Ron Newman
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Next big highway project?
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Not clearance height wise but up to general Federal Highway standards.
JoeGallows
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You're right, it's (Rt. 146) largely not interstate grade for much of its length. I grew up along the 146 corridor and it has changed quite a bit, but it's got a long way to go. There are several traffic lights along its route I can think of off the top of my head, though far fewer than even 5 years ago. The route has changed so much in particular along the stretch through Millbury and Worcester that I can barely remember how it used to look like. I do remember there were frequent cross-streets, railroad crossings and business/private driveways all along the old alignment, though; that was a mess for hours everyday.
This will a highway improving project. I think I-95 should go through Boston with I-93 a multiplex get off to the Yankee Division Highway or Rte-1 then off at the I-95 exit. To do that needs I-93 to improvement and elevated HOV lane and widening.
This will a highway improving project. I think I-95 should go through Boston with I-93 a multiplex get off to the Yankee Division Highway or Rte-1 then off at the I-95 exit. To do that needs I-93 to improvement and elevated HOV lane and widening.
While I believe an elevated HOV is needed for 93 coming into the city from the south (having just 3 lanes with no breakdown lane on the opposite direction as the HOV lane is awful) I don't think sending 95 through the city is wise. Having it follow 128 around the city is a good bet as a lot of people, trucks, for example, would be sent right into the city if they follow 95 creating more os a mess during peak driving times.
I think as far as projects go, improving what we have got is badly needed. For example, has anyone driven along 93 north and connected to 90 west? The road during that on ramp entrance is a joke, that needs repairing.
The widening of 128 is going be a big boost to helping traffic.
My worry is that it will cause what has been seen elsewhere: additional car-oriented development around it and more people using it, thereby increasing traffic, and within just a few years being just as congested as it is now.
^Not to mention, historically lane widening on urban highways (and urban rings) tends to draw in more automotive traffic even withough the additional car-oriented development.
The elevated HOV lane is a smart idea, and I think something that should be considered because commuting north on the S.E. expressway during the afternoon rush is just as backed up sometimes as the southbound commute due to the lane restriction.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, 24 needs to be widened from the route 495 cloverleaf to exit 12 (Galleria Mall and route 140). Three lanes (presumably-1 enter/exit lane, 1 cruising lane, and 1 passing lane) could help ease up the congested areas by exits 12, 13, and the merge from 495 south to 24 south (goes quickly from 4 lanes to 2). This is one case where it's far enough out of the urban fabric of Boston where it could benefit from the third lane... it even seems the overpasses are wide enough to accomodate the additional lane (maybe some foresight on the state's part?!).
Route 3 on the south shore could use an additional lane for a further distance, but I don't know how the residents will feel about that. I don't know enough about Northern and Western suburban highways (routes 3,9, 20, etc) to comment on their current states, but I hear they could use some work as well.
*Edit*
I just noticed that you have route 24 being changed to I-695... what's the logic behind this? I'm not going to argue until I hear your reasoning, because 24 does connect to I-195 and I-495 as well as I-93, which all run into I-95, but I'm not sure what the significance of the changing of names is. Remember, 24 does run into I-195, but it doesn't terminate there, it continues south of I-195 through Southern Fall River and into Tiverton and Portsmouth R.I. and abrubtly terminating at the junction with route RI-114... does this segment become I-695 as well, or does it become 24 once you intersect route I-195 (therefore meeting the last direct connection to I-95 to the South)?
The elevated HOV lane is a smart idea, and I think something that should be considered because commuting north on the S.E. expressway during the afternoon rush is just as backed up sometimes as the southbound commute due to the lane restriction.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, 24 needs to be widened from the route 495 cloverleaf to exit 12 (Galleria Mall and route 140). Three lanes (presumably-1 enter/exit lane, 1 cruising lane, and 1 passing lane) could help ease up the congested areas by exits 12, 13, and the merge from 495 south to 24 south (goes quickly from 4 lanes to 2). This is one case where it's far enough out of the urban fabric of Boston where it could benefit from the third lane... it even seems the overpasses are wide enough to accomodate the additional lane (maybe some foresight on the state's part?!).
Route 3 on the south shore could use an additional lane for a further distance, but I don't know how the residents will feel about that. I don't know enough about Northern and Western suburban highways (routes 3,9, 20, etc) to comment on their current states, but I hear they could use some work as well.
