Traffic Commission hears update on 1265 Main St project

The Traffic Commission heard updates on a proposed design plan for infrastructure improvements to the roadway surrounding the 1265 Main Street development (site of the former Polaroid factory), which included some uncertainties.

VHB, a Watertown-based civil engineering firm, was hired to create a design that would help ease traffic surrounding the site once it’s finished.

Rob Nagi, Director of Transportation and Operation Services at VHB, said some progress has been made.

He explained that the design for the highway surrounding the development area has been completed and reviewed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, but there are still some roadblocks preventing the full design plan from being completed, namely, a bridge.

The design plan includes the replacement of the bridge on Route 117 going over Route 128 with a seven-lane version.

Before the plan could be sent to MassDOT for approval, it had to be reviewed by numerous utility companies that intend to use the bridge to provide services

Nagi said that because of this, MassDOT is still in the initial review phase.

There are also economic factors to consider.

“From a cost perspective, it’s gone from about $40 to $50 million, to a price tag of about $80 million,” said Nagi.

The projected cost of the project has risen since it was initially proposed in 2017, due to inflation and increased cost of construction materials.

These issues caused concern for some members of the committee.

City Clerk Joe Vizard explained that the city has already approved special permits for other projects in the area that may rely on this modified bridge on Route 117 in the future.

“Given the economic conditions, and everything that you people are wrestling, should our focus be somewhere else?” he asked.

Keir Evans, the vice president of BXP Inc., one of the developers of the site, said that the only scenario in which they would scrap the project is if the state decided to pull out, which he viewed as unlikely.

Ward 7 councilor, Paul S. Katz emphasized that these improvements to the roadway are not guaranteed.

Despite the concerns, members of the committee said they were eager to make progress on the project.