Waking up to a gridlocked highway is basically a rite of passage for New Englanders. If you've been stuck in the mess of an i-93 north accident today, you know the drill. It’s a mix of frustration, curiosity about what happened, and that sinking feeling in your stomach when you see the blue and red lights flashing in the distance.
Honestly, it’s rarely just one thing that causes these pileups. It's a cocktail of high speeds, tight merges near the O'Neill Tunnel, and the unpredictable "New England mix" of weather that can turn a dry road into a skating rink in minutes.
What Actually Went Down on I-93 North
The commute was already looking rough early this morning. Reports started trickling in about a multi-vehicle collision that forced lane closures, causing the "zipper" effect to fail miserably. When one car taps another on the Northbound side, the ripple effect doesn't just stay in Boston. It stretches back through Dorchester and sometimes halts traffic all the way to the Braintree Split.
Usually, the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) are quick to clear these scenes, but today's incident required more than just a tow truck.
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Emergency crews had to stabilize the area before they could safely move the wreckage. This meant the HOV lane was basically the only thing moving for a while, and even that was a crawl.
The Real Reasons I-93 North is an Accident Magnet
Why does this keep happening? Most people blame "bad drivers," but there’s a lot of engineering at play here.
- The Merge Chaos: Between the Leverett Circle on-ramps and the Zakim Bridge, drivers are forced to make split-second decisions. You've got people trying to exit toward Storrow Drive while others are trying to stay on the main line. It's high-stakes musical chairs at 60 mph.
- Infrastructure Fatigue: Parts of the I-93 corridor are dealing with aging pavement and drainage issues. After a heavy rain or snowmelt, hydroplaning becomes a very real threat, especially in the "Lower Deck" areas where visibility isn't great.
- The "Rubbernecking" Factor: It’s human nature. People slow down to see what happened on the shoulder. This creates "phantom traffic jams" that can lead to secondary rear-end collisions.
State officials, including those from MassDOT, have been looking into ramp metering and better signage, but the volume of cars—over 200,000 daily in some spots—just pushes the road to its absolute limit.
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A Recent History of Chaos
Just yesterday, we saw a wild scene where a murder suspect from Maine led police on a high-speed chase through Massachusetts and New Hampshire, finally ending in a crash on Route 13 after weaving through I-93 traffic. 55-year-old Dane Burke was eventually apprehended by a SWAT team after a standoff. While that was an extreme case, it shows how quickly a regular day on 93 can turn into a news headline.
Then you have the more "routine" tragedies. Last week, a driver was seriously injured near the Hampton toll plaza. A few months back, a box truck literally "launched" into a group of trees in New Hampton because the driver missed a curve.
Surviving the I-93 Commute
If you're reading this while sitting in traffic, you're probably looking for a way out.
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Check the cameras before you leave. Mass511 is a decent resource, but honestly, apps like Waze or Google Maps are better for real-time re-routing. If 93 North is a parking lot, sometimes jumping over to Route 1 or taking the side roads through Medford can save you twenty minutes, though everyone else usually has the same idea.
Always leave a "space cushion." It sounds like something from a driver’s ed manual, but on I-93, it's the difference between a close call and a totaled front end. People here love to tailgate, but when the guy in front of you slams on the brakes because of a pothole or a sudden lane-changer, you’ll be glad you had those extra ten feet.
Steps to Take Right Now
If you were involved in the i-93 north accident today or witnessed it, there are a few things you need to do immediately:
- Secure a copy of the police report: You can usually request these from the Massachusetts State Police website or the specific barracks that responded (often Troop E or Troop H for the Boston stretches).
- Check your dashcam: If you have one, save the footage. Even if you weren't hit, your video could be vital for someone else's insurance claim or to prove what actually caused the backup.
- Monitor local traffic alerts: Follow the MassDOT X (Twitter) account for updates on when lanes will officially reopen. They are usually the first to post when a "clear" has been issued.
- Notify your employer: If you're going to be an hour late, send them a screenshot of the traffic map. Most bosses in the Greater Boston area understand that I-93 is a lawless land, but proof always helps.
Stay alert and keep your eyes on the road, not the accident on the shoulder.