I-95 (128) NB Lane Changes at Mass. Pike to begin 7-17

[roadman]

http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/weston-i-90i-95-new-traffic-pattern-begin-july-17/

[bob7374]

http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/weston-i-90i-95-new-traffic-pattern-begin-july-17/

This sounds like a good idea, on paper. Here's a link to the Boston Globe story from today (7/12):
http://www.boston.com/yourtown/news/weston/2013/07/state_to_test_new_traffic_pattern_at_i-95_mass_pike_intercha.html
Knowing most drivers around here are averse to changes (as confirmed somewhat in the comments to the above article, somebody had to point out the road was 128 too), most may not like the new set up. They've done something similar on I-93N in Canton before the on-ramp from I-95 N. The new 4th right-hand lane ends before the merge. Will this change when the widening between the I-95 ramp and 138 ramps are complete?

[roadman]

They've done something similar on I-93N in Canton before the on-ramp from I-95 N. The new 4th right-hand lane ends before the merge. Will this change when the widening between the I-95 ramp and 138 ramps are complete?

Yes.  When the widening of the ramp from I-95 N to I-93 N to two lanes is completed, the fourth lane will run between the I-935 S off ramp and the on ramp from I-95 N.  The second lane on the on ramp from I-95 N will continue as a fifth lane on I-93N to the 138S exit.

[SidS1045]

I'd bet not a single one of the traffic engineers who thought this up has ever traveled 128 north during rush hour.  For the sake of not backing up traffic through the I-90 toll booth, they will now be creating a bottleneck on 128 north, south of the merge from I-90/MA-30.  The way it is now, there is a substantial rush-hour slow-and-go on 128 north *without* losing a lane, which will only make matters worse.

I don't claim to be a traffic engineer, but this state seems to be madly in love with lane drops.  There has to be a better way.

[deathtopumpkins]

The logic actually does make sense. I know any time I'm on 128 through there, I always make it a point to get out of the right lane to help people merging on from the Pike have room. I've noticed many (but not all) other people do as well.

If the traffic counts given as justification for this are accurate, then I think it is warranted. We'll see next week though.

[southshore720]

I drove through this area last night and didn't see much of a difference.  The VMS on the off-ramp said, "Keep Moving, Change Lanes Later."

[2Co5_14]

This is OK as a temporary low-cost solution.  A more effective long-term solution would be to keep 4 through lanes add an additional exit and entrance lane to I-95/128 north and south for at least a mile (preferably 2 miles) beyond the I-90 interchange.  This would make it possible to have 2-lane entrances and exits to and from the Mass Pike and eliminate those bottlenecks.  This would also necessitate widening the NB C-D road to 2 lanes.  Any major interchange like this generates a lot of lane changes, and needs extra lane capacity to acommodate it.  I see this practice in the Atlanta area where I relocated to from Metro Boston.

[roadman]

I drove through this area last night and didn't see much of a difference.  The VMS on the off-ramp said, "Keep Moving, Change Lanes Later."

The message makes no sense for an exit ramp.  Perhaps you meant the PCMS (portable changeable message sign) on the entrance ramp to I-95/128.

[NE2]

The offramp merges back in, so it would be appropriate there.

[roadman]

The offramp merges back in, so it would be appropriate there.

OK I get it now.  southshore720 is referring to the PCMS that's at the north end of the C/D road, where it re-enters onto I-95/128 north.  Stating "off-ramp" is what threw me off.

[bob7374]

It appears MassDOT is going to make a 'tweak' in the lane closure starting tonight (7/29):
http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/weston-i-90i-95-new-traffic-pattern-update/

[Mergingtraffic]

Mass Dot did that on I-91 NB by exit 3 in Springfield. For the longest time I thought it was dumb. Now I see why. I don't really agree but I see their reasoning.

[southshore720]

I drove through this area last night and didn't see much of a difference.  The VMS on the off-ramp said, "Keep Moving, Change Lanes Later."

The message makes no sense for an exit ramp.  Perhaps you meant the PCMS (portable changeable message sign) on the entrance ramp to I-95/128.

That is what I meant...I was talking from the perspective of taking the I-90 off-ramp onto I-95N.  I didn't mean to confuse.  I still don't think the configuration has made any difference after several trips through.

[roadman]

Looks like the Weston lane drop will indeed become permanent:

http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/weston-i-90i-95-traffic-pattern-pilot-moves-forward/

[bob7374]

Looks like the Weston lane drop will indeed become permanent:

http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/massdot-highway/weston-i-90i-95-traffic-pattern-pilot-moves-forward/

MassDOT announced todayin an official press release that the lane changes are indeed to made permanent:
http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/uncategorized/bottleneck-relief-traffic-pattern-change-permanent/