MetroWest (Massachusetts)

MetroWest is a cluster of cities and towns lying west of Boston and east of Worcester, in the US state of Massachusetts. The name was coined in the 1980s by a local newspaper.

While regional definitions vary, the [http://www.merc-online.org MetroWest Economic Research Center] at Framingham State College defines MetroWest as the nine towns of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Natick, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, and Wayland, representing a total population of approximately 184,000. With the exception of Southborough, in Worcester County, the towns of MetroWest are part of Middlesex County.

The [http://www.arc-of-innovation.org/ 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership] calls the region the "Arc of Innovation" because it is home to many of Massachusetts' largest and fastest growing companies. In addition to the nine towns mentioned above, 23 other municipalities are included in the 495/MetroWest Corridor as defined by the 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership:

Yellow Book's MetroWest edition defines MetroWest as the entire region enclosed by Interstate 93 on the north, Interstate 495 on the west, and Interstate 95 on the east and south.

Origin and acceptance

The "MetroWest Daily News", based in Framingham (MetroWest's most populous town), circulates in most of the towns in MetroWest. The newspaper, formerly called the "Middlesex News", "South Middlesex News" and "Framingham Evening News", held a contest to name its coverage area in 1983; MetroWest, reporter Greg Supernovich's suggestion, beat out competitors such as "Databelt" (a nod to the region's high-tech industry). The newspaper incorporated the regional name into its own name in 1999.Higgins, Richard. "Metrowest: Gimmick or Identity?" "The Boston Globe", p. 1, October 18, 1998.]

Originally, "MetroWest" was newspaper and real estate agent shorthand for "Framingham-Natick area", but a 1991 article in "The Boston Globe" showed, by examining the local phonebook, how accepted the term had become in less than 10 years:

By 2006, the name had gained such widespread acceptance in Massachusetts -- and was so synonymous with prosperous businesses -- that the airport commission in Worcester, a half-hour drive west of MetroWest, suggested changing the name of the city's airport from Worcester Regional Airport to "Worcester-MetroWest-Boston Airport". [MacCormack, D. Craig. "Airport in Name Game". "Boston Herald", p. 28, May 12, 2006.]

Others

In Western Massachusetts, "The Republican" newspaper in Springfield uses the term "Metro West" to designate the city's western suburbs (and "Metro East" on the other side of the city).

The designation "MetroWest" is also used by certain regions west of metropolitan areas in other states such as New Jersey, though the term does not appear to have achieved elsewhere the level of usage it has in Massachusetts.

References

External links

* [http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/ The MetroWest Daily News]
* [http://www.metrowestkids.com/ Metrowest Kids and Family Website]
* [http://www.metrowest.org/ MetroWest Region Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.merc-online.org/ MetroWest Economic Research Center]