CONCORD, Mass. – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation – Highway Division (MassDOT) is seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to conduct work in waters of the United States in conjunction with I-95 transportation improvements in Needham and Wellesley, Mass.
MassDOT is proposing to discharge fill material into approximately 1.026 acres of waters of the U.S., including wetlands, associated with the I-95 (Route 128) Transportation Improvement Project. The work includes constructing an additional travel lane and shoulder in each direction, reconstructing several interchanges, constructing one new interchange and several new feeder roads, and repair/replacement of several bridges along a 3.25 mile section of I-95.
This work is proposed in unnamed wetlands and waters along I-95 (Route 128) from the Route 9 interchange south for 3.3 miles to approximately 1 mile south of the Kendrick Street overpass in Needham and Wellesley. The purpose of the work is to restore a functional breakdown lane and shoulder in each direction, relieve traffic congestion along the corridor, and reduce diversion of traffic to parallel routes.
The work includes the following components: construction of an additional travel lane and shoulder in each direction along a 3.25 mile section of I-95; reconstruction of the Highland Avenue Interchange in Needham; addition of Kendrick Street Interchange; addition of collector/distributor roadways between Highland Avenue and Kendrick Street Interchanges; modifications to the I-95/Route 9 Interchange and replacement of the Route 9 Bridge; stormwater management improvements; and widening of Central Avenue Bridges.
The application for the federal permit was filed by MassDOT with the Corps in compliance with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge or fill of material in U.S. waters, including wetlands. The public notice, with more specifics on the proposed work by MassDOT, can be viewed on the Corps website at http://www.nae.usace.army.mil. Select Regulatory and then public notices or go directly to http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/Regulatory/Public%20Notices/.
Public comments on this work proposed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation – Highway Division (file # NAE-2009-02330) should be forwarded no later than Aug. 23, 2012 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District, Regulatory Division (ATTN: Dan Vasconcelos), 696 Virginia Road, Concord, MA 01742-2751. Additional information is available from Permit Project Manager Dan Vasconcelos at 978-318-8653 or toll free 800-343-4789 or 800-362-4367 (if calling from within Massachusetts) or by email to: daniel.b.vasconcelos@usace.army.mil.