Interstate 95 in Massachusetts

This article is about the section of Interstate 95 in Massachusetts. For the entire route, see Interstate 95.

Interstate 95 marker

Interstate 95
Route information
Maintained by MassDOT
Length: 92 mi (148 km)
Existed: 1957 – present
Major junctions
South end: I95 in Pawtucket, RI
 
North end: I95 in Seabrook, NH
Location
Counties: Bristol, Norfolk, Middlesex, Essex
Highway system
I93I95E

Interstate 95 (I-95) is a major highway on the East Coast of the United States,[1] paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in Canton. As the original plans for I-95 (which would have taken it through central neighborhoods of Boston and the northern suburbs of Saugus and Lynn) were canceled, the highway follows the Route 128 loop around the Greater Boston area to Peabody. From there, I-95 splits from Route 128 and turns north towards the Merrimack River. I-95 enters New Hampshire from Salisbury.

Route description

Attleboro to Canton

I-95 crosses the state border from Pawtucket, Rhode Island into Attleboro as a six-lane highway, with the first northbound exits, 2A and 2B, providing access to Route 1A and nearby U.S. Route 1 near the border. (There is an Exit 1, but it is a southbound-only exit connecting to US-1 south into Rhode Island.) Exits 3–5 also serve the Attleboro area, with Exit 4 at the northern terminus of Interstate 295.

Exits 6A and 6B in Mansfield provide access to Interstate 495, the "outer circumferential" beltway around metro Boston. I-495 provides northbound connections to Worcester, the Massachusetts Turnpike, and the western part of the state, and southbound connections to Cape Cod. Mansfield is home to the Comcast Center, a Live Nation-owned amphitheatre that hosts numerous concert events, and the TPC Boston, a PGA player's club that hosts the Deutsche Bank Championship yearly. The two venues are located near I-95's interchanges with Route 140.

I-95 continues northward into Foxborough, home of Gillette Stadium, located on US-1 and accessible from Exit 9. The interstate continues through Sharon, it then enters the metro Boston area and the towns of Walpole, and Norwood, before entering Canton, where it meets Interstate 93 at its southern terminus (Exit 12).

Canton to Peabody (Route 128)

Upon interchanging with I-93, I-95 loops around to the west, taking over the roadbed from I-93 and joining US-1 southbound in a wrong-way concurrency. Route 128 begins here as well. The highway enters Westwood next, with US-1 leaving the freeway near the Dedham town line (at Exit 15B) to parallel I-95 back to the south. I-95 and Route 128 makes its way around metro Boston, passing through Dedham, Needham, and Wellesley, where the freeway has an interchange with Route 9 at Exit 20, and the freeway widens to eight lanes. Then the highway passes through Newton, then enters Weston and has a large interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90, at Exit 25) that provides connections to nearby Route 30. There is a fourth lane after the interchange with Rt 9.Exits 23, 24, and 25 are one combined exit northbound.

I-95 and Route 128 are due west of Boston at this point and begin to turn to the northeast, serving the city of Waltham and the town of Lexington along the way. The freeway has an interchange with Route 2 (Concord Turnpike) at Exit 29. Upon entering the town of Burlington, I-95 and Route 128 have an interchange with U.S. Route 3, the Northwestern Expressway, at Exit 32A. US-3 provides a direct freeway connection with the Lowell and Nashua, New Hampshire metro areas. Access to the Middlesex Turnpike and Burlington retail district is facilitated at this interchange as well. US-3 south briefly joins the freeway in another wrong-way multiplex in order to connect with its old alignment, leaving at Exit 33A. I-95 and Route 128 continue northeast through the city of Woburn and into Reading.

In Reading, I-95 and Route 128 once again have an interchange with I-93. After crossing, I-93, the now six-lane highway continues to the northeast, serving the towns of Wakefield and Lynnfield before crossing into Peabody, where Route 128 leaves I-95 at Exit 45 as its own freeway towards Gloucester. At this interchange, six lanes of through traffic are designated for Route 128 while four lanes split off as I-95.

Peabody to Salisbury

After leaving Route 128, I-95 expands to eight lanes and heads north through the less densely populated northeastern portion of the state. The freeway serves the communities of Danvers, Boxford, Georgetown, Rowley, Newbury, West Newbury, Newburyport, Amesbury, and Salisbury. Traffic density is generally low on this 25-mile (40 km) stretch of freeway. After Exit 57, the highway narrows to six lanes until the I-495 interchange expands it back to eight lanes.

