Drivers frustrated after new Newton Corner traffic circle causing severe backups
NEWTON - Drivers are frustrated after the changes made to the Newton Corner traffic circle have caused severe backups.
Newton's "Circle of Death"
Liam Busconi tries to focus on his work but it's difficult to ignore the revs, honks, and sometimes crashes that surround his Newton Corner office building.
"The traffic circle is a big talk in our office because it's always something going on," Busconi said.
Busconi and his colleagues at IMA Financial Group have a bird's eye view of the traffic that weaves and tangles with the Mass. Pike, Route 16, and several major intersections.
"We joked here that that's called the intersection of death," said Busconi's colleague Jim Stott.
Last week, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation completed the initial stage of trying to make the complicated convergence safer. The change creates two separate lanes for cars merging into the traffic circle from the Mass. Pike eastbound and cars coming around the circle itself. Each lane has its own set of traffic lights forcing the lanes to take turns moving forward.
The goal of the change is to "eliminate the dangerous 'weave' of the rotary traffic cutting across the Exit 127 eastbound off-ramp traffic to get to Centre Street," Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller wrote in an update.
Traffic backing up on the Pike
Liam and his colleagues are not entirely on board.
"Leaving the office, I spend roughly 20 to 25 minutes from the exit of our parking garage to get to that light in general," he said.
Other drivers told WBZ the traffic change may make merging safer but it causes traffic to back up.
"It made merging into the circle better but it also backed way up onto the Pike when it wasn't that crowded," driver Richard Livingston said.
More changes could be coming as MassDOT continues longer-term planning for Newton Corner.
