Representatives of MassDOT, City staff from Public Works and Planning, elected representatives, and members of the general public met at the Newton Public Library on May 22 for an initial meeting of the Newton Corner Long-Term Planning Study Working Group.
The goal of the planning study is to develop and analyze up to six alternative solutions for multimodal transportation at the Newton Corner I-90 interchange. The rotary system of ramps and roadways at this location has been given the name “Circle of Death” by some Newton residents and has been the subject of numerous planning studies in the past. Currently, there are eleven roadway intersections from which vehicles can enter or leave the rotary, leading to potential traffic conflicts.
Past efforts to address the intersection included short-term recommendations made in 2002, followed by a study done in 2006 that developed some new design concepts. Another study in 2009 explored long-term alternatives, including a concept that involved building a bridge to reconnect Centre Street across the turnpike. Other alternatives considered in 2009 included installing tolls at the interchange, adding additional ramps to the turnpike in West Newton, and modifying traffic operations. An ongoing Newton Corner Improvements Project has been underway since 2022 to recommend short-term changes at the intersection. A public information meeting is scheduled for June 6, 2024, at 6:30PM to discuss the preferred design for short-term changes developed by this effort. MassDOT maintains a webpage about the short-term and mid-term improvements planned for Newton Corner..
At the May 22 meeting, representatives from Mass Highway presented goals and objectives of the long-term planning study. The goals of the project are to improve safety, congestion, accessibility, mobility, connectivity, and quality of life in the study area. MassDOT project manager Patrick Snyder stated that this will be a collaborative effort with comprehensive public involvement to engage project stakeholders.
Besides the interchange at Newton Corner, the geographic scope of the project includes the area immediately surrounding the West Newton turnpike exit and portions of Nonantum Road extending to North Beacon Street.
Attendees at the meeting were asked to rank their priorities for the goals of the long-term planning study. They were also asked to annotate maps of the project area with drawings, comments, and recommendations about the process and potential solutions.
MassDOT announced that the Long-Term Planning Study will look at options for the year 2050. During the public comment period, several members of the working group and public expressed concern about the duration of time for these changes.
Members of the working group and public expressed a desire to reconnect the north and south sides of the Newton Corner neighborhood, which has been severed by the turnpike since the 1960s. Advocates of transit, pedestrian safety, and bicycle use expressed preferences to ensure that the intersection becomes more safe and accessible for pedestrians and bicyclists and that a new MBTA station should be considered on the Commuter Rail line.
Subsequent meetings of the Long-Term Planning Study Working Group are anticipated to take place online over the summer. Additional information will be available at the MassDOT Newton Corner Long-Term Planning Study webpage.
