Construction on I-95 (128) in Waltham

[NadCixelsyd]

What's going on at I-95 and US20. There appears to be construction
going on inside the traffic circle over I-95.

Also,on I-95 southbound near the Cambridge Reservoir, they're clearing
a lot of the area between I-95 and the reservoir.

[Route2 driver]

What's going on at I-95 and US20.  There appears to be construction
going on inside the traffic circle over I-95.
Also,on I-95 southbound near the Cambridge Reservoir, they're clearing
a lot of the area between I-95 and the reservoir.

From the Mass DOT website

WALTHAM- INTERSTATE MAINTENANCE & RELATED WORK ON I-95.
The I-95 resurfacing project begins at the Weston/Waltham town line
(MM 40.65). The project then continues north in the town of Waltham
ending at the Waltham/Lexington town line (MM 44.78). The length of
project is 21,810-feet or 4.131 miles. The highway mainline with be
resurfaced as well as the ramps within the limits of work. The work
shall consist of: Full width 1.5 inch asphalt pavement micromilling
and overlaying with hot mixed asphalt (HMA); 2.25 inch superpave
intermediate and 1.5 inch asphalt rubber gap graded friction course.
All mainline HMA courses (base, intermediate, friction) on this
project shall be warm mix technology; Removing and discarding
guardrail; Upgrading guardrail and end treatments; Excavating the
existing median and replacing with a paved high speed shoulder with
concrete tall wall safety shape barrier; Removing and discarding the
existing median granite edging; Installing bridge rail to highway
guardrail transitions; Adjusting and rebuilding drainage structures
within the roadway surface; Installing hook lock frames and grates on
existing and proposed catch basins; Installing drainage structures in
the newly constructed high speed shoulder; Constructing storm water
improvements including wet ponds and gravel detention basins;
Handling, stabilizing, disposal and re-using of contaminated soils
from the highway median; Installing anti-fatigue rumble strips on the
high speed and low speed shoulders; Installing pavement markings and
slotted pavement markers; Traffic management including temporary
concrete barriers; Installing traffic data collection stations
Installing replacing scored concrete with milled rumble strips;
Placing pavement milling mulch for shoulders and incidental items of
work as required by the Engineer.
http://www.mhd.state.ma.us/default.asp?pgid=content/projectsRoot&sid=wrapper&iid=http://www.mhd.state.ma.us//ProjectInfo/

[John F. Carr]

Post by NadCixelsyd
What's going on at I-95 and US20. There appears to be construction
going on inside the traffic circle over I-95.
Also,on I-95 southbound near the Cambridge Reservoir, they're clearing
a lot of the area between I-95 and the reservoir.

The Route 20 work is mentioned here:
<http://blogs.wickedlocal.com/brandnewwatch/2011/06/21/why-all-those-trees-got-cut-down-along-rt-128-in-waltham/>

I hope the work will allow the shoulder of Route 128 to be
rebuilt to interstate standards, which require shoulders to
slope away from the road (or to be sloped less than the road
when the whole road is banked left). This area is dangerous
during rain because puddles form in the right travel lane.

[Route2 driver]

Post by John F. Carr
I hope the work will allow the shoulder of Route 128 to be
rebuilt to interstate standards, which require shoulders to
slope away from the road (or to be sloped less than the road
when the whole road is banked left).  This area is dangerous
during rain because puddles form in the right travel lane.
--

What I have seen so far on the southbound side is that they are
installing the catch basins back where they were,at the right edge of
the travel lane. I believe the primary focus of the design is to keep
the runoff out of the reservoirs.

I wish Mass DOT would prohibit this kind of design because it makes
the right lane (or left lane which happens on Route 2 between Rt111
and Rt 495) into a drainage ditch that you drive through.It gets worse
as pavement conditions deteriorate over time.