List of numbered routes in Massachusetts

Standard Route shield
System information
Notes:	Routes are not always state-maintained, and not all state highways are Routes.
Highway names
Interstates:	Route I-X or Route X
US Routes:	Route US X or Route X
State:	Route X

Shields for Interstate 93, U.S. 1 and Route 3

In the U.S. state of Massachusetts, the highway division of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) assigns and marks a system of state-numbered routes. U.S. Highways and Interstate Highways are included in the system; the only overlaps are with the end-to-end U.S. Route 3 and Route 3 and the far-apart Interstate 295 and Route 295. A state highway in Massachusetts is a road maintained by the state, which may or may not have a number. Not all numbered routes are maintained or owned by the state.

Facts

• The longest numbered highway in the state is U.S. Route 20, which runs for 153 miles (246 km).
• The longest state highway is Route 28, which runs for 151.92 miles (244.49 km).
• The longest Interstate highway in Massachusetts is Interstate 90 (the Mass Pike), which runs 138.1 miles (222.3 km).
• The shortest route in Massachusetts is Route 15, which runs for only 0.23 miles (0.37 km). The shortest signed highway is Route 108, which runs for 0.92-mile (1.48 km). Both are short extensions of state highways in neighboring states. The shortest route completely within state borders is Route 240, which runs for 1-mile (1.6 km).
• The shortest Interstate in Massachusetts is Interstate 295, which runs as a 4-mile (6.4 km) extension of I-295 in Rhode Island.

Signage practices

State routes

Massachusetts uses a simple design for its state route shields. Black numerals are displayed on a plain white shield, usually with a black border near the edge of the sign, although this differs from sign to sign, especially on highway overheads. Single- and double-digit state highway numbers are posted on standard square sign panels, while three-digit (and three- and four-character alternate such as 28A) numbers are displayed on elongated panels. State route shields on freeways, such as Route 24 and Route 128 have the same design, but are usually much larger in size for easier viewing at highway speeds.

Some older, erroneous signs have the sign in a white circle, and black on the outside, although occurrences of this are rare.

U.S. Routes

Standard extra-large freeway shields for Interstate and state routes, located on Interstate 95 (Route 128).

Massachusetts uses the standard white-shield on black background design for its U.S. Routes, used in all states except for California. Signs for U.S. Routes on green highway signs generally omit the black background, but some older signs still have them. A number of signs installed on the U.S. Route 3 expressway are of a cut-out design, without the black background. U.S. Routes on freeways usually have extra-large sign panels posted.
NOTE: Alternates of U.S. routes in Massachusetts are signed as state highways (Routes 1A, 3A (northern), 6A, 7A, and 20A).

Interstate Highways

Massachusetts uses standard Interstate highway shields without the state name on the shield, although a small number of very old signs do exist with the state name. Interstate shields are usually of the extra-large variety, with the exception of the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90), which uses standard shields.

Auxiliary routes

Massachusetts does not use auxiliary tabs for route signage, and as such contains no bypass or business routes. Massachusetts formerly had "city routes", which were signed C1, C9, C28, and C37, as city alignments of the respective state routes. All of these designations were decommissioned in the early 1970s. Since then, no route in Massachusetts has ever had more than one alternate, save for multiple sections of a single numbered route such as 1A or 3A. (a Route 3B existed in the 1920s but was renumbered to Route 38).

The Lowell Connector is technically the only "auxiliary" route in the state, having been formerly signed as Interstate 495 Business Spur in the 1960s. Most of the signage has been removed. The lone exception is on Plain Street in Lowell just west of the Connector.

Exit numbering

Massachusetts is one of the few U.S. states that still uses sequential exit numbering on its freeways. There are currently no plans to convert to mileage-based numbers. Massachusetts posts exit numbers on all of its Interstate Highways, as well as other major freeways in the state, including the freeway portions of Route 2, the Pilgrims Highway (part of Route 3), the Northwest Expressway (part of U.S. Route 3), Route 24, Route 25, Route 128, the southern portion of Route 140, Route 213, and most recently, Route 146.

