start a new bid process for the plaza project.
www.bostonglobe.com www.bostonglobe.com
Suffolk, which would have been the general contractor on the Applegreen project, has largely remained quiet amid the onslaught of criticism from Global after state transportation officials picked Applegreen’s bid in June over Global’s. But not anymore.
On Thursday, Suffolk Construction’s general counsel Jay Tangney sent a six-page letter to Monica Tibbits-Nutt, the state’s transportation secretary, urging her to start a new bid process for the plaza project instead of simply picking Global for the job. Tangney’s letter took aim at claims Global made in press statements and in court filings that the process was tainted by friendly relationships between Suffolk and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.
[...]
Suffolk also filed a lengthy public records request with MassDOT on Tuesday, seeking all communications pertaining to Global Partners and its role in the service plaza fight, including conditions at existing locations that could be attributable to Global. The Waltham company runs four plazas outright, and provides fuel and convenience store services at the 11 along the Mass. Turnpike as a subtenant. The request follows Global’s own public records requests of MassDOT, including one that unearthed the text messages in question.
MassDOT now has to decide whether to go with Global or rebid the entire project, a process that could take a year or more. In his letter, Tangney argued for the latter course of action. He cited key “deficiencies” that plagued Global’s bid, including its lack of experience with this kind of construction project and its limited EV charging plans.
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