*Edit*
I just noticed that you have route 24 being changed to I-695... what's the logic behind this? I'm not going to argue until I hear your reasoning, because 24 does connect to I-195 and I-495 as well as I-93, which all run into I-95, but I'm not sure what the significance of the changing of names is. Remember, 24 does run into I-195, but it doesn't terminate there, it continues south of I-195 through Southern Fall River and into Tiverton and Portsmouth R.I. and abrubtly terminating at the junction with route RI-114... does this segment become I-695 as well, or does it become 24 once you intersect route I-195 (therefore meeting the last direct connection to I-95 to the South)?
Ron Newman
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How well would it work to use the shoulder as a travel lane during rush hour, instead of widening these roads? (Building on the seemingly successful experiment of doing this on 128)
^Route 24? I think it would work North of 495, but the biggest problems on 24 between 495 and exit 12 are the entering and exits (24 is only 2 lanes here) and I think that using the shoulder as a travel lane would only add to that problem (I find it difficult at times to exit or merge onto 128 during rush hour).
If it were simply a matter of congestion, then I think that would work perfectly. From 495 South to 24 South, traffic is squeezed immediatly from 4 lanes (3 on 24 at this point and the merge lane from the entrance ramp= 4) to 2. This is a frequent accident area, but because there are 3 lanes before the on-ramp and no exit for about a mile, using the shoulder to travel here would be a good solution until.... you hit exit 13 (A&B-route 44). because there are two separate on/off ramps in quick succession, you have traffic slowing in the right lane of 24 due to exiting traffic, and slowing more due to traffic entering from 44 West that has to quickly merge onto 24 to avoid being pushed back onto the 44 East exit ramp; then you have the merge from traffic entering 24 from 44 East. This is where the third lane would come in real handy. Since it gets so slow at the 44 exit (exits 13 A&B), that one additional lane would provide another way around that exit congestion and keep traffic flowing smoothely. exit 12 is the Galleria Mall exit and 140 so it's a popular exit and the right lane gets backed up as there is a traffic light at the end of the off-ramp... the third lane would again provide an extra lane to keep thru-traffic moving. After that, though, there's no need for the additional lane and 2 is sufficient.
If it were simply a matter of congestion, then I think that would work perfectly. From 495 South to 24 South, traffic is squeezed immediatly from 4 lanes (3 on 24 at this point and the merge lane from the entrance ramp= 4) to 2. This is a frequent accident area, but because there are 3 lanes before the on-ramp and no exit for about a mile, using the shoulder to travel here would be a good solution until.... you hit exit 13 (A&B-route 44). because there are two separate on/off ramps in quick succession, you have traffic slowing in the right lane of 24 due to exiting traffic, and slowing more due to traffic entering from 44 West that has to quickly merge onto 24 to avoid being pushed back onto the 44 East exit ramp; then you have the merge from traffic entering 24 from 44 East. This is where the third lane would come in real handy. Since it gets so slow at the 44 exit (exits 13 A&B), that one additional lane would provide another way around that exit congestion and keep traffic flowing smoothely. exit 12 is the Galleria Mall exit and 140 so it's a popular exit and the right lane gets backed up as there is a traffic light at the end of the off-ramp... the third lane would again provide an extra lane to keep thru-traffic moving. After that, though, there's no need for the additional lane and 2 is sufficient.
I would absolutely agree that 24 could use widening from 495 down past 140. Traffic can be terrible once 24 goes down from 3 to 2 and the `140 area is very busy and having it be 3 lanes would help take the chaos away.
I agree that additional car oriented development could follow. However, Westwood Landing, or whatever it is going to be called, is going to be right next to the University Ave MBTA stop which should help as people can take the train to work in boston.
With that said, I think the benefit of widening 128 to 4 lanes will make traffic flow a lot better during rush hours. The breakdown lane is a very poor option for people.
I think that better lighting is needed for highways. Along 93 coming into the city, tons of lights are out. Also, I know some people may think it's a waste of money, but what about putting lights on the exit signs and all signs above the highways?
Another idea, if possible, would be to widen the highways near the on and off ramps of exits so cars don't have to marge right away with the oncoming traffic. Adding a lane for an eighth to a quarter of a mile would be great.
