BOSTON--A 16-lane highway interchange proposal that has spurred a wave of opposition throughout the city received a tentative go-ahead Wednesday from outgoing Environmental Affairs Secretary John P. DeVillars, who approved the project along with the rest of the state's multibillion plan to construct a new Central Artery.

While DeVillars strongly recommended a further review of the 11-story Scheme Z interchange, slated for construction in East Cambridge, his ruling--issued less than 24 hours before he left office--allows state officials to grant licenses and permits for the project.

But the project still needs to gain the approval of several U.S. government agencies, including the Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Highway Administration, before it can receive federal funds.

Scheme Z, which state Transportation officials contend is the only feasible way to complete the Central Artery project, has been severely critized by environmental groups and city officials in Cambridge and Boston. Opponents of the project here contend that it would simply transfer the current unsightly Artery structure from Boston to Cambridge, creating a host of environmental problems in the process.

DeVillars acknowledged the public outcry over Scheme Z and said that Artery officials and the state Department of Public Works should study carefully the complaints about the proposed Charles River crossing. He voiced strong support for the Artery project as a whole, however, saying that it would "substantially improve the quality of life and bring with it enormous environmental and economic benefits."

"The approach I am recommending, to conduct further review, has the potential for creating greater understanding of Scheme Z as well as the potential for improving the project," DeVillars said.

The ruling was greeted with immediate criticism from environmentalists and other city officials, who said that the proposed review would not be an effective way to block Scheme Z.

"The certificate discusses and suggests additional work be done but it has no teeth," said city Conservation Commissioner Elizabeth Epstein. "I am very disappointed."

City Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55, one of the city's most vocal opponent of the project, said Wednesday that no form of Scheme Z was acceptable and the city would likely take legal action to halt the project.

"This increased, by a great percentage, the chance that Cambridge will go to court," Duehay said. "Unless the governor gets involved we are going to court."

Gov. William F. Weld '66 has said that he approves of the project as a whole but said that he and new Secretary of Transportation Richard Taylor will take a second look at Scheme Z.

But Pricilla A. Chapman '67, director of the New England Chapter of the Sierra Club, Weld probably cannot legally call for another environmental report.

Chapman added that by not voicing opposition to Scheme Z in the last days of the Dukakis Administration, Weld left the door open for approval of the project.

"Dukakis wanted to have this approved before he left so these questions wouldn't remain on the table," Chapman said.

Chapman said that while the Sierra Club has not yet decided whether to sue to halt Scheme Z, the organization is "looking at [a suit] very hard." The group sued the Artery project over potential air pollution problems last summer, but a state judge delayed the case until the release of the final environmental report.

"We think Scheme Z is a horror show. Public money should not go into it," Chapman said.

DeVillars' ruling officially incorporates a deal between the Conservation Law Foundation and former Secretary of Transportation Fredrick Salvucci made late last month that added several elements designed to improve the project, including parks and over $1 billion in public transportation.

Other environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, have criticized thedeal as a "parks for highways" swap and said thatit allowed DeVillars to approve the projectwithout mandating revision of Scheme Z.

"We want public transit as good public policynot as a tradeoff for doing a bad highwayproject," said Chapman.

Pro-Artery groups applauded DeVillars'decision, saying that the region's slumpingeconomy made the Central Artery more necessarythan ever before.

"This project has got to go forward. It isvital to our future," said Mark Primack, actingChair of Move Massachusetts 2000, a pro-Arterycoalition group.

Primack said, however, that he approved of thedecision to review Scheme Z further.

"We are calling on Gov. Weld to appoint a blueribbon commission of outstanding engineers, civicdesign people and community representatives totake a second look," said Primack. "We need agroup to tell us what's the truth.