Lowell I-495 Closure
I-495 in Lowell closed in both directions Tuesday evening due to heavy police activity, causing major commute delays.
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Key Points
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MassDOT described the Lowell I-495 shutdown as a temporary closure amid police activity.
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The disruption occurred just after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening, according to local coverage.
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MassDOT advised drivers to seek alternate routes and noted that traffic would be diverted to the nearest exit as conditions developed.
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One report described the incident as an ongoing law enforcement investigation that closed both sides of the highway in the Lowell area and noted there was no immediate information about the investigation.
A suspected gunman fleeing a shooting in Berlin, Massachusetts triggered the total shutdown of Interstate 495 in Lowell during Tuesday's evening rush hour. Massachusetts State Police intercepted a silver pickup truck on the highway around 4:30 p.m., and when the driver stopped in the grassy median, troopers called in tactical units and a crisis negotiator, closing the road in both directions, according to CBS Boston and Lowell Sun.
MassDOT officially announced the closure at 4:37 p.m., diverting northbound drivers at Exit 89 and southbound drivers at Exit 92. The agency urged commuters to avoid I-495 in Lowell entirely and monitor Mass511 for updates, Boston Herald reported.
Shooting in Berlin Sparked the Highway Chase
The chain of events started between 3:45 and 4:15 p.m. at the Highland Commons shopping center in Berlin, MA. Witnesses near the Fit Factory Gym reported a male suspect opening fire and then fleeing in a silver pickup truck, according to CBS Boston. State Police issued an all-points bulletin for the vehicle within minutes.
Troopers spotted the truck on I-495 North in the Lowell area shortly after 4:20 p.m. When they moved to stop it, the driver pulled into the grassy median and refused to come out. Police believe the suspect was armed, which is why negotiators were called to the scene.
Tactical Standoff Shut Down Miles of Highway
By 5:00 p.m., Massachusetts State Police confirmed an "ongoing law enforcement investigation" had closed both sides of I-495. Lowell Sun reported that the Boylston Street overpass was also blocked off. At least 10 to 15 MSP cruisers, tactical units, and a K-9 unit formed a perimeter around the truck in the median.
A State Police spokesperson said: "There is an ongoing law enforcement investigation that has closed both sides of the highway... we are asking the public to avoid 495 in Lowell," according to Yahoo News. By 5:44 p.m., traffic had backed up several miles into Tewksbury and Chelmsford.
Regional Gridlock Snarled the Evening Commute
The closure created a ripple effect across the region. Diverted traffic flooded Route 38 and Route 3, overwhelming local roads and slowing emergency vehicle access in neighboring towns. In Tewksbury, authorities separately diverted northbound traffic at Route 3 Exit 80 and southbound traffic at Route 38 Exit 92, according to NBC Boston.
The shutdown affected roughly three to five miles of highway directly, but Mass511 reported congestion stretching as far south as the I-90 interchange. MassDOT advised all drivers in the region to reduce speed, expect heavy delays, and use alternate routes while the standoff continued.
What Drivers Were Told and What Comes Next
MassDOT told drivers to check Mass511 or call 511 for real-time traffic updates. Turn to 10 and other local outlets noted the story was still developing as of early Tuesday evening, with no firm timeline for when the highway would reopen.
State Police have not publicly named the suspect or confirmed the exact charges tied to the Berlin shooting. The priority, officials indicated, was a safe resolution to the standoff. The use of a negotiator signals troopers were working toward a peaceful surrender rather than a forced confrontation on a busy interstate.
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