Massachusetts Route 2
This article needs additional citations for verification. (December 2019) |
Route information | ||
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Maintained by MassDOT | ||
Length | 142.29 mi[1] (228.99 km) | |
Existed | 1927, 1971 (current alignment)–present | |
Major junctions | ||
West end | NY 2 in Petersburgh, NY | |
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East end | Route 28 in Boston | |
Location | ||
Country | United States | |
State | Massachusetts | |
Counties | Berkshire, Franklin, Worcester, Middlesex, Suffolk, Norfolk | |
Highway system | ||
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Route 2 is a 142.29-mile-long (228.99 km) major east–west
Route description
Berkshire and Franklin counties
Route 2 proceeds east from the New York state line on a winding, scenic path in
Route 2 then enters Franklin County, meeting Interstate 91 at an interchange in Greenfield and briefly runs concurrently with I-91. While the old Route 2 becomes Route 2A and goes through downtown Greenfield, Route 2 joins I-91 in a short concurrency before leaving it and becoming a two-lane freeway. Outside Greenfield, Route 2A temporarily ends and merges with Route 2, and Route 2’s freeway section ends. Route 2 remains a regular two-lane surface road in Gill and Millers Falls (though it does have an interchange with Route 63). There is another gap in the two-lane expressway in the Erving area. The road in Erving was routed to the north and straightened to avoid the paper mill next to the river. This rerouting led to the road being shortened by less than one-tenth of a mile.
Orange–Cambridge
As the route approaches
Route 2 continues east to
At this point, Route 2 enters
Cambridge–Boston
The highway then meets a large at-grade intersection with Routes 3 and 16, where Route 2 east merges with U.S. Route 3 south and
History
The route amalgamates and supersedes various named highways in some cases going back to the pre-automobile era. For example, parts of Route 2 are sometimes known as the Cambridge and Concord Turnpike and the Mohawk Trail.
In the early 1920s, Route 2 was known as New England Interstate Route 7 (NE-7), a major road in the New England road marking system connecting Boston with Troy, New York. NE-7 ran roughly where Route 2A (the original surface alignment of Route 2) does now except near the New York state line. NE-7 used current Massachusetts Route 43, New York State Route 43 and New York State Route 66 to reach Troy. Current Route 2 from Williamstown to Petersburgh was previously numbered as Route 96.
Route 2 connected as a highway in its current right-of-way at Alewife Brook Parkway at some point before 1937.[2]
An upgraded Route 2 was originally planned to continue as Boston's
The Leominster to Ayer section opened on July 3, 1953, completing the expressway portion from Westminster to West Concord.[5] Full grade separation between Route 128 and Alewife Brook Parkway was completed around 1970.
Crosby's Corner intersection
This section needs additional citations for verification. (December 2019) |
This major project has been planned since 1999. The intersection had an average of 90 accidents a year. The project was intended to solve the traffic and safety problems that had long occurred at the Crosby's Corner intersection (junction of Route 2 and 2A) in Concord. The project, which was expected to cost $71.9 million, widened Route 2 from Bedford Rd in Lincoln to 300 feet west of Sandy Pond Rd in Concord. The project eliminated the at grade intersection, realigned Route 2, and constructed new entrance and exit ramps along with new service roads next to Route 2.
The full project included building a new overpass bridge over Route 2 and building multiple service roads next to Route 2. Work also consisted of a new signalized intersection. The project was put out to bid for contractors on September 19, 2011. A contractor was expected to be chosen over the winter and construction was expected to begin in Spring 2012 on the estimated $55 million project.
