About the project
Project status
MassDOT has deemed the Route 28 Road Diet Pilot a success. The impacts of the pilot on traffic operations and travel times were anticipated and are considered acceptable to achieve the safety goals. The road diet will remain in place.
Project background
The Route 28 corridor has a history of crashes, leading to public safety concerns raised by the Milton community. To address this issue, MassDOT conducted a Road Safety Audit (RSA) and hired a consultant to conduct a Corridor Study. The RSA and the Corridor Study found that the roadway has a lot of congestion from both neighbors using this as an arterial and cut-through traffic at peak periods. Travel speeds are high when there is less congestion during off-peak periods. Residents and businesses have difficulties entering and exiting driveways from the roadway.
A road diet pilot was selected as an appropriate solution because of the corridor’s crash history, ongoing safety concerns, and community advocacy. The goals of the pilot were to reduce fatalities and serious injuries, speeds, and conflict points along Route 28. The pilot allowed MassDOT to provide immediate changes to the roadway and utilize the results to aid in long-term planning efforts for full corridor reconstruction.
Pilot duration
The Route 28 Road Diet Pilot was fully implemented on Sunday, October 12 and in place through Spring 2026. During that time, MassDOT monitored traffic patterns, analyzed safety data, met with the Town of Milton and local stakeholders, presented to the community at Select Board Meetings, and listened to community feedback. An evaluation period took place in Spring 2026 to assess the effectiveness and overall impact of the design.
Road Diet design
Originally, the Route 28 corridor had four travel lanes, minimal shoulders and sidewalks, and no bicycle facilities. The road diet pilot design has two travel lanes with wider shoulders, two-way left-turn lanes (TWLTL), and painted medians with flex posts. The roadway design differs along the segments of the roadway to respond to the needs of the surrounding land-use. Minor changes were made throughout the duration of the pilot based on observations and community feedback.
Pilot photos
Facing north on Route 28 at Milton DPW
Facing south on Route 28 at Pleasant Street
Facing south on Route 28 at Nahanton Avenue
Facing south on Route 28 at Eagle Farms/Newcomb Farms
Facing north on Route 28 at Eager Road
Facing north on Route 28 at Chickatawbut Road