Photo by Maureen Sullivan
HOPKINTON – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has announced that starting on Monday, May 8, crews will begin overnight demolition of the Fruit Street bridge in Hopkinton as part of the I-495/I-90 Interchange Improvements Project.
Demolition is planned to occur on Monday through Friday between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. for three weeks.
MassDOT officials have said that this is the largest project in the department’s history.
For years, the I-495 and Mass Pike interchange has experienced traffic demands exceeding its capacity. On an average day, this interchange carries hundreds of thousands of vehicles that travel 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.
Fruit Street in Hopkinton will only be open to local traffic between North Street and Saddle Hill Road while detours are in place. The demolition work requires temporary overnight detours. During this time, there will be detours for vehicles on Fruit Street:
- Westbound traffic looking to cross over I-495: Turn left to head south on Saddle Hill Road. Turn slightly right onto Walker Street, then turn right onto Wood Street (Route 135 west) and continue until you reach Fruit Street.
- Eastbound traffic looking to cross over I-495: Follow detour signage in place to Wood Street (Route 135 east). Turn left onto Walker Street, then continue onto Saddle Hill Road until you reach Fruit Street.
During this preliminary construction phase, the total number of travel lanes on both I-495 and I-90 will remain the same, except for limited short-term lane closures on I-495 during overnight hours. All ramps within the interchange will be open at all times.
Drivers are encouraged to pay attention to all signage. Over the course of the project, police details, changes in lane markings, temporary controls such as barriers and traffic cones, signage and other tools will be used to control traffic and create safe work zones within the project limits.
Weather and unexpected circumstances make all construction activities subject to change.
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