Five freeways in Massachusetts contain irregular exit numbering patterns:

• On Route 2, exit numbers start at 14 and increase to 43, with a gap in the freeway between Concord and Lexington. Exit numbering resumes at 52 and ends at 60.
• The Northwest Expressway (US-3) is the one freeway in Massachusetts that still uses the "25 is 128" system. As such, its exit numbering scheme starts at 25 (at Route 128/I-95) and goes up to 36.
• Route 128 has reversed exit numbering; that is, exit numbers increase going north-to-south. Exit numbers start at 29 and end at 10. There are no exits 1-9, there is no Exit 11, and Exit 27 was removed. Route 128 has always had this system; however most of its exit numbering was replaced by the standard south-to-north of I-93 and I-95 south of Peabody.
• I-93 in Boston has gone under many exit numbering changes since the Big Dig project was completed, with many old interchanges being closed or reconfigured. Numbering on the Interstate goes from 1-48, but the following exit numbers no longer exist: 17, 19, 21, 22, and 25.
• Numbering on the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) increases from 1-26; however, Exits 14 and 15 are the same exit, Exits 18 and 20 are the same exit, Exit 19 is a mainline toll plaza,and Exits 21 and 23 are onramps only.

Signage errors

Massachusetts is rather notorious for the placement of incorrect signage along its numbered highways. Some of these errors are due to outdated signage which have not been replaced since a realignment or truncation of a route, which can lead to confusion as to where a particular route goes. Lack of route signage in urban areas is a common problem.

One very common signage error, which occurs in many states, is the mis-signage of a U.S. highway as a state route (mostly on guide signs). This occurs in many places along U.S. Route 202, as well as on sections of U.S. Route 20 and in a few spots along U.S. Route 1, U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Route 44. These are less confusing sign errors, as U.S. routes are part of the Massachusetts state highway system, and thus do not share numbers with other state routes (the one exception being U.S./MA Route 3, which connect end-to-end and are treated as the same route by the state).

A more unusual signage error occurred at the intersection of Route 10 and Route 141 in Easthampton in July 2005, in which Alabama state route markers were installed for the two routes. This error came from a contractor who mistakenly signed the route based on the design in the federal manual that showed an Alabama route marker.^[1][2]

History

The Massachusetts Highway Commission (MHC) was the first highway commission in the U.S., formed in 1893 in response to a commission of inquiry finding that over 90% of the public roads in the state were in poor condition.^[3][4] The first state highway in Massachusetts was a 5305.17-foot (1617.02 m) section of Fitchburg Road (now Main Street, part of Route 119) in Ashby. The MHC laid it out as a state highway on August 15, 1894 from a point west of South Road to a point west of Route 31. The road was paved with 15–20 foot (4.5–6 m) macadam, with work beginning August 21, 1894 and ending July 15, 1895. The 50–66 foot (15–20 m) right-of-way is still owned by MassDOT under the original layout.^[5][6]

Massachusetts first gained numbered routes in 1922, with the formation of the New England Interstate Highways. Three-digit numbers were reserved for shorter routes. Route 138 and Route 140 were designated by 1925, and by 1926 the numbers from Route 101 to Route 142 (except Route 136) had been assigned.

The establishment of the U.S. Highway System in 1926 resulted in several of the New England Interstate routes having to be renumbered. The New England Interstate routes that conflicted with new U.S. Highway numbers were assigned newly-freed single-digit numbers. Beginning in 1929, local routes were assigned new two-digit numbers. With the exception of Route 143, which was renumbered from Route 109A ca. 1933, new routes were given two-digit numbers for a while. Larger three-digit numbers were eventually assigned.

All routes that end at a state border and continue as a numbered route on the other side have been renumbered on one side of the border to match. Except for Route 295, far from Interstate 295, numbers that were duplicated with Interstate Highways were renumbered, mostly in 1959 when the Interstate numbers were assigned.

Agencies

The state agencies that maintain state roads are:

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation
• Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation
• Massachusetts Port Authority (Tobin Bridge, scheduled to be transferred to MassDOT on January 1, 2010)

Unnumbered state roads

These are state roads which, for the most part, do not carry a numbered designation. They are generally short in length and serve important roles as main roads or connections between other main roads.

Name	Length (mi)	Location	Notes
John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway	1.5	New Bedford	The JFK Memorial Highway is a semi-limited-access highway running through the city of New Bedford, from Cove St. in the south to I-195 in the north at Exit 15. The section between U.S. Route 6 and I-195 carries the initial stretch of Route 18.
Leominster Connector	0.6	Leominster	Leominster Connector is a short road connecting the I-190/Route 2 interchange in Leominster with Mechanic Street.
Leverett Connector	1.6	Boston	The Leverett Connector is a bypass of the Central Artery from Interstate 93 north of Boston to Storrow Drive.
Lowell Connector	2.88	Chelmsford, Lowell	The Lowell Connector is a freeway connection between the Northwest Expressway (US-3), I-495, and downtown Lowell. The Connector carries the unsigned designation of I-495 Business Spur.
Plimoth Plantation Highway	2.04	Plymouth	The Plimoth Plantation Highway is a connector between Routes 3 and 3A in Plymouth, also servicing Plimoth Plantation. Prior to 1957, this highway carried the southern portion of Route 3.
Sandwich Road (partly Route 6A)	5.1	Bourne	Sandwich Road runs from the center of Bourne east to the Sandwich town line. East of the Sagamore Bridge, Sandwich Road carries Route 6A.
Soldiers Field Road	4.3	Boston	Soldiers Field Road is a parkway, running from North Beacon Street (U.S. Route 20) in Brighton east to the Boston University Bridge (Route 2), where it continues as Storrow Drive.
Storrow Drive (James Jackson Storrow Memorial Drive)	1.98	Boston	Storrow Drive is a parkway, running from Soldiers Field Road at the Boston University Bridge (Route 2) eastward to an intersection with Embankment Road (Route 28) in downtown Boston. Prior to 1989, U.S. Route 1 was routed along Storrow Drive.