The Army Corps of Engineers published a notice[6] for this project, because of its impact on wetlands at Crosby's Corner. During the summer of 2012, activity on this portion of Route 2 included surveying and the installation of orange-painted stakes. Signs were added in January 2013 indicating that construction would start on January 14. As of April 2014 the project was underway and predicted completion was spring 2016.[7] The project was completed in 2016, with a large improvement in traffic flow.[citation needed]
Future
A project to improve the Concord Rotary, at the convergence of Route 2, Route 2A/119 (Elm Street), Barrett's Mill Road and Commonwealth Avenue, has been in planning since 2003 or even earlier. More than 61,000 cars use this rotary on a typical day, and the backed up traffic can be significant. The improved intersection would include overpasses for local streets, while Route 2 traffic would continue unimpeded at grade. However, the project was removed from the funded portion of the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization's (MPO) Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) in August 2009 and is currently on hold.[8]
Major intersections
MassDOT was scheduled to replace the old sequential exit numbers with the new milepost-based exit numbers beginning in summer 2020,[9][10] which had been delayed since 2016.[11][12] On March 16, 2021, MassDOT announced that the Route 2 exit numbers would get renumbered for four weeks starting on March 23.
County | Location[13] | mi[13] | km | Old exit[14] | New exit[10] | Destinations | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Berkshire | Williamstown | 0.000 | 0.000 | NY 2 west – Troy, NY | Continuation into New York | |||
3.824 | 6.154 | US 7 south – Pittsfield | Western end of concurrency with US 7 | |||||
6.221 | 10.012 | Pownal, VT, Montreal, Que | Eastern end of concurrency with US 7, the beginning of the Mohawk Trail | |||||
6.746 | 10.857 | Route 43 south – Hancock, Stephentown, NY | Northern terminus of Route 43 | |||||
North Adams | 11.571 | 18.622 | Route 8 south – Adams[15] | Western end of concurrency with Route 8 | ||||
11.740 | 18.894 | Route 8A south | Northern terminus of Route 8A "U" segment | |||||
12.405 | 19.964 | Route 8 north – Clarksburg, Stamford, VT | Eastern end of concurrency with Route 8 | |||||
Franklin | Charlemont | 29.807 | 47.970 | Route 8A south – Hawley, Windsor | Western end of concurrency with Route 8A | |||
30.4 | 48.9 | Route 8A north – Heath, Jacksonville, VT | Eastern end of concurrency with Route 8A | |||||
Buckland | 37.390 | 60.173 | Route 2A east – Shelburne Falls | Former western terminus of Route 2A | ||||
37.806 | 60.843 | Route 112 south – Buckland, Ashfield | Western end of concurrency with Route 112 | |||||
Shelburne | 38.062 | 61.255 | Route 112 north – Shelburne Falls, Colrain | Eastern end of concurrency with Route 112 | ||||
38.942 | 62.671 | Route 2A west – Shelburne Falls, Buckland | Former western end of concurrency with Route 2A | |||||
Greenfield | 47.398 | 76.280 | Western end of freeway section | |||||
26 | 43 | Greenfield Center | Western end of concurrency with I-91 and Route 2A; current western terminus of Route 2A | |||||
50.139 | 80.691 | 27 | 46 | I-91 north – Brattleboro, VT | Eastern end of concurrency with I-91 | |||
50.789 | 81.737 | US 5 / Route 10 – Greenfield, Bernardston | Interchange | |||||
51.480 | 82.849 | Eastern end of freeway section | ||||||
52.242 | 84.075 | Greenfield Center | Western end of concurrency with Route 2A | |||||
Erving | 57.1 | 91.9 | Gateway Drive to Route 63 – Northfield, Millers Falls | |||||
57.4 | 92.4 | Forest Street to Route 63 – Northfield, Hinsdale, NH | ||||||
57.7 | 92.9 | Prospect Street to Route 63 – Millers Falls | ||||||
64.865 | 104.390 | Route 2A east to Route 78 – Orange, Wendell[16] | Eastern end of concurrency with Route 2A | |||||
65.060 | 104.704 | West end of expressway section | ||||||
Orange | 66.571 | 107.136 | 14 | 67 | West River Street – Orange, Lake Mattawa | |||