I-495 has its northern terminus at I-95 Exit 59 just south of the New Hampshire state line, a Y-interchange that merges I-495 onto I-95. Southbound access is possible via Exit 58 for Route 110 westbound, which leads to I-495's Exit 55 (I-495's last exit before I-95). The northernmost exit in Massachusetts is Exit 60, providing access to Main Street towards Amesbury and Route 286 towards Salisbury Beach and Hampton Beach (the southbound ramp starts in New Hampshire). After crossing underneath the connecting roads, I-95 crosses the state line into Seabrook, New Hampshire.

History

The original plans called for I-95 to run through downtown Boston. The highway would have progressed from Route 128 and Readville, followed the Southwest Corridor, joined the Inner Belt in Roxbury, heading east, and joining the Southeast Expressway at South Bay, then north to the Central Artery at the South Station interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike/Interstate 90, and connecting with the Northeast Expressway at the Charlestown banks of the Charles River.

However, due to pressure from local residents, all proposed Interstate Highways within Route 128 were canceled in 1972 by Governor Francis Sargent with the exception of Interstate 93 to Boston. The only sections of I-95 completed within the Route 128 beltway by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation were the segment known as the Northeast Expressway north from Charlestown to Saugus, which is now part of U.S. Route 1, and the Central Artery, which cut the North End neighborhood from downtown Boston proper until the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel essentially submerged the old Central Artery's traffic load below ground level in 2003. The Southwest Expressway and the Inner Belt highways were among the Sargent-canceled highways.

Original 1955 Yellow Book plan showing the southwestern routing of I-95 to the Inner Belt. The modern I-95 follows the outer belt shown on this map (now considered the "inner" Route 128 compared to the "outer" I-495 which is not shown, and which started construction 2 years after the study).

Between 1972 and 1974, plans were to extend I-95 along a northerly extension of the Northeast Expressway to Route 128 in northwestern Danvers. During this time, I-95 was officially routed along Route 128 from Canton to Braintree and north along the Southeast Expressway (also designated Route 3), from Braintree to Boston, then following the Central Artery, and continuing along the Northeast Expressway in Boston, Chelsea and Revere.

When the Northeast Expressway extension (between Saugus and Danvers) was canceled in 1974, I-95's route shifted to its current routing along the perimeter highway, Route 128, and I-93 was extended to meet I-95 in Canton. Plans for the abandoned roadways can still be seen going from the end of the Northeast Expressway to the Saugus River in Saugus. Along the unbuilt alignment from Saugus to Route 128, one can see unused bridges, ghost ramps, and graded—but unpaved—roadbed that was originally intended to carry I-95.

Exit list

All interchanges will be renumbered to mileage-based numbers under a project scheduled to start in 2016.[2]

