New ramp to open on Mass Pike for "one of the busier interchanges in Massachusetts"

A new ramp linking the Mass Pike to I-495 in central Massachusetts is set to open in time for the Tuesday morning rush hour commute.

Drivers going west on the Mass Pike will first see an exit for 495 South, followed by a separate exit for the northbound side. Currently, there's just one exit for all 495 traffic from the Mass Pike westbound. 

Temporary lane closures will start Monday evening to prepare for the change. Drivers going through the area should expect delays.

"Huge benefit for travelers"

Highway administrator Jonathan Gulliver said "this is one of the busier interchanges in Massachusetts," with more than 200,000 cars passing through daily.

"This is a huge benefit for travelers," he said. "More than 50% of all freight in Massachusetts on any given day travels through this interchange."

Gulliver said the newly constructed ramp where a toll plaza once stood comes "just in time for the World Cup" this summer, which will see a lot of traffic headed toward Foxboro.

"People coming from the Boston area traveling down to Gillette Stadium, they're now going to have a much smoother way of getting there, much safer way," he said.

Mass Pike construction

Crews continue to work on a new ramp from the Mass Pike westbound to I-495 north. That's expected to open sometime this summer.

Closer to Boston, there's a years-long construction project to replace and rehabilitate bridges on the Mass Pike and I-95 interchange in Newton and Weston. Lane closures are in place on ramps on both highways there through 2027.