69.788 | 112.313 | 15 | 70 | Route 122 – Orange Ctr, Worcester | ||||
70.676 | 113.742 | 16 | 71 | US 202 south / Daniel Shays Hwy – Belchertown, Athol | Western end of concurrency with US 202 | |||
Worcester | Athol | 75.155 | 120.950 | 17 | 75 | Route 32 – Athol, Petersham | ||
Phillipston | 76.474 | 123.073 | 18 | 77 | Route 2A – Athol, Phillipston | |||
79.009 | 127.153 | 19 | 79 | Eastern end of concurrency with US 202; roadway widens to four lanes east of this interchange | ||||
Templeton | 81.915 | 131.829 | 20 | 82 | Baldwinville Road – Templeton, Baldwinville | |||
83.459 | 134.314 | 21 | 83 | East Templeton, Ashburnham | ||||
Gardner | 86.500 | 139.208 | 22 | 86 | Route 68 – Gardner, Hubbardston | |||
87.253 | 140.420 | 23 | 87 | Pearson Boulevard – Gardner | ||||
Westminster | 89.738 | 144.419 | 24 | 90 | Route 140 north / West Main Street – Winchendon, Westminster | Western end of concurrency with Route 140; signed as exits 90A (south) and 90B (north) westbound[10] | ||
91.764 | 147.680 | 25 | 92 | Route 2A / Route 140 south – Westminster | Eastern end of concurrency with Route 140 | |||
92.568 | 148.974 | 26 | 93 | Willard Road / Village Inn Road | Eastbound exit only | |||
93.479 | 150.440 | 27 | 94 | Narrows Road / Depot Road | ||||
Fitchburg | 94.495 | 152.075 | 28 | 95 | Route 31 – Fitchburg, Princeton | |||
at-grade intersection ; eastern end of freeway section | ||||||||
Palmer Road | Eastbound at-grade intersection | |||||||
96.279 | 154.946 | 29 | Mount Elam Road | Intersection with right-in/right-out connections | ||||
98.007 | 157.727 | 30 | 98 | Merriam Avenue / South Street | ||||
Leominster | Abbott Avenue | Intersection with right-in/right-out connections; western end of freeway section | ||||||
99.269– 99.278 | 159.758– 159.772 | 31 | 99 | Route 12 – Fitchburg, Leominster | Signed as exits 99A (south) and 99B (north) westbound[10] | |||
100.355 | 161.506 | 32 | 100 | Route 13 – Leominster, Lunenburg | ||||
101.125 | 162.745 | 33 | 101 | I-190 south / Mechanic Street – Worcester, Leominster | Northern terminus of I-190; exits 19A-B on I-190 | |||
Lancaster | 102.429 | 164.843 | 34 | 102 | Mechanic Street / Harvard Street | Exit partially in Leominster | ||
103.497 | 166.562 | 35 | 103 | Route 70 south / Lunenburg Road – Lancaster, Lunenburg | Northern terminus of Route 70 | |||
104.917 | 168.848 | 36 | 105 | Shirley Road – Shirley | ||||
106.419 | 171.265 | 37 | 106 | Jackson Road – Devens, Reserve Forces Training Area | Signed as Exits 106A (no public access) and 106B westbound, exit partially in Harvard[10] | |||
Harvard | 109.348– 109.357 | 175.979– 175.993 | 38 | 109 | Route 110 / Route 111 – Harvard, Ayer | Signed as exits 109A (south/west) and 109B (north/east)[10] | ||
Middlesex | Littleton | 113.050 | 181.936 | 39 | 112 | Taylor Street – Littleton | ||
113.285– 113.317 | 182.315– 182.366 | 40 | 113 | Marlboro, Lowell | Signed as exits 113A (south) and 113B (north);[10] exits 78A-B on I-495[17] | |||
West Acton, Littleton | ||||||||
Acton | 117.612 | 189.278 | 42 | 117 | Route 27 – Maynard, Acton | |||
118.013 | 189.924 | 43 | 118 | West Acton | Westbound left exit and eastbound entrance; western terminus of concurrency with Route 111; eastern end of limited-access section | |||
Concord | 120.465 | 193.870 | Route 2A west / Route 119 west / Route 111 north – Littleton | Rotary; western end of concurrency with Route 2A; eastern terminus of Routes 119; southern terminus of Route 111 | ||||
121.691 | 195.843 | Route 62 (Main Street) – West Concord, Maynard, Concord Ctr, Bedford | ||||||
123.901 | 199.399 | Walden Pond, Waltham | Northern terminus of Route 126; western end of limited-access section | |||||
124.824 | 200.885 | 50 | 125 | Route 2A east / Sandy Pond Road – Concord, Lincoln | Partial interchange; eastern end of concurrency with Route 2A | |||
Lincoln | 126.256 | 203.189 | 51 | Bedford Road | At-grade intersection; to Route 2A | |||
Signed as exits 127A (south) and 127B (north); western end of freeway section | ||||||||