Named numbered routes

These are named highways in the state which also carry numbered designations. Some are simply names of streets which carry a numbered route(s). Roads named after people/organizations were generally done so ceremoniously, after the numeric designation(s) already existed. Others carry more general names, such as the Southeast Expressway and Central Artery in Boston (which both refer to the same continuous span of I-93).
Several named highways cover the entire length of a given route in the state; for example, all of Interstate 90 in Massachusetts is the Massachusetts Turnpike, and the entire length of Route 213 is the Loop Connector.(*) denotes that the named highway spans the entire length of the numbered route in the state.

Name	Route number designation(s)	Length (mi)	Location	Notes
Alewife Brook Parkway	Route 16	2.05	Cambridge	Runs from Concord Avenue to the Mystic Valley Parkway.
American Legion Highway	Route 177*		Westport	Runs through Tiverton, Rhode Island; Fall River, Massachusetts; Westport, Massachusetts
Amvets Memorial Highway (Fall River Expressway)	Route 24*	40.91	Fall River to Randolph	Route 24 is a connector between the Fall River/New Bedford area east of Rhode Island to the Boston metropolitan area, connecting the major freeways of the area: I-195 in Fall River and I-93/US-1 near I-95 in Randolph. - Route 79 runs along the highway between Exits 7 and 9, concurrent with Route 24. - I-195 has a brief concurrency with Route 24 in Fall River.
Boston Post Road	U.S. Route 20		Marlborough to Weston	Most of US-20 between Marlborough and Weston runs along the Boston Post Road.
Henry E. Bodurtha Highway	Route 57	5.0	Agawam	Freeway comprises the eastern 5 miles (8.0 km) of Route 57, connecting Route 187 to U.S. Route 5 and I-91.
Boston-Worcester Turnpike	Route 9		Worcester to Boston	Route 9 between Worcester and Boston is mostly a divided full-access highway with traffic light-controlled intersections which serves as one of the main alternatives to the Massachusetts Turnpike. Many shopping centers, car dealers, full-service restaurants and businesses line the roadway on this stretch, especially in Framingham, such as Barnes & Noble, Marshalls, T.G.I. Fridays, Kohl's, Toys "R" Us, Best Buy, Olive Garden and Walmart. This stretch of the roadway is also encompassed in the Golden Triangle district of Massachusetts.
Central Artery (John F. Fitzgerald Expressway)	Interstate 93 U.S. Route 1 Route 3	3.18	Boston	The Central Artery is the portion of I-93 in downtown Boston, which runs from Massachusetts Ave. (just south of Exit 20) north to U.S. Route 1's departure at Exit 27. Route 3 leaves the Artery at Exit 26.
Commonwealth Avenue	Route 30 U.S. Route 20 Route 2		Newton, Boston	Stretches from Weston/Newton line to the Boston Public Garden.
East Boston Expressway	Route 1A	1.2	Boston	The East Boston Expressway comprises the first 1.2 miles (1.9 km) of Route 1A's northern segment. It stretches from I-93 Exit 24 at the southern end of the Callahan Tunnel (northbound) and the Sumner Tunnel (southbound) to just northeast of the interchange with Route 145 in East Boston, near the eastern end of the Mass Pike.
Grand Army of the Republic Highway	U.S. Route 6*	117.46	Seekonk to Provincetown	The cross-country U.S. Route 6 is designated Grand Army of the Republic Highway over its entire length, which spans 3,205 miles (5,158 km).
Horseneck Beach Connector	Route 88*	13.03	Westport	Route 88 serves as a connector running from the Horseneck Beach Reservation north to I-195 Exit 18 in Westport.
Loop Connector	Route 213*	3.56	Methuen	Route 213 was designated "Loop Connector" when the Methuen Mall was renamed "The Loop." It serves as a freeway connection between Interstates 93 and 495 in Methuen.
Lydia Taft Highway	Route 146A*	3	Uxbridge	Route 146A in Massachusetts is designated as the Lydia Taft Highway, which runs from the Rhode Island state border to Route 122 in Uxbridge.
Massachusetts Turnpike	Interstate 90*	138.1	West Stockbridge to Boston	The Mass Pike is a toll road running from the New York state border to downtown Boston. It serves as the main cross-state freeway connecting the western and eastern portions of the state. The "Pike" carries the easternmost 138 miles (222 km) of cross-country Interstate 90.
