The 75% design engineering plans were submitted to Massachusetts Department of Transportation in November 2022 by the state’s engineering firm WSP USA Inc. MassDot has a 90 day review period ending on February 18th . Comments raised by MassDot will then be addressed by WSP in the 100% design documents to be submitted back to MassDOT in the late Spring or early Summer of 2023.
The week of February 6, additional soil borings will be taken for the traffic signal foundations and the drainage treatment areas. The public will likely see a boring rig in the vicinity of both intersections.
Major items going forward will be the Right-of- Way and environmental permitting processes. A draft Notice of Intent (NOI) permit application has been submitted to MassDOT for their review. State approval is anticipated by the end of Spring 2023. The NOI application will then be submitted for review by the Webster Conservation Commission.
Upon approval by MassDot of the 75% design, the Right-of-Way process may begin. This consists of property appraisals, contact and negotiations with landowners. This process may take up to one year.
The project is currently planned to be advertised for Construction bids in the Fall of 2024.
Project Description:
The project provides for comprehensive safety and traffic operation improvements to the Route 16 corridor in the vicinity of the I-395 ramp intersections. The project will mitigate deficiencies in roadway and pedestrian safety through implementation of improved roadway features and traffic control along an 800-foot segment of the Route 16 corridor from Route 12, Worcester Road to the I-395 Northbound ramps/Gore Road. With this, the project includes implementation of a roundabout at the I-395 Northbound ramps and new traffic signal and intersection modifications at the I-395 Southbound ramps to improve safety and traffic operations at the ramp intersections. The new traffic signal at the Southbound ramps will be coordinated with the existing traffic signal at the Route 12 intersection to work together to reduce excessive queuing and improve traffic progression.
The project also includes implementation of separated bicycle lanes in accordance with new MassDOT multi-modal directives and shared use path along the northern side of Route 16 between the North and South ramp intersections beneath the I-395 overpass. The shared use path will transition to on-street bicycle facilities and 5’ pedestrian sidewalks on both ends. In addition, the project will also involve replacement of the outdated, existing Mill Brook culvert to a safer, more efficient precast concrete box culvert.