About the I-495 Andover-Lawrence bridge replacements

Learn more about the project.

Overview

The I-495 Andover-Lawrence Bridge Replacements Project includes six bridges on I-495. The structures are on I-495 where it follows the Andover-Lawrence border. 

I-495 is a vital connector linking eastern Massachusetts to Cape Cod and southern New Hampshire. Private vehicles and heavy trucks delivering freight across the Commonwealth travel this interstate. Route 28 is a regional road that connects homes, businesses, medical care, and educational opportunities. Within the project area, on average, I-495 north and southbound each carry 57,000 vehicles each per day. Route 28, north and southbound each carry an average of 14,700 vehicles per day. 

Beginning in the spring of 2024, MassDOT will fully replace all six bridges. This project allows MassDOT to provide the following improvements to all users:

• New bridges with fewer supports and expansion joints; meaning less impacts to roadway users from maintenance activities.
• Wider bridges that meet modern safety standards with more space on their decks will help to accommodate future maintenance activities.
• Safer acceleration and deceleration lanes for traffic entering and exiting I-495.
• Wider sidewalks and new bicycle lanes on Route 28.

Traffic and construction updates

Work anticipated for the week of August 31^st to September 7^th

I-495 Mainline

Activities

• Installation of abutments for the bridges carrying I-495 over the MBTA Haverhill Commuter Rail Line.
• Installation of abutments for the bridges carrying I-495 over Route 28 northbound (towards Lawrence)
• Dense grading of the roadbed for temporary lanes.

Traffic Impacts by Time of Day

• All work will be behind barrier without impact to traffic, Tuesday to Friday, 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM for the week covered by this lookahead. Motorists are advised that the mainline remains an active work zone and to reduce speed while traveling through it.

Noise impacts:

• Noise levels will be similar to normal traffic operations day with machinery running to install abutments, grade earth for the temporary roadbed, install wire walls and deliver components. 

Surrounding Interchanges

Activities

• There are no activities planned for the week addressed by this lookahead.

Route 28

Activities

• Installation of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls at the bridge carrying I-495 over Route 28 southbound.

Traffic Impacts by Time of Day

• For the installation of MSE walls at the bridge carrying I-495 over 28 southbound: closure of the right lane of Route 28 beginning at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, September 2^nd with all lanes reopened to traffic by 3:00 PM.  This closure will be repeated Wednesday, September 3^rd through Friday, September 5^th during the same hours.
• Motorists entering Route 28 from I-495 north and southbound should exercise additional caution when merging.   All motorists traveling through the Route 28 work zone are advised to reduce speed, exercise caution, and pay close attention to all signage and directions from police and project personnel.  Rolling roadblocks may occur to shift construction machinery across Route 28.

Noise impacts:

• Noise levels will be similar to normal traffic operations day with machinery running to install MSE walls and deliver components. 

Lay-Down Area

Activities

• Receipt of materials, equipment, and a point to gather for work crews and Massachusetts State Police details before entering the I-495 mainline.

Traffic Impacts by Time of Day

• Single vehicles entering and exiting the lay-down area under yield control from 7AM-3PM throughout the period covered by this look-ahead.  This now includes Friday and Saturday.
• Multiple vehicles entering and exiting the lay-down area under State Police control during the overnight hours, between 7:00 PM and 5:00 AM depending on the exact date within the period covered by this look-ahead.

Noise Impacts

• None

MBTA Haverhill Commuter Rail Line

Activities

• Installation of bridge abutments.
• Installation mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls.

Travel Impacts by Time of Day

• Installation of bridge abutments and MSE walls, will occur outside of the safety envelope around the commuter rail tracks.  As such, there will be no impacts to rail passengers.

Noise Impacts

• Noise levels will be similar to normal traffic operations with equipment running to deliver materials, install MSE wall panels, and form reinforcing steel for the bridge abutments. 

Completed Work

• Installation of MSE walls at the bridges carrying I-495 over Route 28 northbound: 95%
• Installation of bridge abutments at the bridges carrying I-495 over Route 28 northbound: 50%
• Preparatory earthwork in the median work zone for future crossover lanes: 95%
• Installation of abutments at the bridges carrying I-495 over the MBTA Haverhill Line: 50%
• Installation of MSE walls at the bridges carrying I-495 over the MBTA Haverhill Line: 60%
• Installation of erosion control measures at ramps for this stage: 30%
• Installation of highway lighting conduit: 25%

Construction timeline

Construction will be staged to reduce impacts on abutters and commuters. The project is expected to run roughly four years and is broken into four, broad stages:

• Stage 1: Summer 2024 – Fall 2025
  • Work in the median to create new roadway and bridge deck space.
  • Construction of median crossovers.
• Stage 2: Fall 2025 – Fall 2026
  • Northbound lanes of I-495 shifted into the median
  • Work to rebuild bridges takes place in the vacated northbound lanes.
• Stage 3: Fall 2026 – Summer 2027
  • Southbound lanes of I-495 shifted to the median
  • Northbound lanes of I-495 shifted to the final alignment
  • Work to rebuild bridges takes place in the vacated southbound lanes.
  • Cycling and pedestrian improvements open on Route 28
• Stage 4: Summer 2027 – Fall 2027
  • Traffic shifted to the final alignment in both north and Southbound directions.
  • Improved acceleration/deceleration lanes in place.
  • Median area vacated.

Project-associated detours and periodic lane closures

Some short-term, overnight detours are part of this project. These detours use main roads such as Haverhill Street (Route 133) and Turnpike Road (Route 114) to keep traffic off local streets and help maintain quality of life for area residents and access for area businesses. There will times when two-way traffic will run temporarily on normally one-way sections of Route 28 in the vicinity of Binney and Shepley streets. Homes and businesses on these streets will receive flyers in advance of the change of direction.

All detours and lane closures will be noticed using the project’s website and mass email system. The project will avoid lane closures and detours during peak commuting hours to help keep traffic flowing.

Committed to being good neighbors

The bridges over Route 28 and MBTA are closely surrounded by the community. Some homes in Andover are less than 400 feet from I-495. MassDOT is committed to minimizing, managing, and communicating construction impacts effectively while it completes this needed work.

To help the project be a better neighbor we will:

• Stage construction to provide a normal, simple configuration on I-495 with three lanes in each direction. During the design process, community members may have seen plans that split the lanes of one direction of the highway up with a work zone between them. By creating a work zone in the median of the highway first, we can create adequate space to build the new bridges and keep each direction of the highway as it normally is with three travel lanes together in each direction. This helps to prevent driver confusion and allows a smoother traffic flow.
• Provide real time traffic monitoring on I-495 to help keep regional traffic on the highway and off local streets.
• Avoid lane closures on Route 28 and I-495 during commuting peaks.
• Implement detours which rely on larger roadways such as I-495 itself, Route 133, and Route 114.
• Wet the old bridge’s supports during demolition to prevent dust from reaching nearby homes and businesses.
• Communicate real time traffic information changeable message signs. These signs are solar powered, making them quieter and better for the environment.
• Issue weekly email and web-based updates to keep all users informed about project progress, detours, and other roadway conditions. We will send emails to subscribed individuals, but also to partners who can help us get our message out ranging from local officials to local transit provider MEVA, area schools, social service organizations and more.
• Offer a project hotline in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese. MassDOT will activate the hotline in the spring of 2024.