Memorial Drive	U.S. Route 3 Route 3 Route 2	4.12	Cambridge	U.S. Route 3 and MA Route 3 connect to each other on Memorial Drive, which runs from the Fresh Pond Parkway to Main Street. Route 2 travels along Memorial Drive with US-3 and leaves via the Boston University Bridge.
Mid-Cape Highway	U.S. Route 6	36.6	Bourne to Orleans	The Mid-Cape Highway is the main highway on Cape Cod, a 36-mile (58 km) long freeway running from Route 3 and the Sagamore Bridge east to the Orleans Rotary.
Mohawk Trail	Route 2	65	Williamstown to Orange	The 65-mile (105 km) Mohawk Trail comprises the western section of Route 2, from the New York border east to Orange, and is regarded as one of the most scenic drives in the area.
Mystic Valley Parkway	Route 16		Arlington, Medford, Winchester	Runs from the Alewife Brook Parkway to the Revere Beach Parkway.
Northeast Expressway	U.S. Route 1	4.1	Boston, Chelsea, Revere	This section of U.S. Route 1 runs from I-93 Exit 27 (Tobin Bridge) to an interchange with Route 60 in Revere. This was originally supposed to be part of I-95, but I-95 was cancelled in Boston, with I-93 and US-1 taking its place.
Northwest Expressway	U.S. Route 3	21.1	Burlington to Tyngsborough	The Northwest Expressway serves as a freeway connection between I-95/Route 128 (Exit 32A) in Burlington and the F.E. Everett Turnpike in Nashua, NH.
Pilgrims Highway	Route 3	42.5	Bourne to Braintree	The Pilgrims Highway is the southern portion of Route 3, a 42-mile (68 km) long freeway which serves as a connector between Cape Cod (via U.S. Route 6) and the Boston metropolitan area (via I-93 and I-95). - U.S. Route 44 runs along the highway between Exits 6 and 7.
Southeast Expressway	Interstate 93 U.S. Route 1 Route 3		Braintree to Boston	The Southeast Expressway is the section of I-93 between the Route 3 split (Exit 7) and the Mass Ave. interchange (Exit 18), where it continues into Boston as the Central Artery.
Southern Artery	Route 3A Route 53	2.13	Quincy	The Southern Artery is a major arterial in the city of Quincy, running from Quincy Ave to the Furnace Brook Parkway.
Taunton-New Bedford Expressway (Alfred M. Bessette Memorial Highway)	Route 140	19.3	New Bedford to Taunton	The New Bedford Expressway comprises the southern 19 miles (31 km) of Route 140, and serves as a freeway connection between U.S. Route 6 in New Bedford and Route 24 (Exit 12) in Taunton, near I-495.
Ted Williams Highway	Route 9		Framingham	Route 9 in Framingham is named the Ted Williams Highway, in commemoration of late Boston Red Sox Hall-of-Famer Ted Williams who wore the number 9 on his jersey.
Wilbur Cross Highway	Interstate 84*	8.0	Sturbridge	I-84 in Massachusetts is designated the Wilbur Cross Highway. It runs 8 miles (13 km) from the Connecticut state border to the Mass Pike at Exit 9.
Worcester-Providence Turnpike	Route 146*	20.99	Millville to Worcester	Route 146 is a freeway that, along with Rhode Island's Route 146, serves to connect the metropolitan areas of Providence and Worcester. The entire route starts from I-95 in Providence, with the Massachusetts section picking up at the state line in Millville. The highway runs 21 miles (34 km) northward, intersecting the Mass Pike (I-90) in Worcester, and terminating at I-290 shortly thereafter. - Route 122A runs along the highway between Exits 9 and 12, concurrently with Route 146.
Yankee Division Highway (Circumferential Highway)	Route 128* Interstate 95 U.S. Route 1 Interstate 93	64.74	Braintree to Gloucester	The Yankee Division Highway consists of the Route 128 beltway before it was truncated to its southern terminus in Canton, and continues to span its entire length. It stretches from I-93's Exit 7 in Braintree to Route 128's northern terminus at Route 127A in Gloucester. - I-95 runs along the highway between Exits 12 and 45 (concurrent with 128). - I-93 runs along the highway between Exits 1 and 7. - U.S. Route 1 runs along the highway between I-95 Exit 15B and I-93 Exit 7.

