Residents, business owners and commuters who want to learn more about the work on the Interstate 495 and Interstate 90 interchange are invited to attend a meeting next week.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has scheduled a virtual public information meeting on the 75% design of the Fruit Street Bridge and ramp ES/SE (routes I-90 eastbound to I-495 southbound, and I-495 southbound to I-90 eastbound).
The meeting will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m.
The meeting will begin with a presentation by the project team. Attendees can view plans for the Fruit Street Bridge and ramp ES/SE and ask questions.
Register in advance via tinyurl.com/5apvna9m.
All residents, abutters, local business owners and interested commuters are invited to attend. All attendees who sign into the meeting and provide an email address will be entered into the project’s email database to receive project updates.
About the project
MassDOT has said this is the largest project in the department’s history.
For years, the I-495/I-90 Interchange has experienced traffic demands exceeding its capacity. On an average day, this interchange carries hundreds of thousands of vehicles traveling on both I-90 and I-495, with approximately half of all trucking entering eastern Massachusetts.
The deficient geometry concentrates movements through the former toll plaza area, resulting in queuing onto the interstate mainlines and crash rates twice the statewide average.
The project will replace the interchange, eliminate the old toll booth area and weaving areas, improve ramp spacing, acceleration and deceleration lanes, and add an auxiliary lane from I-495 northbound to Route 9.
New bridges will be constructed on I-495 over I-90, on I-495 and I-90 over the MBTA/CSX/Amtrak lines, on I-495 northbound over Flanders Road, and on Fruit Street.
The project design is taking place now through December 2024, with project completion scheduled for June 2027.
If someone you know would like to subscribe to receive project updates, meeting notices and traffic impact advisories, email 495-90Improvements@state.ma.us, or visit www.mass.gov/massdot/495-90interchange
