WORCESTER – It wouldn’t be Worcester without roadwork happening somewhere.
In 2020, the complete overhaul of Kelley Square and turning the city’s most notorious intersection into a peanut-shaped roundabout is far and away the most notable of the state-sponsored construction projects in Worcester.
There’s also the ongoing resurfacing on Grafton St. [Rt. 122] and the Billings Sq. rotary, and the remodeling of the Drummond Ave. and Shore Dr. intersection.
In fact, there’s nearly 30 Massachusetts Department of Transportation [MassDOT] projects in the construction stage right now all over Worcester — ranging from large projects as previously mentioned to smaller drainage, resurfacing, and traffic signal installation projects.
But what’s to come?
There are 13 MassDOT projects currently in the design stage. Of those 13, there are five major projects that are all on schedule to go to be advertised for bid by January 2025.
Here are the five major projects — with a combined roughly $30 million in construction work — scheduled to launch by 2025 [information courtesy MassDOT]:
1. WORCESTER/LEOMINSTER- GUIDE AND TRAFFIC SIGN REPLACEMENT ON INTERSTATE 190
-
- This $4.8 million project is for the replacement and updating of guide and traffic signs, also sign supports, on Interstate 190 and applicable intersecting secondary roadways between Interstate 290 in Worcester and Route 2 in Leominster.
- The project is listed on the 2023 Statewide Metropolitan Planning Organization Transportation Improvement Program [MPO TIP] and scheduled to be advertised 11/22/2022.
2. WORCESTER- RECONSTRUCTION OF HARRISION STREET BRIDGE OVER I-290 AND LAUREL STREET BRIDGE OVER I-290
-
- The $14.8 million project will consist of superstructure replacement and substructure repairs of the Harrison and Laurel Street bridges over I-290 in the City of Worcester.
- The project is currently listed on the 2023 Central Mass MPO TIP and is in preliminary design phase and schedule to be advertised on 2/4/2023.
3. UXBRIDGE TO WORCESTER- GUIDE AND TRAFFIC SIGN REPLACEMENT ON A SECTION OF ROUTE 146
-
- This is a $1.1 million project to replace and update guide and traffic signs along Route 146 and intersecting roadways between the Rhode Island/Massachusetts border in Uxbridge and I-290 in Worcester.
- The project is currently listed on the 2023 Central Mass MPO TIP and is scheduled to advertise on 2/3/2024.
4. WORCESTER- INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS AT WEST MOUNTAIN STREET AT I-190 FRONTAGE ROAD & BROOKS STREET EXTENSION
-
- Intersection improvements at West Mountain Street at I-190 Frontage Road & Brooks Street Extension to improve safety. Recommendations from Road Safety Audit will be basis for design including traffic signals, signs, pavement markings, and/or geometric modifications.
- The $2.6 million project is currently listed on the 2024 Central Mass MPO TIP and is at the preliminary design phase and scheduled to be advertised on 12/30/2023.
5. WORCESTER- INTERSECTION IMPROVEMENTS ON CHANDLER STREET AND MAY STREET
-
- The limits of this project are bound by Hamill Street and its intersection with Chandler and May Street to a point just west of the intersection of Chandler and May Street. For this project there will be roadway alignment changes to the southerly intersection of Chandler and May to increase safety. This will increase sight distance for vehicles, reduce crossing times for pedestrians and provide a bike lane for cyclists. Flashing beacons, islands and street lighting will be used at critical crossing locations to increase safety of students and children.
- The $6.9 million project is listed on the 2025 Central Mass MPO TIP and is at the preliminary design phase with an advertisement date of 1/11/2025.
Lead image credit: Edited – Harrison St. I-290 Overpass//Dougtone on Visual hunt / CC BY-SA
