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By Harry Kane
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
It’s full speed ahead for the Add-A-Lane project on Route 128/I-95, which began back in early 2015 and is slated for completion in 2019.
The roadway construction project will add an additional lane to 3.8 miles of highway beginning just north of the Needham Branch RR Bridge and going past Route 9 in Wellesley.
As of Friday, August 19, MassDOT announced that two new ramps opened, “marking a major benefit for drivers and a milestone for the Route 128 Add-A-Lane project,” according to a statement released by the transportation department.
The Kendrick Street to I-95 southbound ramp opened along with one off-ramp allowing northbound vehicles to exit to Kendrick Street eastbound.
“I am excited to see these two new ramps open to drivers,” said MassDOT Highway Administrator Thomas J. Tinlin. “The new ramps to I-95 will provide a huge benefit to drivers seeking to access I-95 in the surrounding area and also give pedestrians another access to travel between Newton and Needham.”
The massive highway project includes an additional travel lane and shoulder to I-95 northbound and southbound, plus a new interchange at Kendrick Street, seven new noise barriers, upgrades to improve safety and mobility and the addition of four new bridges.
In Needham Heights, an upscale home furnishings storeowner says her business is doing even better as a result of the roadwork.
“We find that people are coming by because they are forced to slow down,” said Sheila Roy, who owns a furniture store called Boston Consignment on Highland Avenue. “They might peek in our window and notice us more than they would have otherwise.”
Roy runs the furniture store with her husband and says they have a loyal following of people who shop at their store.
“I don’t find that that it has affected us in a negative way,” she said. “I have had people come in and say, ‘you know, I was sitting out in traffic and I saw you and I’ve got some time, so I thought I’d spend it here and let the traffic go by,’” she said.
MassDOT Spokesman Ryan Grannan Doll said that the following work would be performed on the Needham/Wellesley Route 128 Add-A-Lane project in September:
· Concrete work will be performed under the Kendrick Street Bridge for the existing Kendrick Street ramps as well as roadway grading work for the ramps.
· Grading for ramps and drainage work will continue on I-95 in both directions at Highland Avenue and the Highland Avenue interchange ramps on the south side.
· Between the median and the southern limit of the project to Central Avenue, fine grading work will be performed and a median barrier will be installed.
· Concrete work for bridge and barriers as well as grading for roadway and ramps will continue on Route 9 in both directions for the first portion of the bridge over Route 9. At the Route 9 interchange, a portion of the work will only be performed on the northbound side of the road and only impact that side of the road.
· Barrier and concrete work will continue on I-95 in both directions at Central Avenue within the median.
