Work To Repair Flooding Problems at Routes 9/126 Begins

In full transparency, the following is a press release submitted to SOURCE media from Rep. Jack Lewis’ office.

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FRAMINGHAM – The members of the Framingham delegation in the Massachusetts Legislature announced today that construction work to prevent flooding on the interchange between Routes 9 and 126, located in Framingham, has begun.

This comes after the interchange was closed in July 2021 due to heavy rains during Tropical Storm Elsa. In addition to posing a safety hazard to residents, the closure has resulted in delays as the interchange is the site of major east-west freight movement in Massachusetts and has served up to 75,000 people in a single day.

“Framingham residents deserve to know that their roads are safe,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “Whether for drivers, pedestrians, or the many people throughout the state who rely on these roads, improved protections against flooding benefit everyone. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has been very responsive to the Framingham legislative delegation’s calls for these improvements to be prioritized, and I want to thank them for their work to keep Framingham residents safe.”

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“Working collaboratively is the cornerstone of our work as the Framingham legislative delegation, and I am grateful for the larger team effort that made this project possible,” noted Representative Jack Patrick Lewis (D-Framingham). “Thank you to MassDOT for being very responsive to our regular inquiries and for your efforts to mitigate flooding as this project was planned and implemented.”

“Ensuring MassDOT got to work on this project, which is starting earlier than initially planned at our joint urging, has always been a top priority for the legislative delegation,” stated Representative Maria D. Robinson (D-Framingham). “We are grateful to the folks at MassDOT for keeping on top of this important project despite roadblocks from the pandemic.”

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The project includes the construction of two new infiltration basins which will be equipped to store runoff water in the event of a storm, a drainage structure to safely remove water, and upgrades to the interchange’s pipes. Further improvements to the intersection will allow more pedestrian access and safety. Crosswalks and sidewalks, compliant with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board, will be installed along both sides of all roadways in the interchange.

The project was first contracted on October 24, 2021, and work on the first drainage basin, on the
northbound side, was already completed in November 2021.

The project is expected to be finished by June 2023.

The second drainage basin, on the southbound side, is scheduled to be completed during the first half of the 2022 construction season, with further roadway improvements to follow. Once both drainage basins are in place, work on landscaping the area will take place in early 2023.