My Prediction

Warning: this is at least a bit though not completely tongue-in-cheek so smile at least a little as you read it.

• Sept 06 - MassHwy fails to complete takings on time - Bidding delayed (but for only a month)
• Fall 06 - MassHwy eventually completes takings - property owners express disbelief at how little MassHwy plans to pay for land (lets just say it's less than the city tax assessment - note for a partial taking the compensation is supposed to be the difference in value before and after the taking not the value of the portion of land taken.)
• Summer 07 - construction begins, probably in August/Sept
• Summer 08 / Fall 09 - Construction period traffic in knots every day during commuting hours.
• Fall 09 - major construction operations completed but "upgraded" signals remain inoperative
• Winter 09/2010 - Wider roadway with reduced shoulder widths provide inadequate space for snow accumulations. Height of snow banks limits sight lines makes turning onto the roadway hazardous. Businesses, residents and commuters complain to city officials in Fitchburg and Leominster about snow and ice buildup on Rt 12 and ask what happened to the snow removal plans MassHwy indicated the cities would need to develop. Fitchburg responds by sending out a front end loader to reduce height of snow banks at the intersections.
• Spring 2010 - Residents complain that the snow, sand and salt the front end loaded dumped in their front yard killed their grass and shrubs. Silent response from city officials is deafening.
• Fall 2010 - signals at all 5 intersections are functional. Commuters recall fondly the construction period when the traffic wasn't this backed up. Residents and businesses recall the pre-construction period when the traffic tie ups where caused by only 3 set of traffic signals instead of 5 traffic signals and having to cross two lanes of traffic at every left turning entry/exit to the roadway.
• 2011 - First fatal collision since construction completed. Candidate intersections are Rt 12 with Battles or Benson. Probability greater than 60% that one of the vehicles will be a ambulance or other emergency vehicle struck by vehicle that ran a red light.
• 2014 - Right hand southbound lane on Rt 12 begins to show significant deterioration. Northbound lanes and left hand southbound lane were construction by repaving on the already compacted and stable cobblestone roadbed. New pavement in the southbound lane is constructed on a new foundation which is still being compacted by traffic and has sunk below the level of the other lanes.
• 2020 - Fitchburg is still requesting a connector but it's out of the question due to development of land on all paths between Rt2. and downtown.
• 2050 - Oil is scarce - price at $65/gallon. No one is driving anymore. Problem solved.