U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts
In the U.S. state of Massachusetts, U.S. Route 1 (US 1) is a major north–south highway through Boston. The portion of US 1 south of Boston is also known as the Boston-Providence Turnpike, Washington Street, or the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike, and portions north of the city are known as the Northeast Expressway and the Newburyport Turnpike.
U.S. Route 1 | |||||||
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Route information | |||||||
Maintained by MassDOT | |||||||
Length | 86.253 mi[1] (138.811 km) | ||||||
Existed | 1926–present | ||||||
Major junctions | |||||||
South end | US 1 in Pawtucket, RI | ||||||
North end | US 1 in Seabrook, NH | ||||||
Location | |||||||
Counties | Bristol, Norfolk, Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex | ||||||
Highway system | |||||||
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Route description
From the south, US 1 enters the state from Rhode Island at Attleboro. It closely parallels Interstate 95 as it goes through the towns of North Attleborough, Plainville, Wrentham, Foxborough (where Gillette Stadium is), Walpole, Sharon, Norwood (where a segment is known as the Norwood Automile due to the many car dealerships that line the road), and Westwood. US 1 then has a wrong-way concurrency with I-95 up to the junction with Interstate 93 then travels along with Interstate 93 from Canton through downtown Boston. The two highways separate just after passing through the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel and crossing the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge. The route crosses the Tobin Bridge traveling over Chelsea and Revere as the Northeast Expressway, then as a four to six lane RIRO expressway/“Jersey freeway” through Malden, Saugus and Lynnfield. The route through Saugus was once known for its abundance of kitschy roadside commercial architecture, including the 68-foot (21 m) neon cactus of the Hilltop Steakhouse and the tiki-styled Kowloon Restaurant.[2][3] From Lynnfield, US 1 again closely parallels I-95 going through the towns of Peabody, Danvers, Topsfield, Ipswich, Rowley, Newbury, Newburyport, and Salisbury, before it enters the state of New Hampshire.
Route 1A runs alongside US 1 in four parts of the state.
History
US 1 in Massachusetts was constructed in sections throughout the 1930s, partly by widening existing roads and also by constructing new right of ways to bypass more congested areas. Originally most of the highway was two or three lanes in each direction, with numerous widening and improvements made over the years.
Turnpike era
Most of US 1 consists of two former turnpike roads — the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike and the Newburyport Turnpike. The older roads that these turnpikes were meant to bypass are now mostly Route 1A.
Massachusetts Route C1
In the early 1930s, Route C1 was designated as an alternate route of US 1 through downtown Boston. The "C" indicated a city route. The C designation was apparently distinct to the Boston area. Route C1 ran along Brookline Avenue, Beacon Street, Embankment Road (modern Route 28), Charles Street, Lowell Street, Merrimac Street, and Cross Street to the west end of the Sumner Tunnel. In East Boston, it went via Porter Street to Chelsea Street then shifted to the William McClellan Highway (modern Route 1A). As Storrow Drive and the Central Artery opened in the 1950s, Route C1 was rerouted to follow portions of these highways. The Route C1 designation was removed in 1971, with US 1 taking over most of the alignment south of the Charles River, and Route 1A taking over most of the alignment north of the river. US 1 was later moved onto the Southeast Expressway leaving most of the former alignment of C1 south of the river as having no number.
Massachusetts Route 17
For a period of time during the 1950s, a segment of US 1 in Massachusetts and New Hampshire was routed onto what later became Interstate 95 (I-95). Roadway that had been US 1 was designated as Route 17 from Danvers to Salisbury,[4] and New Hampshire Route 17 (NH 17) for a short distance in Seabrook.[5] Once the I-95 designation was adopted, Route 17 and NH 17 were restored to being US 1.
