Massachusetts’ Route 128 corridor, between Lexington and Newton,
has seen extensive economic development over the past decade. With
significant job growth and many auto-oriented projects in varying
stages of development, the influx of cars has exacerbated traffic in the
already-congested corridor. Following MassDOT’s 2019 Congestion in
the Commonwealth report, the department’s Office of Transportation
Planning awarded a contract to further study the route’s land use,
housing, and economic development conditions. The study will
present recommendations intended to address the corridor’s current
and anticipated transportation issues.

Karp Strategies, supporting a consultant team led by VHB, was
hired by MassDOT to manage the economic development elements
of the study, with the goal of building on existing assets and
increasing economic, social, and environmental capacity. Karp
Strategies will conduct an economic development analysis to
assess existing conditions in the corridor and lead a market analysis
to reveal untapped potential. The Karp Strategies team will also
develop alternative scenarios to chart a more sustainable path for
development in the corridor. The project will culminate with a final
report that provides recommendations and an implementation plan to
guide MassDOT’s future development and planning decisions.