The Economic Impact of I-495 on Southeastern Massachusetts

Bridgewater Review Volume 3 | Issue 3 Article 7 Dec-1985 Completing the Missing Link: The conomicE Impact of I-495 on Southeastern Massachusetts Glenn Miller Bridgewater State College Recommended Citation Miller, Glenn (1985). Completing the Missing Link: The cE onomic Impact of I-495 on Southeastern Massachusetts. Bridgewater Review, 3(3), 8-11. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol3/iss3/7 This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Completing the Missing Link: The Economic Impact of 1-495 on Southeastern Massachusetts Glenn Miller Figure J Study Area Southeastern Massachusetts Washington D.C.'s 1-495. Thecircumferen new link of 1-495 are Mansfield, Norton, he long-anticipated final link of tial superhighways were originally con Taunton, Raynham and Bridgewater. The T Boston's outer beltway, 1-495, was op ceived as bypasses around major cities, but other communities that have been signifi ened in southeastern Massachusetts in with the rapid development of suburbs cantly impacted by the new link are Easton ovember of 1982. South Shore residents following World War 1\ these arteries and Middleborough. The final link of 1 who watched enviously as Rt. 128 and the began serving the large new population 495 is 14.3 miles long, with three lanes in orth Shore experienced rapid economic which had settled along their corridor. each direction and six interchanges, where growth and all the benefits (and possible The 1-495 link was chosen for analysis most of the new development is occurring. drawbacks) of "high-tech" development, because it is one of the most recently The new highway link runs from the Fox can now anticipate some of those changes completed beltway linkages in the United borough/ Mansfield town line to the in the area between Brockton and New States, and because it is an outer beltway. I Bridgewater/ Raynham town line. The Bedford. The catalyst, according to a wide am aware of only one geographic study highway was built to complete the missing range of indicators, is the completion of that has looked at an outer beltway (i.e., link in the Boston metropolitan area's Rt. 1-495. the second beltway), and that was a brief outer circumferential expressway system, It is generally accepted that access to a and early description ofan older section of and thereby to facilitate movement be major highway provides the impetus for 1-495. tween central Massachusetts and Cape economic development and population Study Area Cod. growth. The full impact of circumferential beltways, however, due to their relative y study focused on the towns in Access as a Locational factor infancy, has yet to be felt. Only a few M southeastern Massachusetts that the of Industrial Parks studies of the impact of circumferential newly-constructed link of 1-495 passes beltways have been published to date, and through and on a few communities that are he completion of 1-495 has definitely they have focused on some of the earliest not bisected by 1-495, but which neverthe T had impetus on economic development completed beltways: Boston's Rt. 128, less have been impacted by its completion in Southeastern Massachusetts. The Baltimore's 1-695, Minneapolis' 1-494 and (figure I). The communities crossed by the growth of industrial parks along and near 8 1-495. particularly in Mansfield. Taunton. wanted to be far enough away from the attractions 01 Hoston and the seaside re Bridgewater and Middleborough, has been congestion of Boston, yet at the same time sorts of Cape Cod. dramatic in the years immediately preceed close enough to the scientific and industrial The town of Easton. particularly the ing and following completion of the communities near the Rt. 128 belt." Ad section known as "Five Corners," is one of highway. vanced Dielectric Technologies recently the fastest growing areas in Massachusetts. The City ofTaunton has probably exper opted fora site in the Myles Standish Park. Since the final link of 1-495 near Easton ienced the greatest amount of economic instead of Commerce Park. because of was completed. commercial, residential development as the result of 1-495's comple construction delays and a change in the and industrial growth has been phen tion. Taunton began efforts to develop an ownership of Commerce Park omenal. In the past two years three new industrial park in the mid-1960s and ac The Southeast Regional Planning and condominium projects of over 200 units quired land forthe proposed park from the Economic Development District each and 200 private homes have been Massachusetts Department of Mental (SRPEDD) in its 1983 Annual Reporl built. Several grocery store chains, includ Health in 1974. Construction of what stated that the completion of 1-495 has ing Stop & Shop. Brockton Public Mar became known as Myles Standish Indus already made an impact on the economic kets and Fernandes, considered the Five t ria I Pa rk started in 1976. This project was vitality of the region. SRPEDD specific Corners area in the 1970s for a new store directly related to the extension of 1-495, ally mentions the industrial developments location but passed up the site. Shaw's known as the "missing link," which was in Taunton and Middleborough and the grocery stores, anticipating the positive approved by Governor Dukakis in the fact that 1-495 registered an 18 percent impact that the completion of 1-495 would same year that Myles Standish began con increase in traffic volumes from 1982 to have in terms of residential growth, sel struction. The interstate extension includ 1983. ected the Five Corners site and has done ed an interchange with Bay Street in Taun well there. John Kelliher, the Shaw's offi ton which abuts the northern boundary of cial in charge of the development of the the industrial park. It is generally plaza, said, "My guess is we would not However, the park remained vacant un have built the store in Five Corners if Rt. til the interstate was completed in 1982. Its accepted that access 1-495 had not been completed. We feel 1 biggest public relations boost came after 495 not only loosened up some congestion, Taunton's unsuccessful efforts to attract a to a major highway making the area more attractive for local $40 million state and industry financed traffic, but we feel it will open up the area microelectronics center: several firms that provides impetus to more people and contribute greatly to learned of the park as a result of the battle the growth of the Easton-Norton-Mans among state officials and the high tech for economic field area." nology industrial leaders over the training Obviously not every commercial estab center's location have since moved into the development and lishment in the Easton area was aided by park (figure 2). The recent growth of Myles population growth. the completion of 1-495. Until 1-495 was Standish has been so successful that Taun completed, Route 106, which passes ton city officials hope to win legislative through Easton, carried a large proportion approval to expand the park onto 250 of the through traffic from central Mass adjoining acres, presently part of the state's Frederick Rubi n, the executive vice pres achusetts to Cape Cod. The traffic volume Paul A. Dever School's 400 acre grounds. idcnt of Commerce Park, argues that 1-495 on Route 106 dropped from 22,300 cars The Flatley Company. one of New Eng will ease the pressure on the Rt. 128 area. per day in 1980 (after 1-495 opened). Gas land's largest real estate developers, recent Agreeing with Rubin, The Bank of Boston stations, in particular, along Route 106 ly proposcd a 180 acre industrial park to be recently reported that Southeastern Mass were hurt by 1-495's opening. located in the town of Norton, bordering achusetts is the next big growth area for the The completion of 1-495 has also helped on the Myles Standish Park in Taunton. state. At the Massachusetts Office of Com spur development in Raynham. The town's Flatley envisions a 500-acre complex of merce and Development, a plan is being Industrial and Development Commission high technology-related industry all along assembled which will enable the 128 495 noted that 1983 was a most active year, as 1-495. industries already established toexpand in they received many inquiries about parcels Route 1-495 has also directly influenced the southeastern part of the state by build of land in the area of 1-495. The largest new the construction of Commerce Park, a ing satellite plants in the area to utilize the employer since the completion of 1-495 is high-tech industrial facility and office large labor pool in Plymouth County. the E.T. Ryan Ironworks. The only non park in Middleborough (figure 3). The first Rubin cites the large, available and skilled limited access interchange that Raynham company that intended to build at Com labor force and easy access to major land. has with 1-495 is Route 138. Since 1-495's merce Park was Advanced Dielectric Tech sea and air routes as the major attractive completion this interchange has attracted nologies. Inc.. manufacturer of vapor de locational factors of Commerce Park. The to its northeast corner Healthway, a health positions for the electronics industry. Ac wage differential in the area is 20-25 per maintenance organization. In addition, the cording to company President Glenn cent lower than in the Route 128 area. The developer would like to construct two or Walters. the Middleborough site was workers are especially skilled in hand dex more office buildings on the site.

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