U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts

In the U.S. state of Massachusetts, U.S. Route 1 (US 1) is a major northsouth 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
Route information
Maintained by MassDOT
Length86.253 mi[1] (138.811 km)
Existed1926–present
Major junctions
South end US 1 in Pawtucket, RI
 
North end US 1 in Seabrook, NH
Location
CountiesBristol, Norfolk, Suffolk, Middlesex, Essex
Highway system
I895 Route 1A
Route 1A Route 2
Southbound in Topsfield

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

Causeway (center) for the unbuilt section of the Northeast Expressway across Saugus Marsh

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

1955 Yellow Book plan for the Boston area showing the Northeast Expressway path and paths of other proposed interstate highways within Route 128.

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

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
BristolAttleboro0.0000.000 US 1 south PawtucketContinuation into Rhode Island
0.2910.468 I95 north Foxboro, BostonExit 1 on I-95; northbound access to I-95 north and southbound access from I-95 south
1.8452.969 Route 123 (Highland Avenue) Attleboro, Brockton, Valley Falls, RI, Lincoln, RI
2.0363.277 Route 1A south Attleboro, Providence, RINo direct access from southbound entrance from northbound Route 1A
North Attleborough3.9746.396 I295 to I95 Attleboro, Boston, Warwick, RIExit 2 on I-295
5.2388.430 Route 120 west (Hoppin Hill Avenue) Cumberland, RI
7.31811.777 Route 1A north (Park Street) Plainville, Wrentham
NorfolkPlainville8.37013.470 Route 106 east (Bacon Street) Mansfield, Easton, Plainville
9.99216.081 Route 152 south (Taunton Street) Plainville, Attleboro, Seekonk, Wrentham
10.60017.059 I495 (Blue Star Memorial Highway) Cape Cod, MarlboroI-495 exit 14
Foxborough13.50621.736 To Route 140 Wrentham, FoxboroRight-in/right-out intersection with Main Street northbound, East Street southbound
Sharon18.59729.929 I95 Boston, Attleboro, Providence, RIExit 9 on I-95
Walpole19.26431.002 Route 27 (High Plain Street) Walpole, Medfield, Sharon
Norwood23.05837.108Neponset Street / Nahatan Street  Norwood, CantonPendergast Circle; roundabout interchange
Dedham26.31942.35615 I95 north (Route 128) / Route 1A south Peabody, Portsmouth, NHSouthern terminus of concurrency with I-95 / Route 128; signed as exits 15A (Route 1A) and 15B (US 1)
Westwood26.92243.32714East Street / Canton Street
Dedham28.13145.27213University Avenue  MBTA / Amtrak Station
Canton28.69346.17712 I95 south Providence, RINorthern terminus of concurrency with I-95 / Route 128; southern terminus of concurrency with I-93 at exit 1
30.05348.3662 Route 138 (Washington Street) Stoughton, MiltonSplit into exits 2A (south) and 2B (north)
Milton31.26250.3113Ponkapoag Trail  Houghton's Pond
Randolph32.04651.5734 Route 24 south (Fall River Expressway) Fall River
32.88252.9185 Route 28 (Main Street) Randolph, MiltonSplit into exits 5A (south) and 5B (north)
Braintree35.08756.4676 Route 37 (Granite Street) Braintree, Holbrook, West Quincy
35.38256.9427 Route 3 south (Pilgrims Highway) Cape CodBraintree Split; southern terminus of concurrency with Route 3; exit 20 on Route 3
Quincy36.76459.1668Furnace Brook Parkway  Quincy
37.81560.8579Adams Street / Bryant Avenue  North Quincy, West Quincy, MiltonRamps with Granite Avenue northbound and Bryant Avenue southbound
Milton38.63962.18310Squantum Street  MiltonSouthbound exit only
39.50063.56911 To Route 203 / Granite Avenue Ashmont, East MiltonSigned as exits 11A (south) and 11B (north) southbound; no northbound access to/from southbound Granite Avenue
SuffolkBoston40.36764.96412 Route 3A south (Gallivan Boulevard) Quincy, NeponsetNo northbound exit
41.31666.49213Freeport Street  DorchesterNorthbound exit only
41.50166.78914Morrissey Boulevard north  Savin HillNorthbound exit, southbound entrance
43.02169.23615Columbia Road  Dorchester, South Boston
43.74970.40716Southampton Street  Andrew SquareNorthbound exit, southbound entrance
44.16371.07318Massachusetts Avenue / Frontage Road  Roxbury
45.10972.59620 I90 / Mass Pike / Albany Street Logan Airport, Worcester, South StationSouth Bay interchange; split into exits 20A (South Station) and 20B (I-90) southbound
45.99374.01923Government CenterNorthbound exit, southbound entrance
46.12174.22523Purchase StreetSouthbound exit and entrance
46.36574.61724 Route 1A north (Callahan Tunnel) Logan Airport, Government CenterSouthbound exit, northbound entrance; split into exits 24A (Government Center) and 24B (Logan Airport)
