Massachusetts Route 16

"MA 16" redirects here. MA 16 may also refer to Massachusetts's 16th congressional district.

Route 16
Route information
Length:	59.8646 mi[1] (96.3427 km)
Major junctions
West end:	Route 12 / 193 in Webster
	I-395 in Webster Route 146 in Uxbridge Route 9 in Wellesley I-95 / Route 128 in Newton I-90/Mass Pike in Newton U.S. Route 3 / Route 2 in Cambridge I-93 in Medford Route 28 in Medford U.S. Route 1 in Chelsea / Revere
East end:	Route 1A/Route 60 in Revere
Highway system
Massachusetts State Highway Routes ← Route 15 Route 17 →

Route 16 is an east–west state highway in Massachusetts. It begins in the west at an intersection with Route 12 and Route 193 in Webster, just north of the Connecticut state border. It runs in a generally southwest-northeast routing through a number of Boston's suburbs and runs to the west and then north of the city before ending in Revere at an intersection with Route 1A and Route 60.

Much of Route 16 east of the Newton-Wellesley town line, and especially from Cambridge eastward, is a multi-lane parkway, although it is not limited access for any significant length of road. Segments of Route 16 are also known as the Mystic Valley Parkway, the Alewife Brook Parkway, and the Revere Beach Parkway, among other names.

From the western end of the Route 135 concurrency in Wellesley to Route 30 (Commonwealth Avenue) in Newton, the route serves as a part of the Boston Marathon, from the halfway point to just before Mile 18 and the hills.

Route description

From the shore to the Pike

Route 16 runs north and west of the City of Boston, beginning at the Atlantic Ocean at Revere Beach, where it intersects with Route 1A and 60 at Timothy J. Mahoney Circle in Revere.

The route proceeds west by a winding path through several mixed-used industrial, commercial, and residential areas in the cities of Everett and Malden until it intersects Interstate 93 in Medford. It then veers north, traveling beside the Mystic River upstream, and passing near Medford Square, the downtown area of that city. This portion of Route 16 is also part of the Mystic Valley Parkway.

The Mystic Valley Parkway continues west as Route 16 turns south in Somerville on Alewife Brook Parkway. This section of Route 16 soon joins U.S. Highway 3 and then Route 2 at the eastern end of the freeway portion of the Concord Turnpike. From there, Route 16 passes the large parking garage at the MBTA Alewife Station, passes by Fresh Pond, eventually leaving Routes 2 and 3 as they continue along Fresh Pond Parkway. It then continues west through Cambridge, passing by Mount Auburn Cemetery before entering Watertown. Route 16 crosses U.S. Highway 20 in Watertown Square, then crosses the Charles River. It enters Newton near the village of Nonantum, and eventually crosses I-90, the Massachusetts Turnpike, in West Newton; Pike Exit 16 here provides access to and from the east only. Still in Newton, Route 16 then crosses Route 30 and Route 128 (Interstate 95).

From Newton to I-495

This area west of Boston, also called MetroWest, that Route 16 now travels through contains several quintessential New England towns. The route now goes by restored antique, colonial homes and town buildings.^[2]

From the Pike, Route 16 goes southwesterly past Lasell College in Newton, and through Wellesley, where Wellesley College and Babson College are located. The road then passes the Elm Bank Reservation in Sherborn, through Holliston, by Weston Pond, and shortly thereafter passes beneath I-495.

From I-495 to Lake Chaubunagungamaug

After passing I-495, the route continues to the southwest, going through Milford, Hopedale, Mendon, Uxbridge, the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor and Douglas with a trip through the Douglas State Forest in the last town.

Route 16 continues to its intersection with I-395 in Webster, along the shore of Lake Chaubunagungamaug,^[3] and not far from the Connecticut border. It ends at Route 12 just to the west.

