State transportation leaders are warning drivers that there could be major delays on the Mass Pike this weekend. Traffic on I-90 will be reduced to just a single lane in each direction between exits 123 in Weston and 125 in Newton as crews work to replace the Mass Pike-Route 128 interchange.
“This is our big construction job of the season,” said State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver. “This is a really intense period of construction with some very heavy impacts, but we will be over and done with it in a weekend.”
The closure begins at 9 p.m. Friday and lasts through 5 a.m. Monday. During that time, MassDOT expects traffic delays of up to three hours.
“If you do not need to be coming through the region this weekend, you should avoid it,” Gulliver said. “Use Google Maps, use Apple Maps, use Waze, whatever. They’re going to get you to the best route to get to where you need to go. But first and foremost, give yourself extra time. You’re going to need it.”
This weekend’s lane closure marks the second round of major work on the Mass Pike this season. The highway was also reduced to just one lane in each direction for a weekend in late May. According to MassDOT, the two weekends were chosen because traffic was forecast to be lightest.
The portion of the Pike between exits 123 and 125 typically sees 100,000 cars a day, including on weekends. Route 2 is likely the best option for drivers heading through the area this weekend. There will be no solid public transportation alternative, as the Mass Pike work coincides with a service suspension on the MBTA commuter rail between Framingham and South Station
