Route 20 construction slated for late summer

Work to reconfigure Weston’s crash-prone intersection at Route 20, Boston Post Road and Wellesley Street will likely begin in late summer or early fall, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

While there is no set date for the start of the project, MassDOT confirmed the estimated timeline in response to questions from the Observer. Construction will take approximately two years, with the work expected to wrap up in summer 2028. No detours will be required, and police will help control one lane of traffic in each direction, according to MassDOT spokesperson John Goggin.

The reconstruction will transform the five-legged intersection into the more common – and safer – four-way intersection with a traffic light. The divided lanes meeting Route 20 will be merged into a typical intersection shape, with turning lanes created. Access to Winsor Way, a private road, will move south on Wellesley Street to remove its connection to Route 20. Sidewalks and stormwater infrastructure will also be installed.

Goggin said the state has awarded a $3.08 million contract to J. Tropeano Inc., a heavy highway and utility contractor based in Newton, New Hampshire and North Andover. In total, the project is estimated to cost nearly $4 million, with the federal government covering about 80% of the cost and the state picking up the rest. While no town money is being spent on construction, the town has previously spent $478,330 for studies and engineering.

Once complete, the intersection with Weston’s highest crash rate is expected to be significantly safer than it currently is.

From 2020 to October 2025, the Weston Police Department reported at least 69 crashes, with MassDOT’s data showing up to 90 total crashes in the vicinity of the intersection. Since October, Police Capt. Thomas Kelly, who serves as an ex-officio member of the Traffic and Sidewalk Committee, said there have been an additional 13 reported crashes at the intersection.

While the intersection’s geometry isn’t always at fault, it doesn’t help. Kelly previously said inattention is the most common reason for accidents at the intersection, including drivers looking at cellphones, having conversations in the car or other distractions. Other crash reasons include failures to yield while turning and, occasionally, an impaired driver.

Although there is a high crash rate, injuries are rare because most accidents are rear-ends resulting in damage to vehicles, rather than people. The most typical accident results from drivers turning from Wellesley Street being so focused on making sure Route 20 is clear for their turn that they forget to check if the car in front of them has already turned, causing a fender-bender.

The reconfiguration is a long time in the making, as Weston retained engineering firm Vanasse Hangen Brustlin (VHB) in 2013 to study Route 20’s intersections. The 13-year-old study concluded that Route 20, Boston Post Road and Wellesley Street was the highest priority for changes.