Junction list

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Worcester	Webster	0.0	Route 12 Route 193	Northern terminus of Route 193.
		0.2	Interstate 395	I-395 Exit 2.
	Douglas	6.9	Route 96	Northern terminus of Route 96.
	Uxbridge	12.2	Route 146	Route 146 Exit 3.
		14.4	Route 122	Brief concurrency with Route 122. To Route 146A, via Route 122 south.
	Milford	21.4	Route 140
		22.9	Route 85	Southern terminus of Route 85. To Interstate 495.
		23.3	Route 109	Western terminus of Route 109. To Interstate 495.
			I-495	No access between Route 16 and I-495.
Middlesex	Holliston	27.3	Route 126 south	Southern terminus of Route 16/126 concurrency.
		29.6	Route 126 north	Northern terminus of Route 16/126 concurrency.
	Sherborn	29.6	Route 27 south	No access to Route 27 south from Route 16 east. No access to Route 16 west from Route 27 north. These movements are facilitated via Sawin Street. Southern terminus of Route 16/27 concurrency.
		33.3	Route 27 north	Northern terminus of Route 16/27 concurrency.
Norfolk	Wellesley	39.1	Route 135 west	No access to Route 135 west from Route 16 east. No access to Route 16 west from Route 135 east. These movements are facilitated via Weston Road. Western terminus of Route 16/135 concurrency; Boston Marathon joins Rte. 16 here
		39.3	Route 135 east	Eastern terminus of Route 16/135 concurrency.
		40.7	Route 9	Partial interchange with signals; under construction.
Middlesex	Newton	42.2	Interstate 95 Route 128	I-95 Exit 21.
		43.4	Route 30	Commonwealth Avenue; Boston Marathon leaves Route 16 here
		44.0	I-90/Mass Pike	Mass Pike Exit 16; partial interchange. Access to I-90 east only from Route 16. Access to Route 16 from I-90 west only.
	Watertown	46.8	U.S. Route 20	Main Street (west), North Beacon Street (east)
	Cambridge	49.4	U.S. Route 3 south Route 2 east	Fresh Pond Parkway Southern terminus of US-3/Route 2/16 concurrency.
		50.7	Route 2 west	Cambridge Turnpike Northern terminus of US-3/Route 2/16 concurrency.
		51.1	U.S. Route 3 north Route 2A	Massachusetts Avenue Northern terminus of US-3/Route 16 concurrency.
	Medford	53.0	Route 38	Brief concurrency with Route 38. To Route 60, via Route 38 north.
		53.5	Interstate 93	I-93 Exit 31; partial interchange. Access to I-93 (in both directions) from Route 16 east only. Access to Route 16 east only from I-93 south. Access to Route 16 west only from I-93 north. Access to I-93 from Route 16 west can be facilitated via Routes 38 north and 60 east to the Exit 32 interchange.
		55.3	Route 28	Fellsway
	Everett	56.1	Route 99	Broadway; dual rotary intersection.
Suffolk	Revere	58.5	U.S. Route 1	Northeast Expressway; interchange.
		58.8	Route 107	Broadway; interchange. Southern terminus of Route 107.
		59.6	Route 145	Continuation of Revere Beach Parkway. Northern terminus of Route 145. To Route 1A south.
		59.9	Route 1A Route 60	Eastern terminus of Route 16. Eastern terminus of Route 60. Rotary intersection.

Street names

Route 16 is known by the following street names
Webster

• East Main Street (Route 12/193 to I-395)
• Gore Road
• Douglas Road

Douglas

• Webster Street
• South Street
• Main Street
• Davis Street

Uxbridge

• Douglas Street
• Mendon Street

Mendon

• Uxbridge Road
• Hastings Street
• Milford Street

Milford

• Mendon Street
• Main Street
• East Main Street

Holliston

• Washington Street (partly concurrent with Route 126)

Sherborn

• Washington Street
• North Main Street (concurrency with Route 27)
• Eliot Street

Natick

• Eliot Street

Wellesley

• Washington Street (partly concurrent with Route 135)

Newton

• Washington Street
• Watertown Street
• Galen Street (Charles River crossing)

Watertown

• Mount Auburn Street
• Aberdeen Avenue
• Huron Avenue

Cambridge

• Fresh Pond Parkway (concurrency with US-3 and Route 2)
• Alewife Brook Parkway (partly concurrent with US-3 and Route 2)
• Mystic Valley Parkway

Medford

• Mystic Valley Parkway (partly concurrent with Route 38)
• Revere Beach Parkway

Everett

• Revere Beach Parkway

Chelsea

• Revere Beach Parkway

Revere

• Revere Beach Parkway

History

Parts of Route 16 were historically maintained by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), and while the MDC no longer exists, the parkway portions of the route are still patrolled by the Massachusetts State Police and maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation as a remnant of the former MDC jurisdiction.^[4]

Photos

• 

  Westbound entering Wellesley

• 

  Eastbound entering Sherborn

References

1. ^ "Office of Transportation Planning - 2005 Road Inventory". Executive Office of Transportation. 2005. http://www.eot.state.ma.us/default.asp?pgid=content/plan02&sid=about. Retrieved 2008-06-09. 
2. ^ "Holliston Massachusetts". SmartMoves. 2004. http://www.metrowest-ma.com/holliston.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-09. 
3. ^ Columbia Gazetteer of North America. "Chaubunagungamaug, Lake, Massachusetts (MA), United States". AllRefer.com. http://reference.allrefer.com/gazetteer/C/C05550-chaubunagungamaug-lake.html. Retrieved 2008-06-09. 
4. ^ "Parkway Maintenance Matrix". Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. http://www.mass.gov/dcr/pe/documents/parkwaymaintmatrix.pdf. Retrieved 2008-06-10.