There are changing Rt.24 to I-695. I-93 is going along Rt.3 and the Dedham from Braintree stretch would be I-595. If you don't believe me here are the links.
http://www.bostonroads.com/roads/MA-24/
http://www.bostonroads.com/roads/MA-3/
http://www.bostonroads.com/roads/MA-128/
Man I wish I-95 would go through Boston and Washington D.C like other cities like Miami, Jacksonville, Richmond, Wilmington, Philadelphia, New York, New Haven and Providence instead of going around it it like a beltway. I-95 in Boston should not be beltway and it sucks and its boring.
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Yeah, it totally sucks that they didn't build that massive highway through Roxbury, Fenway, the South End, and Cambridge. And huge highways totally make cities better places to live. [/sarcasm]
You need to read closer, this site doesn't say that they are doing this but that this site recommends they do this. Renaming these highways isn't as simple as sticking a sign up, the interstate highways are federal roads and require federal standards that may cost millions to upgrade to. Why would the state do this when they could just as easily do nothing and spend the money on other projects.
R
Riverworks
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Equilibria
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The reason the state would want to change/assign the numbers is that some of these roads are already being upgraded to Interstate standards (Rte./US 3) and some already are. Thus, the state could simply request the designation pending some sort of review.
Most of what Steve Anderson says on that site is good, although I'm still not sure why he doesn't want I-93 extended all the way to Truro. Nobody else suggests this, either; all have the designation ending at the Sagamore Bridge and the canal. Frankly, I'm shocked that no one is talking about replacing those bridges, which contribute almost as much to the traffic issues down there as the rotary did.
Edit: As for Rte. 24, SA's I-695 designation is meant to evoke a canceled I-895 as a southern ring road for Providence, beginning at I-95 south of the city, proceeding through Newport and up current RI-24 to I-195 in Fall River, so yes, he did mean the whole thing. His proposed road is called the Narragansett Turnpike, and would be tolled. The chances of it happening are zero.
Most of what Steve Anderson says on that site is good, although I'm still not sure why he doesn't want I-93 extended all the way to Truro. Nobody else suggests this, either; all have the designation ending at the Sagamore Bridge and the canal. Frankly, I'm shocked that no one is talking about replacing those bridges, which contribute almost as much to the traffic issues down there as the rotary did.
Edit: As for Rte. 24, SA's I-695 designation is meant to evoke a canceled I-895 as a southern ring road for Providence, beginning at I-95 south of the city, proceeding through Newport and up current RI-24 to I-195 in Fall River, so yes, he did mean the whole thing. His proposed road is called the Narragansett Turnpike, and would be tolled. The chances of it happening are zero.
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I can't see the benefit of having 93 become 95... Yes, it's through the city and would give drivers a nice view of the skyline, but many MANY 95 users are people passing from the south of the city to points north of the city (and the other direction), so why route them through the center of town? To add to the already congested traffic on 93? Yes, 95 passes through Miami, but Miami has some of the worst traffic in the country, and hardly is a model of wonderful Urban Planning. Also, 95 passes through about 6 miles miles from Midtown Manhattan which is not much closer than how far 95/128 is to Downtown Boston while passing through Boston's western suburbs.
*Edit*Richmond, Wilmington, and Jacksonville, New Haven, Providence, etc hardly have the volumes of traffic that Boston does either.
*Edit*Richmond, Wilmington, and Jacksonville, New Haven, Providence, etc hardly have the volumes of traffic that Boston does either.
underground
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I think the problem with replacing the bridges over the canal is that the canal has to be maintained as a navigable waterway meaning that the bridges have to have a really high clearance. It's the same problem with the Tobin. The new fly-over has really helped, but you're right that the bridge is still a bit of a bottle-neck. The issue with extending 93 to Truro is that rt 6 is more or less a 2 lane road out there.
Its impossible to built a new through the city because Boston has too much development and the people would not like it. So I would of renaming I-93 to I-95 or make a multiplex with I-93 and I-95.
Traffic along I-93 is really bad. Perhaps a new 8 lane highway up along the Southwest Corridor Orange Line would alive the traffic.
That would be great idea to relief traffic from I-93 SE corridor. But it should be cut and covered highway along the SW Corridor Orange Line. Make extend the expressway for a future harbor crossing to the airport.