Road Work Will Affect Route 93 Overnight

The following text was submitted by the Massachusetts State Police. 

The Massachusetts State Police remind the motoring public of a change in traffic flow that will occur Friday night into Saturday morning in a trial run of a lane crossover operation being done to test the traffic management plan for this summer’s 14-bridge replacement project on Route 93 in Medford. Lane closures and crossovers will be in effect from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Saturday.

The test deployment, to be conducted in conjunction with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the contractor for the “Fast 14” bridge project, will change the existing interstate highway from four-lanes in each direction to two-lanes in each direction, running in counter-flow operation on the southbound barrel of the highway. 

Route 93 directional traffic will be separated by a moveable “zipper lane” barrier throughout the 4.5 mile length of the crossover between Stoneham and Somerville.  One local access lane will be provided on the closed section of I-93 northbound to provide access to all of the ramps for Exits 31 through 33.  This weekend’s test deployment will also execute the procedures established by MassDOT and State Police for re-opening the interstate highway to full-lane capacity by 5 a.m. on Saturday, May 7. Specific details on the test deployment follow below:

Route I-93 Southbound

• On Friday May 6, Route 93 southbound will be restricted to two lanes south of Exit 35 (Winchester Highlands/Melrose) beginning with a single lane closure at 8 p.m. to initiate the movable “zipper lane” barrier setup. The second lane closure will follow to complete the installation of the movable barrier for use of the crossover by 10 p.m. 
• Route 93 southbound will remain restricted to 2 travel lanes from south of Exit 35 to north of Exit 28 (Sullivan Square) between 10 p.m. Friday, May 6 and 5 a.m. Saturday, May 7.
• All of the southbound entrance and exit ramps on Route 93 between Exit 33 (Roosevelt Circle – Route 28/Fellsway) and Exit 28 (Sullivan Square) will remain open.  The entrance ramp from Route 28/Fellsway West in Stoneham to Route 93 southbound will be closed between 8 p.m. Friday, May 6 and 5 a.m. Saturday, May 7.
• Through traffic travelling south on Route 93 will be restricted to the right two travel lanes with the northbound traffic located in the adjacent left lanes separated by the movable barrier. All through traffic on Route 93 will be located within the southbound barrel of the highway in a counter-flow operation. The shoulder lane will not be used as a travel lane, but will be available for emergency vehicle access and disabled vehicles.
• Three lanes will be provided on Route 93 southbound just north of Exit 28 (Sullivan Square/ Charlestown) and adjacent to the start of the HOV lane. 

Route I-93 Northbound

• On Friday May 6, Route 93 northbound will be restricted to two lanes north of Exit 29 (Route 28/38 – Somerville/Everett) beginning with a single lane closure at 8 p.m. to initiate the crossover implementation.  The second lane closure will follow thereafter to complete the installation of the median crossover by 10 p.m. Through traffic on Route 93 northbound will remain restricted to 2 travel lanes from north of Exit 29 (Route 28/38 – Somerville/Everett) to north of Exit 33 (Roosevelt Circle – Route 28/Fellsway) between 10 p.m. Friday, May 6 and 5 a.m. Saturday, May 7.
• Beyond the crossover point, one lane of local ramp access will be provided on Route 93 northbound to service all of the ramps between Exits 31 (Mystic Valley Parkway/ Arlington) and Exit 33 (Roosevelt Circle – Route 28/Fellsway).  Traffic in the local access lane will be restricted to one travel lane.  Any traffic entering Route 93 northbound from the on ramps between Exits 31 and 33 will merge back with northbound through traffic exiting the northerly crossover in the area prior to Exit 34 (Route 28 North – Stoneham/Melrose).            
• Through traffic travelling north on Route 93 will be restricted to two lanes which will cross over the median and travel in the southbound side of the highway, separated from the southbound traffic by the movable barrier. There will not be a shoulder lane available for the northbound direction between 8 p.m. Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7. 

The Massachusetts State Police and Massachusetts Department of Transportation encourage drivers to allow extra time for their trips and to reduce speed and use caution when travelling through all work zones.

For more information or to sign up to receive future updates and schedule information, visit the project’s website at www.mass.gov/massdot/93fast14.