CountyLocation[3]mi[3]kmOld exitNew exit[4][5][6]Destinations[4][5][6]Notes
BristolAttleboro0.0000.000 I95 south ProvidenceContinuation from Rhode Island
0.4990.8031 US 1 south (Broadway) Pawtucket, RISouthbound exit and northbound entrance
1.1991.9302A Route 1A south (Newport Avenue) Pawtucket, RI
1.2131.9522B Route 1A north to US 1 South Attleboro
4.1976.7543 Route 123 South Attleboro, Attleboro, NortonSigned as Exits 3A (east) and 3B (west) southbound
5.8609.4314 I295 south Woonsocket, RI, Warwick, RINorthern terminus of I-295, exits 2A-B
North Attleborough6.91811.1335 To Route 152 North Attleboro, Attleboro
Mansfield11.56218.6076A I495 south Cape Cod
11.60418.6756B I495 north Worcester
NorfolkFoxborough12.94420.8317 Route 140 Mansfield, FoxboroSigned as Exits 7A (south) and 7B (north)
Sharon16.62626.7578South Main Street SharonNorthbound signage
Mechanic Street FoxboroSouthbound signage
19.21530.9249 US 1 to Route 27 WalpoleNorthbound signage
US 1 Foxboro, WrenthamSouthbound signage
Walpole21.09633.95110Coney Street  Walpole, SharonSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Norwood23.26937.44811Neponset Street  Canton, NorwoodSigned as Exits 11A (east) and 11B (west)
Canton26.74043.0346312 I93 north / US 1 north Boston
Route 128
Left exit southbound; southern terminus of I-93; Exit 1 on I-93; southern end of wrong-way concurrency with US 1
Southern terminus of Route 128
Dedham27.35244.0196213University Avenue MBTA / Amtrak station
Westwood28.62746.0716114East Street / Canton Street
Dedham29.30047.1546015A To Route 1A Dedham
29.31647.18015B US 1 south NorwoodNorthern end of wrong-way concurrency with US 1
30.82349.6055916 Route 109 Dedham, WestwoodSigned as Exits 16A (east) and 16B (west)
32.38852.1235817 Route 135 Needham, NatickNorfolk County Correctional Center is in the median of Route 128, access from Route 135
Eastern terminus of Route 135
Needham32.87352.9045718Great Plain Avenue West Roxbury
35.73057.5025619Highland Avenue Newton Highlands, NeedhamSigned as Exits 19A (Newton Highlands) and 19B (Needham)
Wellesley36.79859.2215520 Route 9 Brookline, Boston, Framingham, WorcesterSigned as Exits 20A (east) and 20B (west)
MiddlesexNewton38.17561.4375421 Route 16 Newton, Wellesley, WabanSigned as Exits 21A (east) and 21B (west, with Exit 22) southbound
38.51961.9905322Grove Street MBTA Station
Weston38.97762.7275223Recreation RoadNorthbound exit and entrance only
39.24063.1515124 Route 30 Newton, WaylandInterchange located after Exit 25 northbound
39.40663.4185025 I90 / Mass Pike Boston, Albany, NYExits 14-15 on I-90
Waltham41.40666.6364926 US 20 Waltham, Weston
43.27069.6364827AThird Avenue  WalthamNorthbound signage
43.28369.657Totten Pond Road / Third Avenue / Wyman Street[7]Southbound signage
43.27369.64127BTotten Pond Road / Winter Street / Wyman Street[8]Northbound signage
43.28869.665Winter StreetSouthbound signage
44.54371.6854728Trapelo Road Belmont, LincolnSigned as Exits 28A (Belmont) and 28B (Lincoln) northbound
Lexington45.41273.0844629A Route 2 east Arlington, CambridgeExits 52A-B on Route 2
45.44573.13729B Route 2 west Acton, Fitchburg
46.49274.8224530 Route 2A East Lexington, Hanscom Field, ConcordSigned as Exits 30A (east) and 30B (west)
48.71678.4014431 Route 4 / Route 225 Lexington, BedfordSigned as Exits 31A (south / east) and 31B (north / west)
Burlington50.07980.5944332A US 3 north Lowell, Nashua, NHSouthern end of wrong-way concurrency with US 3; Exit 25A on US 3
50.34181.0164232BMiddlesex Turnpike Burlington
51.76783.3114133A US 3 south WinchesterNorthern end of wrong-way concurrency with US 3
51.77883.32933B Route 3A north BurlingtonSouthern terminus of Route 3A
52.63984.7144034Winn Street Woburn, Burlington
Woburn53.73586.4783935 Route 38 Woburn, Wilmington
55.12888.7203836Washington Street Woburn, Reading
Reading55.70489.64737A I93 south Boston
55.72989.68737B I93 north Concord, NH
56.56191.0263638 Route 28 Stoneham, ReadingSigned as Exits 38A (south) and 38B (north)
Wakefield57.77992.9863539North Avenue Reading, Wakefield
58.53294.1983440 Route 129 Wakefield Center, Wilmington
EssexLynnfield59.29695.4283341Main Street Lynnfield Center, Wakefield
MiddlesexWakefield60.85997.9433242Salem Street Wakefield
EssexLynnfield61.51098.9913143Walnut Street Saugus, Lynnfield
62.899101.2263044 US 1 / Route 129 Boston, DanversSigned as Exits 44A (south / west) and 44B (north / east) northbound; no Route 129 signage southbound
Peabody64.625104.00445 Route 128 north GloucesterLeft exit northbound; northern end of concurrency with Route 128; Exit 29 on Route 128
66.098106.37446 US 1 south BostonSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
Danvers67.329108.35647 Route 114 Peabody, MiddletonNo southbound exit; signed as Exits 47A (east) and 47B (west)
68.226109.79948Centre Street DanversSouthbound exit and entrance only
68.979111.01149 Route 62 Danvers, MiddletonNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
69.867112.44050 US 1 TopsfieldNorthbound signage
69.851112.414 US 1 to Route 62 / Route 114 Topsfield, DanversSouthbound signage
Boxford72.277116.31951Endicott Road Topsfield, Middleton
73.979119.05852Topsfield Road Topsfield, Boxford
76.201122.63453 Route 97 Topsfield, GeorgetownSigned as Exits 53A (south) and 53B (north)
Georgetown78.051125.61154 Route 133 Georgetown, RowleySigned as Exits 54A (east) and 54B (west) northbound
Newbury81.542131.22955Central Street Byfield, Newbury
West Newbury83.362134.15856Scotland Road Newbury, West Newbury
Newburyport86.044138.47457 Route 113 West Newbury, Newburyport
Newburyport–Amesbury line87.189–
87.377
140.317–
140.620
Merrimack River
Amesbury88.124141.82258 Route 110 to I495 Salisbury, Amesbury[9]Signed as Exits 58A (east) and 58B (west) northbound
Salisbury89.367143.82259 I495 south WorcesterSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
90.239145.22660 Route 286 – Beaches, SalisburySigned as Route 286 east southbound
90.82146.16 I95 north PortsmouthContinuation into New Hampshire
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Rest areas and service plazas

