This document summarizes the agenda and key discussion points from the first meeting of the Study Advisory Group for the I-495 & Route 9 Interchange Improvement Study in Framingham, Massachusetts. The project team introduced the study goals of reducing congestion, improving safety, and supporting economic growth in the area. Initial tasks discussed included confirming the study area, goals, evaluation criteria, and public involvement plan. The project team then reviewed existing traffic and land use issues to be analyzed and presented examples of short, mid, and long-term alternative concepts that could be developed and evaluated in subsequent tasks, such as a collector distributor road along I-495. Next steps include finalizing task elements and collecting existing conditions data for analysis.

1. Interstate 495 & Route 9 InterchangeImprovement StudyStudy Advisory GroupMeeting #1September 9, 2011

3. Study Advisory Group

4. Study Area

5. Goals and Objectives

6. Evaluation Criteria

7. Public Involvement Plan

8. Project Approach

10. Consultant PM – Joanne Haracz, AECOM

11. Traffic/Transportation – Jeff Maxtutis, AECOM

12. Highway Design – Nick Rubino, AECOM

13. Land Use/Environment – Dave Derrig, AECOM

14. Economic Analysis – Frank Mahady, FXM Associates

16. Regional employment center

17. Potential 21% increase in jobs by 2030

18. 100,000 vpd on I-495 and I-90

19. 50,000 vpd on Route 9

21. SAG brings valuable local knowledge, experience, and perspective

23. Goals and Objectives

25. I-495/I-90 I/C

26. I-495 Mainline

28. Reduce traffic congestion

29. Improve highway safety

30. Enhance mobility

32. Safety

33. Environmental Effects

34. Land Use

35. Economic Development

36. Community Effects

38. Study Advisory Group

39. Outside Stakeholders

40. General Public

41. Coordination

42. MassDOT

43. CMRPC, MAPC

44. WRTA, MWRTA

45. Municipalities

46. 495 MetroWestPartnership

47. Maintaining Communications

48. Meetings at project milestones

49. Frequent and ongoing project updates

52. Engage key stakeholders

53. Confirm existing conditions

56. Transit

57. Environmental

59. 2011 Traffic Counts

60. 2035 CTPS Projections

61. Accident Data

62. Toll Plaza Operations

63. Simulation Model

64. Evaluate Roadway & Bridge Geometry

65. Design Speeds

66. Ramp Layouts

67. ROW Width

68. Profile

69. Bridge Pier Layout

70. RR Crossings

71. Identify Deficiencies

72. Develop Alternatives

73. Evaluate Alternatives

75. I-495 100,000 ADT

76. I-90 100,000 ADT

77. Rt. 9 average 50,000 ADT

79. I-495 SB to Rt. 9 WB – high crash location

80. Rear-end collisions predominant

83. Cedar Swamp ACEC

84. Wetlands & Habitats

85. Sudbury River Flood Plain

86. Sudbury River Watershed Organization

87. Land Use

88. Article 97 Land

89. Toll operation needs

90. Abutting properties

91. Other

92. 3 Municipalities & 2 MPOs

94. Scenario 1 – Extended Trends Land Use

95. Scenario 2 – Revised with Regional Priorities

96. CTPS to provide travel model results

98. Commute mostly from Worcester and within town (green)

99. “Reverse Commute” from east (red) relatively smallSource: 2000 Census Journey to Work

101. Commute mostly from Worcester and within town (green)

102. “Reverse Commute” from east (red) Source: 2000 Census Journey to Work

104. Southborough Station

105. Westborough Station

106. Bus Service

107. Boundary of WRTA and MWRTA

109. Issues

110. Rail Station Connectivity

111. Bus Route Coverage

112. InteroperabilityRt. 9 I-495 I-90

114. Review Feasibility

115. Geometrics

116. Right-of-Way

117. Environmental and Cultural

118. Bridge Impacts

119. Cross-sections

120. Preliminary Cost Estimates

122. Short/Mid-term

123. Signage/Wayfinding

124. ITS/Smart Zones

125. TDM

126. Pedestrian/bicycle safety mobility

127. Access management on Route 9

128. Transit enhancements

129. Toll plaza operational improvements

130. Long-term

132. Safety

133. Environmental Effects

134. Land Use and Economic Development

135. Community Effects/Environmental Justice

137. Maintain existing outside edge of pavement

138. Widen to median

139. Minimize impacts to existing ramps

141. Task 4 – Alternatives Concept Existing I-495 CD Road Alternative

143. Focused on Route 9

144. 1.25 miles long

145. CD Road – Long Option

146. Extends to south of I-90

148. Phased Implementation

149. Prioritization

150. Conceptual Plans

151. Costs

152. Right-of-way

153. Schedule

156. Goals & Objectives

157. Study Area

158. Evaluation Criteria

159. Data Collection

160. Existing Conditions Summary

162. Traffic and Concepts – Alternatives Limits of CD Road at I-90 Ramp Existing Bridge Piers

163. Traffic and Concepts – Alternatives Limits of CD Road at Fruit Street Bridge Existing Bridge Piers

165. Limited footprint

166. Constraints to expansion

167. Toll plaza strategies

168. Lane Assignments

169. Signage

170. Increase Fast Lane Usage