Why New Bedford’s I-195 Highway Construction Is Necessary Right Now

Change is good. Unless, of course, it interferes with our everyday lives and transportation habits. We complain endlessly about the conditions of our highways and bridges, but let the state throw up construction cones and detours and we lose it.

I suppose that's human nature here along the SouthCoast.

MassDOT is undertaking a five-year reconstruction project of the I-195/Route 18 Interchange, including bridge, ramp and highway replacements, detours, lane changes and exit closures. The work will extend through 2030.

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The History of Interstate 195 and the Route 18 Interchange

I-195 opened 60 years ago, and not much has changed in the six decades since. The Route 18 Interchange is a little bit younger, but not by much.

Anyone who looks up at the I-195 bridges can see the rust and corrosion and understand the need to make changes.

New Bedford Bridges Are Safe But Outdated

While safe, the highway bridges are structurally deficient by federal standards, and their overall design is obsolete, according to MassDOT.

"The Interchanges' short or non-existent acceleration and deceleration lanes create limited weaving areas and make merging and exiting difficult and hazardous," MassDOT said.

Railing and guardrails on the bridges are considered outdated and dangerous, and poor drainage often results in flooding.

The state has determined that there have been 414 crashes in the project area between 2015 and 2025, with roughly one-fifth occurring on the narrow ramps.

What to Expect From the New Bedford Highway Project

While the reconstruction project will be unsettling for many, keep in mind that there will be benefits beyond a new highway interchange system. When all is said and done, there will be a new park and recreation area, including a skate park, under the new interchange.

The local roads, including Purchase Street, County Street and Cedar Grove Street, will be upgraded in the process.