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Part of Mass Pike closed due to crack near I-495, officials say
At least one lane was set to open at 2 p.m. Friday, with the rest of the lanes planned to open around 8 p.m.
Westbound lanes of the Mass Pike closed down Friday morning for emergency repairs after the appearance of a large crack on Interstate 495 between Hopkinton and Westborough.
At least one lane was set to open at 2 p.m., with the rest of the lanes planning to open around 8 p.m., said Jonathan Gulliver, the highway administrator for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, at a press conference.
Gulliver said his staff was alerted of the crack at 7 a.m. when a MassDOT contractor noticed some “unusual pavement cracking.” An inspection was made that determined settlement issues.
“There was the risk of a major sinkhole opening up, something that we obviously didn’t want to put traffic onto,” Gulliver said. “Our team acted quickly, closed the roadway and started emergency repairs.”
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There is an ongoing construction project at the I-495/I-90 interchange that the state has invested $440 million into, Gulliver said. As part of the project, piles were installed next to the part of the turnpike where the crack happened. The soil in the settlement started to move due to construction and traffic activity, ultimately caving in.
MassDOT brought in dump trucks with structural fill to stabilize the embankment and will continue work for the rest of the day, Gulliver said.
Westbound traffic is rerouted to Route 9 at Exit 111 in Framingham, Gulliver said. MassDOT said in a statement that there are expected delays as road work continues.
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“Although very difficult, it has been a manageable detour for most of the day, and we continue to appreciate the public cooperation with us,” Gulliver said.
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