Northeast Expressway
The Northeast Expressway was planned to extend north, as part of Interstate 95, from Saugus, through Lynn, Lynnfield and Peabody. The highway would bisect the Saugus Marsh and the Lynn Woods Reservation. The highway would then connect with the present junction of I-95 and Route 128 in Peabody. The Northeast Expressway was planned to carry the I-95 designation from Charlestown to Peabody. The first section of the expressway built was the Tobin Bridge over the Mystic River, which opened in 1950. In various stages, the Chelsea and Revere portions opened from 1956 to 1958. The highway carried the I-95 designation from 1955 (in its planning stages) to 1973. It was among the canceled highways affected by Gov. Francis Sargent's February 1970 moratorium on expressway construction within Route 128. US 1 replaced I-95 on the Northeast Expressway, in the 1970s after I-95 joined Route 128 from Westwood to Peabody around Boston.[6]
Relocation in Boston
In the late 1980s, at the request of the Metropolitan District Commission (now the DCR) in an attempt to reduce the incidence of overheight vehicles finding their way onto Storrow Drive,[7] US 1 was moved onto I-93 south of and through Boston, leaving the old route—VFW Parkway, Jamaicaway, Riverway, and Storrow Drive through Dedham, Chestnut Hill, West Roxbury, Jamaica Plain and central Boston—without a number. There are still some street signs incorrectly indicating the former alignment as US 1, and many local residents still refer to parts of VFW Parkway and Jamaicaway as "Route 1", as if it still runs along its old trajectory.
Saugus–Revere proposed widening
In the early 2010s, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) proposed a $137 million project to widen the existing 2.4-mile (3.9 km) four-lane highway section to six lanes, from north of Route 99 in Saugus to south of Route 60 in Revere. The proposal consisted of adding a 12-foot (3.7 m) travel lane and 10-foot (3.0 m) shoulder in each direction. Work would also include reconstruction of the Copeland Circle interchange by eliminating the existing rotary, and demolition of the existing 1957 bridges from the never-built highway extension. The Lynn Street/Salem Street interchange in Malden, and the Route 99 interchange in Saugus, were slated to be reconstructed. Major rock blasting would be required for the project due to a massive ledge next to the highway, and seven bridges would be replaced and three others upgraded to handle the new lanes. In 2012, $10 million was added to the state budget with the intent to be used for design costs and pulling permits for Route 1.[8] The project was expected to begin in 2012, but no further movement by the state has been implemented. Since then, town officials have made the push to ask MassDOT to revisit the project and begin development.[9]
Major intersections
County | Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | ||
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Bristol | Attleboro | 0.000 | 0.000 | US 1 south – Pawtucket | Continuation into Rhode Island | |||
0.291 | 0.468 | I‑95 north – Foxboro, Boston | Exit 1 on I-95; northbound access to I-95 north and southbound access from I-95 south | |||||
1.845 | 2.969 | Route 123 (Highland Avenue) – Attleboro, Brockton, Valley Falls, RI, Lincoln, RI | ||||||
2.036 | 3.277 | Route 1A south – Attleboro, Providence, RI | No direct access from southbound entrance from northbound Route 1A | |||||
North Attleborough | 3.974 | 6.396 | I‑295 to I‑95 – Attleboro, Boston, Warwick, RI | Exit 2 on I-295 | ||||
5.238 | 8.430 | Route 120 west (Hoppin Hill Avenue) – Cumberland, RI | ||||||
7.318 | 11.777 | Route 1A north (Park Street) – Plainville, Wrentham | ||||||
Norfolk | Plainville | 8.370 | 13.470 | Route 106 east (Bacon Street) – Mansfield, Easton, Plainville | ||||
9.992 | 16.081 | Route 152 south (Taunton Street) – Plainville, Attleboro, Seekonk, Wrentham | ||||||
10.600 | 17.059 | I‑495 (Blue Star Memorial Highway) – Cape Cod, Marlboro | I-495 exit 14 | |||||
Foxborough | 13.506 | 21.736 | To Route 140 – Wrentham, Foxboro | Right-in/right-out intersection with Main Street northbound, East Street southbound | ||||
