Proposal for MassTrans
Build a railroad station at Route 95 & Route 128 intersection, with large parking garage [actually, there is a parking garage very close by, but it is hard to get to from Rt 95], and build train/subway line into Boston. People can then park their cars (after driving up Route 95, or on Route 128 from either direction) and ride on the train into Boston. This would relieve a large portion of the traffic at the 95/93 split, and on the southeastern expressway; as well as decrease the demand on parking in the city.
Build a “ring” railroad/subway along Route 128, with parking garages & stations at all the “spoke” highways that intersect with Route 128. Also, all of the existing train lines that come into Boston/Cambridge should have new stations where they intersect with this new “ring”railroad. People can drive (or bicycle, or walk) to these stations, and travel either along Route 128, or to another train station (Braintree, Route 95 (see above), Riverside, the Purple Lines, etc.) to travel in towards Boston.
This would relieve a large portion of the traffic on Route 128/95 and all roads from there in towards the city. It would be much more energy efficient, as well.
Comments
What you describe was the plan back in the 50s when the Interstate Highway System was being built. I-95 was supposed to be extended north through Dedham, Hyde Park, and Roslindale, but faced fierce opposition from residents because homes would have to be destroyed in order for the highway to be built. The proposed I-695 "Inner Belt" highway was also stopped for the same reason. If you look on Google maps, you'll notice that there's two strips of cleared woods north of the interchange for I-95 and route 128. It's clearly obvious that I-95 was meant to continue north from there.
The sorry excuse of a transportation that we have today is due in part to the residents' opposition to most of the proposed transportation plans. Had they been fulfilled, the MBTA (or MTA at the time) would've extended all of its subway lines to route 128 with parking garages at each 128 station and eastern Massachusetts would've had one of the most efficient transportation systems in the US. Instead, we are stuck in traffic on the Southeast Expressway every single day of the week including weekends.