Second Pot Hole Opens up on Route 93
Story Updated 2:02PM Wednesday, August 2, 2010
Channel 7’s news helicopter is one of several choppers circling above a second pot hole on Route 93 North in Medford.
– Allison Goldsberry
Commuters can’t seem to catch a break, as a second pot hole opened up on Route 93 after another pot hole in the same stretch of road was repaired.
The second pot hole is on Route 93 North around exit 33 near Roosevelt Circle in Medford. According to televised and published reports, the second pot hole damaged four cars before officials closed two lanes of traffic around 7:00AM Wednesday morning to repair the latest hole.
Traffic delays and miles-long back ups will continue throughout the day and into tomorrow, according to the latest information from the state highway department.
Three of four lanes of the highway are closed, while two lanes are expected to remain closed during the evening rush hour and one lane will likely be closed Thursday, according to Boston.com.
Both pot holes are located on the bridge decking of the elevated highway between exits 32 and 33. The bridge takes Route 93 over Valley Street in Medford, a state transportation spokesman told Boston.com.
According to information on the Massachusetts Transportation Department website, the stretch of Route 93 between Somerville and the Medford/Stoneham line has been under construction since the fall of 2008. The resurfacing project is supposed to conclude in 2011 and will cost over $12 million. Repairs include road resurfacing, cold-planing and placement of hot mix asphalt, adjustment of drainage and utility structures, guardrail work, bridge deck and joint maintenance, and placement of pavement markings.
Officials told Boston.com the current maintenance work being done as part of the road resurfacing project had likely caused vibrations that led to cracks in the concrete bridge deck, and that the vibrations were further amplified by traffic driving over the ground down road.
State highway director Luisa Paiewonsky said the bridge deck replacement project will now be accelerated.
WHDH is reporting the second hole is about 5 feet by 3 feet, while the first pot hole was 14 feet by 5 feet.
State Police said commuters should expect “significant delays” and are encouraged to seek alternate routes. Arrow and message boards have been placed on the highway to assist in alerting commuters.
This is not the first time that area of Route 93 has caused problems. In August of 2007 ten cars were damaged while driving over an expansion joint of a Route 93 South overpass.