Sharon | 18.597 | 29.929 | I‑95 – Boston, Attleboro, Providence, RI | Exit 9 on I-95 | ||||
Walpole | 19.264 | 31.002 | Route 27 (High Plain Street) – Walpole, Medfield, Sharon | |||||
Norwood | 23.058 | 37.108 | Neponset Street / Nahatan Street – Norwood, Canton | Pendergast Circle; roundabout interchange | ||||
Dedham | 26.319 | 42.356 | 15 | I‑95 north (Route 128) / Route 1A south – Peabody, Portsmouth, NH | Southern terminus of concurrency with I-95 / Route 128; signed as exits 15A (Route 1A) and 15B (US 1) | |||
Westwood | 26.922 | 43.327 | 14 | East Street / Canton Street | ||||
Dedham | 28.131 | 45.272 | 13 | University Avenue – MBTA / Amtrak Station | ||||
Canton | 28.693 | 46.177 | 12 | I‑95 south – Providence, RI | Northern terminus of concurrency with I-95 / Route 128; southern terminus of concurrency with I-93 at exit 1 | |||
30.053 | 48.366 | 2 | Route 138 (Washington Street) – Stoughton, Milton | Split into exits 2A (south) and 2B (north) | ||||
Milton | 31.262 | 50.311 | 3 | Ponkapoag Trail – Houghton's Pond | ||||
Randolph | 32.046 | 51.573 | 4 | Route 24 south (Fall River Expressway) – Fall River | ||||
32.882 | 52.918 | 5 | Route 28 (Main Street) – Randolph, Milton | Split into exits 5A (south) and 5B (north) | ||||
Braintree | 35.087 | 56.467 | 6 | Route 37 (Granite Street) – Braintree, Holbrook, West Quincy | ||||
35.382 | 56.942 | 7 | Route 3 south (Pilgrims Highway) – Cape Cod | Braintree Split; southern terminus of concurrency with Route 3; exit 20 on Route 3 | ||||
Quincy | 36.764 | 59.166 | 8 | Furnace Brook Parkway – Quincy | ||||
37.815 | 60.857 | 9 | Adams Street / Bryant Avenue – North Quincy, West Quincy, Milton | Ramps with Granite Avenue northbound and Bryant Avenue southbound | ||||
Milton | 38.639 | 62.183 | 10 | Squantum Street – Milton | Southbound exit only | |||
39.500 | 63.569 | 11 | To Route 203 / Granite Avenue – Ashmont, East Milton | Signed as exits 11A (south) and 11B (north) southbound; no northbound access to/from southbound Granite Avenue | ||||
Suffolk | Boston | 40.367 | 64.964 | 12 | Route 3A south (Gallivan Boulevard) – Quincy, Neponset | No northbound exit | ||
41.316 | 66.492 | 13 | Freeport Street – Dorchester | Northbound exit only | ||||
41.501 | 66.789 | 14 | Morrissey Boulevard north – Savin Hill | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | ||||
43.021 | 69.236 | 15 | Columbia Road – Dorchester, South Boston | |||||
43.749 | 70.407 | 16 | Southampton Street – Andrew Square | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | ||||
44.163 | 71.073 | 18 | Massachusetts Avenue / Frontage Road – Roxbury | |||||
45.109 | 72.596 | 20 | I‑90 / Mass Pike / Albany Street – Logan Airport, Worcester, South Station | South Bay interchange; split into exits 20A (South Station) and 20B (I-90) southbound | ||||
45.993 | 74.019 | 23 | Government Center | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | ||||
46.121 | 74.225 | 23 | Purchase Street | Southbound exit and entrance | ||||
46.365 | 74.617 | 24 | Route 1A north (Callahan Tunnel) – Logan Airport, Government Center | Southbound exit, northbound entrance; split into exits 24A (Government Center) and 24B (Logan Airport) | ||||
46.848 | 75.395 | 26 | Route 3 north (Storrow Drive) / Route 28 – Leverett Circle, Cambridge | Northern terminus of concurrency with Route 3 | ||||
Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge over the Charles River | ||||||||
47.284 | 76.096 | I‑93 north – Somerville, Concord, NH | Northern terminus of concurrency with I-93; no access from southbound US 1 to northbound I-93 or from southbound I-93 to northbound US 1 | |||||
47.950 | 77.168 | Route 99 (New Rutherford Avenue) to I‑93 north – Charlestown, Somerville | Southbound exit, northbound entrance | |||||
Mystic River | Maurice J. Tobin Memorial Bridge (open road toll) | |||||||
Suffolk | Chelsea | 49.567 | 79.770 | Beacon Street | Northbound exit to Beacon Street, southbound entrance from Everett Avenue | |||
50.038 | 80.528 | Fourth Street | Northbound exit to Fourth Street, southbound entrance from Fifth Street | |||||
50.323 | 80.987 | Sixth Street | Northbound entrance only | |||||