List of Routes

1-35	36-99	100-139	140-495	Former Routes	New England Interstates
U.S. Route 1 Route 1A Route 2 Route 2A U.S. Route 3 Route 3 Route 3A Route 4 U.S. Route 5 U.S. Route 6 Route 6A U.S. Route 7 Route 7A Route 8 Route 8A Route 9 Route 10 Route 12 Route 13 Route 14 Route 15 Route 16 Route 18 Route 19 U.S. Route 20 Route 20A Route 21 Route 22 Route 23 Route 24 Route 25 Route 27 Route 28 Route 28A Route 30 Route 31 Route 32 Route 32A Route 33 Route 35	Route 36 Route 37 Route 38 Route 39 Route 40 Route 41 Route 43 U.S. Route 44 Route 47 Route 49 Route 53 Route 56 Route 57 Route 58 Route 60 Route 62 Route 63 Route 66 Route 67 Route 68 Route 70 Route 71 Route 75 Route 78 Route 79 Route 80 Route 81 Route 83 Interstate 84 Route 85 Route 88 Interstate 90 Interstate 91 Interstate 93 Interstate 95 Route 96 Route 97 Route 98 Route 99	Route 101 Route 102 Route 103 Route 104 Route 105 Route 106 Route 107 Route 108 Route 109 Route 110 Route 111 Route 112 Route 113 Route 114 Route 114A Route 115 Route 116 Route 117 Route 118 Route 119 Route 120 Route 121 Route 122 Route 122A Route 123 Route 124 Route 125 Route 126 Route 127 Route 127A Route 128 Route 129 Route 129A Route 130 Route 131 Route 132 Route 133 Route 134 Route 135 Route 136 Route 137 Route 138 Route 139	Route 140 Route 141 Route 142 Route 143 Route 145 Route 146 Route 146A Route 147 Route 148 Route 149 Route 150 Route 151 Route 152 Route 159 Route 168 Route 169 Route 177 Route 181 Route 183 Route 186 Route 187 Route 189 Interstate 190 Route 192 Route 193 Interstate 195 Route 197 Route 198 U.S. Route 202 Route 203 Route 213 Route 220 Route 225 Route 228 Route 240 Route 286 Interstate 290 Interstate 291 Interstate 295 Route 295 Interstate 391 Interstate 395 Interstate 495	Interstate 86 Interstate 695 Interstate 895 I-495 Bus.Spur Route C1 Route 3B U.S. Route 5A Route 5A Route 9A Route C9 Route 11 Route 15 Route 17 Route 26 Route C28 Route C37 Route 45 Route 52 Route 64 Route 69 Route 86 Route 93 Route 109A Route 110A Route 115A Route 128A Route 142 Route 190 Route 204 Route 209	New England Route 1 New England Route 3 New England Route 4 New England Route 5 New England Route 6 New England Route 6A New England Route 6B New England Route 7 New England Route 8 New England Route 10 New England Route 12 New England Route 17 New England Route 28 New England Route 32

References

1. ^ Daniel, Mac (July 26, 2005). "Word to road crews: Tuscaloosa is over 1,000 miles thataway". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/07/26/word_to_road_crews_tuscaloosa_is_over_1000_miles_thataway/. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
2. ^ "Alabama road signs in Massachusetts?". WSFA-TV. http://www.wsfa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3642053&nav=0RdDcgc4. Retrieved 2009-12-31. 
3. ^ Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles, History of the Massachusetts License Plate
4. ^ Pilgrim Hall Museum - Getting There
5. ^ MassDOT state highway layout plan 1 (August 15, 1894)
6. ^ MassDOT state highway layout plans: About page

See also

• List of unused highways in Massachusetts

External links

• Massachusetts Department of Transportation – Highway Division
• MassDOT, Office of Transportation Planning - Data Resources Section (includes a road inventory and maps)
• Neilbert.com Massachusetts Route Log
• The Roads of Massachusetts
• Road Signs of Massachusetts
• Massachusetts Roadtrips

Road jurisdiction maps:

• Interactive road jurisdiction map
• District 1 Road Jurisdiction PDF map (Berkshires and western Pioneer Valley)
• District 2 Road Jurisdiction PDF map (west-central)
• District 3 Road Jurisdiction PDF map (east-central)
• District 4 Road Jurisdiction PDF map (Boston metro and northeastern )
• District 5 Road Jurisdiction PDF map (Cape Cod and southeastern)