Troubled Intersection Gets Murray Visit
PHOTO/BRANDON BUTLER
Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray met with state and federal officials recently to discuss improvements to the intersection of Routes 126 and 135 in Framingham.
For Framingham Board of Selectmen Chairman Dennis Giombetti, a visit by Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray last week came with some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that Murray said improvements to the downtown Framingham intersection of Routes 135 and 126, which includes a commuter train crossing, is one of the top four or five traffic improvement projects in the state. It's a "signature project" for the Patrick-Murray administration, he said.
The bad news: The project will undoubtedly have to be at least partially funded by the federal government and it could take up to 10 years and $100 million.
Still, Giombetti is optimistic.
"We're closer now than we've ever been," Giombetti said. "Certainly there is a funding issue that needs to be worked out, but we've got commitments from officials that this is high on their agenda. All the stars are beginning to align, even though we've still got a long way to go."
Baby Steps
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has taken the lead on the project, which is in the planning and review phase.
The state has recently made available about $300,000 to hire the Beta Group Inc. of Norwood, Giombetti said, to help conduct environmental reviews of the area.
Any improvements to the area will likely be costly and difficult to execute.
The intersection sits on the southern end of the downtown area where Routes 126 and 135 meet. The intersection is adjacent to the commuter train station. Train tracks (which carry commuter and freight trains) run parallel to Route 135 and cross Route 126.
Engineers have four ideas for ways to improve the intersection. One would run Route 126 beneath the train tracks. Another option would be to put Route 135 underneath Route 126, which would eliminate the four-way intersection. The other two options would be to make improvements to streets to the east or west of the intersection, which would encourage travelers to use routes around the downtown to avoid the intersection.
By early 2011 MassDOT officials are hoping the environmental studies will help narrow the options to a preferred choice, at which time they can begin drafting an environmental permit for the project. That will hopefully take the project to the 25 percent designed phase, at which time additional funding, likely from the federal government, will be needed.
Officials from the offices of U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, D- Malden, and U.S. Rep. James McGovern, D-Worcester, attended Murray's meeting with town officials last week. Giombetti said he is hoping a federal transportation bill could include some money for the project in the next year or two.
Murray said after the meeting that the project could cost between $30 million and $100 million, depending on which option is deemed the most appropriate.
"It's a project that should command that sort of attention," Murray said. "This project is good for the entire commonwealth... We've got to make it easier for commuters to get to and from work, or else (businesses) will leave."
Meanwhile, local officials are working on other improvements to the downtown area in Framingham. Selectmen voted earlier this year to spend about $7.5 million to synchronize the traffic signals, to install curbed sidewalks and to install new traffic signals to replace a roundabout directly in front of Framingham Town Hall.
Giombetti said more than half of the funding for that project has been received and town officials have commitments from the state for the remaining funding. Work on those initiatives will be done during the next 12 to 18 months, according to Town Manager Julian Suso.
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