ICYMI: Knockdown of Needham Bridge to Impact Newton Traffic

NEWTON, MA – The Highland Avenue Bridge in Needham will be torn down next weekend, and Newton police say the work will have a significant impact on traffic on Needham, Oak and Chestnut streets.

From Nov. 4 to Nov. 6, traffic over I-95 will be diverted and the roadway itself will be closed underneath to allow for demolition. Work will start on the east side of the bridge – over I-95 Northbound – from 8 p.m. Friday to 3 p.m. Saturday, followed by the west side of the bridge – over I-95 Southbound – from 6 p.m. Saturday to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Here's a look at the Highland Avenue detours:

Detour Routes Associated with the North Bound Rt. 128 (I-95NB) Bridge Demolition

Highland Avenue Local Traffic
• All local access to homes and businesses along Highland Avenue will be maintained
throughout demolition activities.
• Eastbound through traffic on Highland Avenue will be detoured as follows:
- Turn right on Hunting Road
- Turn left on Kendrick Street
- Turn left on 4th Avenue
- Turn left on 2nd Avenue
- Turn right on Highland Avenue
• Westbound through traffic on Highland Avenue will follow the same route in reverse.
• The temporary connection via the Highland ramps will operate as a free-flow condition
without signalization.

Northbound I-95 (Route 128) to Maintain Mainline Traffic
• Northbound Traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Exit the mainline at Highland Avenue, exit 19A
- Cross Highland Avenue and connect to the northbound on-ramp via a temporary
paved connection
- Reenter the mainline via the northbound on-ramp
• Southbound traffic will operate normally.
• The temporary connection via the ramps will operate as a free-flow condition without
signalization.

Highland Avenue East to I-95 Northbound
• Traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Turn left onto Webster Avenue (at the Needham Fire Station)
- Turn left on Central Avenue
- Take the second right onto Cedar Street
- Turn right on Worcester Street to merge onto Route 9 Eastbound
- Use the right lane to take the on-ramp for I-95 North towards Peabody

Needham Street (Becomes Highland Avenue) West to I-95
• Northbound traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Turn right on Oak Street (before the Charles River)
- Turn left onto Chestnut Street
- Proceed under the Route 9 overpass
- Take the immediate left for the on-ramp for Route 9 Westbound
- Take the second right for the on-ramp to I-95 Northbound (toward Peabody)
• Southbound traffic will take the same route to reach Route 9 Westbound
- Take the on-ramp for I-95 Southbound (toward Canton), which follows the I-95
North exit

I-95 Northbound to Highland East or West
• All local access to homes and businesses along Highland Avenue will be maintained
throughout demolition activities.
• Traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Exit the mainline at Highland Avenue, exit 19A
- For traffic headed toward Highland Avenue Westbound, take a left turn at the offramp,
cross the new Highland Avenue Bridge, and proceed west.
- For traffic headed toward Highland Avenue Eastbound, take a right turn at the
off-ramp and proceed east.
• The temporary connection via the ramps will operate as a free-flow condition without
signalization.

I-95 Southbound to Highland Avenue East
• Traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Exit the mainline at Highland Avenue, exit 19B
- Cross Highland Avenue and connect to the southbound on-ramp via a temporary
paved connection
- Reenter the mainline via the southbound on-ramp
- Proceed to Great Plain Avenue/Needham Street, exit 18 (2.6 miles) - this is the
longest detour as a result of the closure.
- Turn right onto Great Plain Avenue
- Take the first left at the on ramp for I-95 Northbound (toward Peabody)
- Exit the mainline at Highland Avenue, exit 19A, and proceed right onto Highland
Avenue.
• The temporary connection via the ramps will operate as a free-flow condition without
signalization.

Detour Routes Associated with the South Bound Rt. 128 (I-95SB) Bridge Demolition

Highland Avenue Local Traffic
• All local access to homes and businesses along Highland Avenue will be maintained
throughout demolition activities.
• Eastbound through traffic on Highland Avenue will be detoured as follows:
- Turn right on Hunting Road
- Turn left on Kendrick Street
- Turn left on 4th Avenue
- Turn left on 2nd Avenue
- Turn right on Highland Avenue
• Westbound through traffic on Highland Avenue will follow the same route in reverse.

Southbound I-95 (Route 128) to Maintain Mainline Traffic
• Southbound Traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Exit the mainline at Highland Avenue, exit 19B
- Cross Highland Avenue and connect to the southbound on-ramp via a temporary
paved connection
- Reenter the mainline via the southbound on-ramp
• Northbound traffic will operate normally.
• The temporary connection via the ramps will operate as a free-flow condition without
signalization.

Needham Street (Becomes Highland Avenue) East of I-95 to I-95
• Traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Turn right on Oak Street (before the Charles River)
- Turn left on Chestnut Street
- Proceed under the Route 9 overpass
- Take the immediate left for the on-ramp for Route 9 Westbound
- Take the appropriate on-ramp for I-95 Northbound or Southbound

Highland Avenue West to I-95
• Highland Avenue traffic West of I-95 will be detoured as follows:
- Turn left on Webster Street
- Turn left on Central Avenue
- Take the second right onto Cedar Street
- Turn right onto Worcester Street to merge onto Route 9 Eastbound
- Take the appropriate on-ramp for I-95 Northbound or Southbound

95 Northbound exit to Highland Avenue West
• Traffic will be detoured as follows:
- Exit the mainline at Highland Avenue, exit 19A
- Cross Highland Avenue and connect to the northbound on-ramp via a temporary
paved connection
- Reenter the mainline via the northbound on-ramp
- Proceed to the Route 9 interchange, and exit the mainline at exit 20B, Route 9
Westbound
- Once you cross under the Overpass, immediately take the on-ramp for I-95
Southbound (toward Canton)
- Take exit 19B for Highland Avenue Westbound.
• The temporary connection via the Highland ramps will operate as a free-flow condition
without signalization.

>>>Click here for more information about the project.

Image via Shutterstock

Story originally published Oct. 27.