129.010 | 207.621 | 53 | 128 | Spring Street – Lexington | No westbound exit | |||
130.002 | 209.218 | 54 | 129 | Waltham Street – Lexington, Waltham | Signed as Exits 129A (Waltham) and 129B (Lexington);[10] westbound exits and eastbound entrances | |||
130.894 | 210.653 | 55 | 130 | Pleasant Street – Lexington | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |||
131.435 | 211.524 | 56 | 131 | Winter Street – Belmont | Eastbound signage | |||
Route 4 north / Route 225 west / Winter Street – Lexington, Bedford | Westbound signage; southern terminus of Route 4; eastern terminus of Route 225 | |||||||
Arlington–Belmont line | 131.990 | 212.417 | 57 | 132 | Dow Avenue – Arlington, Belmont | |||
Belmont | 132.711 | 213.578 | 58 | 133 | Park Avenue – Arlington | |||
Belmont–Arlington line | 133.690 | 215.153 | 59 | 134 | Route 60 – Belmont, Arlington | |||
East Arlington | ||||||||
Cambridge | 134.649 | 216.697 | Alewife station | Eastbound exit only | ||||
134.915 | 217.125 | East end of expressway section | ||||||
135.005 | 217.269 | Western end of concurrency with US 3 and Route 16 | ||||||
136.354 | 219.440 | Route 16 west (Huron Avenue) – Watertown, West Newton | Eastern end of concurrency with Route 16 | |||||
139.280 | 224.149 | US 3 south (Memorial Drive) | Eastern end of concurrency with US 3 | |||||
Charles River | 139.349 | 224.260 | Boston University Bridge | |||||
Brighton, Kenmore Square | ||||||||
Norfolk |
No major junctions | |||||||
Boston | 140.446 | 226.026 | US 20 west (Commonwealth Avenue) | Kenmore Square; eastern terminus of US 20 | ||||
140.881 | 226.726 | Route 2A west (Massachusetts Avenue) | Eastern terminus of Route 2A | |||||
141.556 | 227.812 | Route 28 south (Clarendon Street) | One-way southbound | |||||
142.35 | 229.09 | Beacon Street | Eastern terminus | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
- Freeway and expressway revolts
References
- Executive Office of Transportation. "Office of Transportation Planning - 2005 Road Inventory". Archived from the originalon September 27, 2006.
- ^ General Drafting (1937). Boston and Vicinity (Map). Scale not given. New York: General Drafting. Archived from the original on May 17, 2011.
- ^ "Figure X-7: Plan for Roadway Circulation" (Map). Boston Highway Plan 1965. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved April 17, 2010.
- ^ BigRock (April 9, 2007). "Boston's Cancelled Highways". Retrieved December 30, 2010 – via Google Maps.
- ^ "Part of Sullivan Sq. Span Open Today, Rte. 2 July 3". Boston Globe. June 23, 1953. pp. 1, 12 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/reg/09/2009-01425.pdf[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Concord, MA - Crosby's Corner Project". Archived from the original on April 16, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ "Route 2 Concord Rotary Reconstruction Project". Archived from the original on November 7, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2014.
- ^ "Milepost-based Exit Renumbering" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. December 5, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Route 2 Renumbering" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. December 5, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
- ^ "No signs yet from Massachusetts on exit-conversion launch". berkshireeagle.com. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ 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 January 6, 2016.
- ^ a b "MassDOT Route Log Application". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ "Major highway routes and exits". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ Google (July 2014). "MA-8A, North Adams, Massachusetts". Google Street View. Google. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ Google (October 2011). "248 MA-2, Erving, Massachusetts". Google Street View. Google. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
- ^ "I-495 Renumbering" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Transportation. December 5, 2019. Retrieved December 5, 2019.