This is a list of rest areas on Interstate 95 in Massachusetts.

Weigh stations

Weigh Stations are located on the northbound (NB) and southbound (SB) sides of the highway at the following locations:

Speed limits

Between the Rhode Island state line and I-93 in Canton, and again between the northern end of the beltway and the New Hampshire state line, the speed limit is 65 MPH. The sharp transition curve from I-95 north onto the Route 128 beltway in Canton is posted for 25 MPH. Along the beltway the speed limit is 55 MPH, and the speed limit on the transition ramps at Exit 45 at the I-95/Route 128 split in Peabody is 45 MPH.

Future improvements

MassDOT's Add-A-Lane project is currently adding a fourth lane in each direction along the beltway section from the I-93 interchange in Canton to the Route 9 interchange in Wellesley, where the rush-hour traffic has been for some time permitted to use the breakdown lanes on the highway shoulder. The section south of Route 109 is complete, while the section between Routes 109 & 9 is due to be completed by late 2015, and the last section, from Needham to Wellesley, where construction started in 2015, is due to be completed by 2019.[10] Outside of the beltway, the state will begin a $285 million project in 2012 to replace the John Greenleaf Whittier Bridge over the Merrimack River which includes widening the highway to eight lanes (four in each direction) from the bridge to I-495.[11] In addition, I-95 will be included in a contract advertised by MassDOT on September 12, 2015 to change all exit numbers on Massachusetts Interstate routes to those based on mileposts. This project should be completed some time in 2016 or 2017.[2]

References

  1. David Montgomery and Josh White, The Washington Post, 128 Cars, Trucks Crash in Snow on I-95, February 23, 2001, p. A1
  2. 1 2 Commonwealth of Massachusetts (2015). "COMMBUYS - Bid Solicitation FAP# HSIP-002S(874) Exit Signage Conversion to Milepost-Based Numbering System along Various Interstates, Routes and the Lowell Connector". Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  3. 1 2 MassDOT Planning Division. "Massachusetts Route Log Application". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Massachusetts Department of Transportation. "Exit Numbers and Names: Route I-95 (Attleboro-Canton)". Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  5. 1 2 Massachusetts Department of Transportation. "Exit Numbers and Names: Route I-95 (128) (Canton-Peabody)". Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Massachusetts Department of Transportation. "Exit Numbers and Names: Route I-95 (Peabody-Salisbury)". Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  7. Google Maps (September 2013). "Street View". Google. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  8. Google Maps (October 2012). "Street View". Google. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  9. Google Maps (September 2012). "Street View". Google. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  10. Massachusetts Department of Transportation (2015). "Needham-Wellesley I-95 Add-A-Lane Project". Retrieved September 17, 2015.
  11. Massachusetts Department of Transportation (2015). "Whittier Bridge/I-95 Improvements". Retrieved September 17, 2015.

External links

Media related to Interstate 95 in Massachusetts at Wikimedia Commons

Route map: Bing / Google

Interstate 95
Previous state:
Rhode Island
Massachusetts Next state:
New Hampshire


This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Monday, May 02, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.