46.84875.39526 Route 3 north (Storrow Drive) / Route 28 Leverett Circle, CambridgeNorthern terminus of concurrency with Route 3
Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Memorial Bridge over the Charles River
47.28476.096 I93 north Somerville, Concord, NHNorthern 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
47.95077.168 Route 99 (New Rutherford Avenue) to I93 north Charlestown, SomervilleSouthbound exit, northbound entrance
Mystic RiverMaurice J. Tobin Memorial Bridge (open road toll)
SuffolkChelsea49.56779.770Beacon StreetNorthbound exit to Beacon Street, southbound entrance from Everett Avenue
50.03880.528Fourth StreetNorthbound exit to Fourth Street, southbound entrance from Fifth Street
50.32380.987Sixth StreetNorthbound entrance only
50.61881.462Carter Street  Chelsea, East BostonSouthbound exit and entrance
51.37882.685Webster Avenue  Chelsea, EverettNorthbound exit, southbound entrance
51.32782.603 Route 16 (Revere Beach Parkway) to Route 1A Revere Beach, Lynn, Everett, SomervilleNorthbound access to/from Route 16 east; southbound access to/from Route 16 west
Revere52.51784.518Sargent Street  West RevereNorthbound exit, southbound entrance
53.34885.855 Route 60 (Squire Road) Malden, RevereCopeland Circle; roundabout interchange
53.85486.670Lynn Street  Saugus, MaldenPartial cloverleaf interchange with right-in/right-out ramps to Salem Street
Middlesex
No major junctions
EssexSaugus55.21788.863 Route 99 south (Broadway) Malden, EverettNo northbound exit
55.51189.336Essex Street  Saugus, MelroseCloverleaf interchange
56.03990.186Main Street  Saugus, WakefieldCloverleaf interchange
57.16291.993Lynn Fells Parkway west  Melrose, StonehamTrumpet interchange
57.77292.975 Route 129 west (Walnut Street) / Walnut Street east Lynn, Wakefield, ReadingCloverleaf interchange; south end of concurrency with Route 129
Lynnfield59.72896.123 Route 129 east (Salem Street) / Salem Street west Lynn, SwampscottDiamond interchange; north end of concurrency with Route 129
Peabody60.49297.352 I95 south / Route 128 (Yankee Division Highway) WalthamI-95 / Route 128 exit 44
61.94699.692 I95 north Portsmouth, NH, MaineI-95 exit 46; northbound exit, southbound entrance
62.327100.306Lowell Street  PeabodyPartial cloverleaf interchange
Danvers63.233101.764 Route 114 (Andover Street) Peabody, MiddletonCloverleaf interchange
63.848102.753Centre Street  DanversPartial cloverleaf interchange
64.902104.450 Route 62 (Maple Street) Danvers, MiddletonCloverleaf interchange
65.598105.570 I95 Boston, Portsmouth, NHI-95 exit 50
Topsfield68.782110.694 Route 97 (High Street) Topsfield Ctr., Haverhill, Beverly
Rowley73.819118.800 Route 133 (Haverhill Street) Rowley, Ipswich, Gloucester, Georgetown, N. Andover
Newburyport81.623131.359 Route 1A south / Route 113 west (Merrimac Street) Downtown NewburyportDiamond interchange
Salisbury83.633134.594 Route 110 west (School Street) / Pleasant Street east Amesbury, Haverhill
83.809134.878 Route 1A north (Beach Road) Salisbury Beach
85.953138.328 Route 286 (Forrest Street) Amesbury, Seabrook, NH, Hampton Beach
86.253138.811 US 1 north SeabrookContinuation into New Hampshire
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

  1. Planning Division (2012). "Massachusetts Highway Route Log". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
  2. "Extinction-Level Events: Vanishing American Kitsch on Boston's Route 1". Wearethemutants.com. 2017-09-12. Retrieved 2019-07-08.
  3. https://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/576
  4. "Mt. Ann Park Reservation in West Gloucester". The Boston Globe. June 3, 1956. p. 92. Retrieved April 11, 2020 via newspapers.com.
  5. "(advertisement)". The Portsmouth Herald. Portsmouth, New Hampshire. January 10, 1956. p. 5. Retrieved April 11, 2020 via newspapers.com.
  6. "Northeast Expressway (US 1)". Bostonroads.com. Retrieved 2012-08-15.
  7. Personal Conservation 3-2016 with Steve Timmins, MassDOT Highway Signing Engineer
  8. "Revere, Malden, Saugus call for relief to Route 1 gridlock". Boston Globe. 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2015-01-05.
  9. "Joint Letter 12-10-13 Route 1 - Improvement MPO". Gary Christenson, Daniel Rizzo, Scott Crabtree. 2013-12-10. Retrieved 2015-01-05.

KML is from Wikidata
U.S. Route 1
Previous state:
Rhode Island
Massachusetts Next state:
New Hampshire
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