50.618 | 81.462 | Carter Street – Chelsea, East Boston | Southbound exit and entrance | |||||
51.378 | 82.685 | Webster Avenue – Chelsea, Everett | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | |||||
51.327 | 82.603 | Route 16 (Revere Beach Parkway) to Route 1A – Revere Beach, Lynn, Everett, Somerville | Northbound access to/from Route 16 east; southbound access to/from Route 16 west | |||||
Revere | 52.517 | 84.518 | Sargent Street – West Revere | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | ||||
53.348 | 85.855 | Route 60 (Squire Road) – Malden, Revere | Copeland Circle; roundabout interchange | |||||
53.854 | 86.670 | Lynn Street – Saugus, Malden | Partial cloverleaf interchange with right-in/right-out ramps to Salem Street | |||||
Middlesex |
No major junctions | |||||||
Essex | Saugus | 55.217 | 88.863 | Route 99 south (Broadway) – Malden, Everett | No northbound exit | |||
55.511 | 89.336 | Essex Street – Saugus, Melrose | Cloverleaf interchange | |||||
56.039 | 90.186 | Main Street – Saugus, Wakefield | Cloverleaf interchange | |||||
57.162 | 91.993 | Lynn Fells Parkway west – Melrose, Stoneham | Trumpet interchange | |||||
57.772 | 92.975 | Route 129 west (Walnut Street) / Walnut Street east – Lynn, Wakefield, Reading | Cloverleaf interchange; south end of concurrency with Route 129 | |||||
Lynnfield | 59.728 | 96.123 | Route 129 east (Salem Street) / Salem Street west – Lynn, Swampscott | Diamond interchange; north end of concurrency with Route 129 | ||||
Peabody | 60.492 | 97.352 | I‑95 south / Route 128 (Yankee Division Highway) – Waltham | I-95 / Route 128 exit 44 | ||||
61.946 | 99.692 | I‑95 north – Portsmouth, NH, Maine | I-95 exit 46; northbound exit, southbound entrance | |||||
62.327 | 100.306 | Lowell Street – Peabody | Partial cloverleaf interchange | |||||
Danvers | 63.233 | 101.764 | Route 114 (Andover Street) – Peabody, Middleton | Cloverleaf interchange | ||||
63.848 | 102.753 | Centre Street – Danvers | Partial cloverleaf interchange | |||||
64.902 | 104.450 | Route 62 (Maple Street) – Danvers, Middleton | Cloverleaf interchange | |||||
65.598 | 105.570 | I‑95 – Boston, Portsmouth, NH | I-95 exit 50 | |||||
Topsfield | 68.782 | 110.694 | Route 97 (High Street) – Topsfield Ctr., Haverhill, Beverly | |||||
Rowley | 73.819 | 118.800 | Route 133 (Haverhill Street) – Rowley, Ipswich, Gloucester, Georgetown, N. Andover | |||||
Newburyport | 81.623 | 131.359 | Route 1A south / Route 113 west (Merrimac Street) – Downtown Newburyport | Diamond interchange | ||||
Salisbury | 83.633 | 134.594 | Route 110 west (School Street) / Pleasant Street east – Amesbury, Haverhill | |||||
83.809 | 134.878 | Route 1A north (Beach Road) – Salisbury Beach | ||||||
85.953 | 138.328 | Route 286 (Forrest Street) – Amesbury, Seabrook, NH, Hampton Beach | ||||||
86.253 | 138.811 | US 1 north – Seabrook | Continuation into New Hampshire | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- Planning Division (2012). "Massachusetts Highway Route Log". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
- "Extinction-Level Events: Vanishing American Kitsch on Boston's Route 1". Wearethemutants.com. 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
- https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/576
- "Mt. Ann Park Reservation in West Gloucester". The Boston Globe. June 3, 1956. p. 92. Retrieved April 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- "(advertisement)". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. January 10, 1956. p. 5. Retrieved April 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- "Northeast Expressway (US 1)". Bostonroads.com. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
- Personal Conservation 3-2016 with Steve Timmins, MassDOT Highway Signing Engineer
- "Revere, Malden, Saugus call for relief to Route 1 gridlock". Boston Globe. 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2015-01-05.
- "Joint Letter 12-10-13 Route 1 - Improvement MPO". Gary Christenson, Daniel Rizzo, Scott Crabtree. 2013-12-10. Retrieved 2015-01-05.
External links
- U.S. Route 1 at Alps' Roads
U.S. Route 1 | ||
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Massachusetts | Next state: New Hampshire |