Legislation to speed up Route 128 widening gathers support

By Sherry Alpert

Legislation that will fast track the proposed widening of Route 128 from Randolph to Wellesley has gained considerable support on Beacon Hill, according to State Sen. Brian A. Joyce, who plans to file the legislation before month's end.

Speaking before a diverse audience at the Showcase Cinema in Randolph June 19, Joyce said he is continuing to gain support for the legislation that will allow a "design build" construction schedule for the $200 million Route 128 Add-a-Lane project that would reduce construction time to 5-7 years and include a redesign of the Route 128/Route 95 "Dead Man's Curve" interchange. Under the Massachusetts Highway Department's (MHD) standard design-bid-build requirements, the project could take 12 to 15 years, be subject to cost overruns and would exclude the Route 128/Route 95 interchange, which causes lengthy backups for commuters.

Joyce noted that the $385 million Route 3 North project, which encompasses 21 miles and 47 bridges, has gone the Design Build route through special legislation, and will be completed in 3-1/2 years rather than 10-12 through the design-bid-build process and is $11 million under budget. Design-build gives a contractor autonomy and creates incentives to save both time and money.

The 200,000 cars a day driving the 14.3-mile stretch from Randolph to Wellesleywould stretch from Boston to Chicago if lined up single file, according to the Route 128/Add-a-Lane Business Coalition (128/ABC), sponsor of the "Sooner is Better" public information meeting, which drew residents, business people, and state and municipal officials from the entire corridor.
Massachusetts has among the worst roads and bridges of 18 states surveyed by the McCormick Institute for Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, according to Alan Macdonald, Executive Director, Massachusetts Business Roundtable.

He noted that Massachusetts has:

"Route 128 has the worst air quality and highest ozone concentration in the state, according to Rebecca Snow, Transportation Coordinator for Reebok International Headquarters, Canton, who focuses on efficient methods to get Reebok's 1,200 employees to work through carpooling, flex time, and the Neponset Valley Transportation Management Association. Pollution from Route 128 traffic backups causes asthma attacks, nausea, sore throats, coughing and headaches, she said.

Traffic snarls also make employees late for work, reducing productivity and costing businesses money, Snow said.

Macdonald underscored the need for coordination and planning by the MHD, Mass. Turnpike Authority, MBTA and Massport for transportation initiatives, noting that other states in the study were far ahead of Massachusetts in this regard.

"We're trying to connect all the planning processes and want to keep Route 128 moving the way Boston has kept moving during the Big Dig," said Doug Wynne, President of the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce, coordinator of the meeting. Residents, businesses and public officials will work together to ensure that all issues are addressed.

The Route 128 widening project will include both temporary and permanent noise mitigation to mute the sound of construction as well as a dedicated team of engineers monitoring the construction, no matter which construction process is used, Wynne said.

The project would add a lane on both sides of Route 128, replace 21 of the 24 bridges, restore the breakdown lane during rush hour, and improve safety, with minimal environmental impact. Commuters will see immediate benefits in traffic flow from each phase of the project, and there will be minimal disruption of traffic during construction. The impact on wetlands will also be minimal, he said.

Len Segal of Sharon questioned whether the Route 128 project will mitigate traffic snarls, since it will still be four lanes in each direction, rather than three lanes and a breakdown lane.

The federal government might not continue granting Massachusetts permission to allow commuters to use the breakdown lane during rush hour, and the lack of a breakdown lane poses a serious safety factor, Joyce said. Furthermore, the Route 128 rail station has expanded parking, and the Southeast Expressway has a carpool lane, both designed to reduce traffic.

The breakdown lane carries less traffic than a legitimate driving lane and is usable only during rush hour, according to Wynne.

Rick Dimino, Executive Director of the Artery Business Committee, former Transportation Commissioner for Boston, noted that during the peak years of the Big Dig, Boston had its lowest office vacancy rate and unemployment rate. By partnering with the residential community, the business community ensured that architectural, aesthetic, noise and other issues were addressed while their coordinated effort kept the city running. He advised the 128/ABC to engage in a similar partnership and welcome expertise from all quarters, particularly architectural and engineering firms.

Sherry Alpert is Principal of Sherry Alpert Communications of Canton and is also a long-time member of the Neponset Valley Chamber of Commerce.  She can be reached at 781-282-9415 or via email at sherry@alpert-publicrelations.com.