Route 128 Widening Raises Traffic Fears

The widening of Route 128 and associated construction could actually make traffic in Newton worse, some city officials fear.

The project will expand Route 128 to a four-lane highway in each direction from Randolph to Wellesley and add a new interchange at Kendrick Street in Needham, near the Newton border in Oak Hill. In addition, the plans call for a revamped interchange at Highland Avenue in Needham and two new traffic lights on Route 9 in Wellesley.

Last night, aldermen in the Public Safety and Transportation Committee got an overview of the state's plans for the road. 

"If you think traffic on Route 9 is bad now, just wait until this happens," said Greer Tan Swiston, ward 3 alderman-at-large.

Associate City Engineer Clint Schuckel, who briefed the committee and other aldermen in attendance, said the construction along the Needham and Wellesley stretch of Route 128 will be the final part of the $344 million highway-widening project.

The project, which began in 2003, isn't expected to be complete until 2016, Schuckel said. The estimated start date for this phase is fall 2012, although it is more likely that it will start in 2013, he added.

"It's very close to the city of Newton, but it doesn't actually fall within our boundaries," he said.

That doesn't mean the project won't affect Newton, though. About 150,000 vehicles travel on Route 128 every day and a 2003 study estimated traffic would increase by 50 percent from 2007 to 2025, Schuckel said.

The potential for more of these vehicles to access Highland Road, which turns into Needham Street in Newton, or Kendrick Street, which turns into Nahanton Street in Newton, is "obviously a concern," he said.

Here are the state's specific plans for the Needham and Wellesley stretch of Route 128, according to Schuckel's presentation:

• Route 128: The widening of the highway will eliminate the existing median and add 10-foot shoulders on each side of the road. Jersey barriers will separate the northbound and southbound lanes, as is the case further north on the highway.
• Kendrick Street: The state will add a new interchange here that will provide nearly complete access to and from Route 128. There are only two restrictions: Drivers coming from Route 128 North can't turn left onto Kendrick Street, and drivers coming down Kendrick Street from the west won't be allowed to turn onto Route 128 North.
• Highland Avenue: The on- and off-ramps will now extend south, almost to Kendrick Street. The ramps will create so-called "traffic collector roads" that eliminate the current problem of vehicles having to merge in and out of the same lane when entering and exiting the highway. It's a design similar to the Route 128 interchange at Route 3 and the Middlesex Turnpike, near the Burlington Mall.
• Route 9: The state will eliminate the existing ramps from Route 9 East to Route 128 North and from Route 9 West to Route 128 South. Instead, those drivers will have to take left turns at one of two new traffic lights to access the highway.

The scope of the work surprised some aldermen.

"What happened to just adding another lane?" asked Brian Yates, ward 5 alderman-at-large. "This is incredibly grandiose."

The state will hold at least one public hearing on the project next year, likely in Needham, Schuckel said, as well as a possible hearing in Wellesley.