Massachusetts Route 16

Route 16 is a 59.8646-mile-long (96.3427 km) east–west state highway in Massachusetts. It begins in the west at an intersection with Route 12 and Route 193 in Webster, just north of the Connecticut state border. It runs in a generally southwest-northeast routing through a number of Boston's suburbs and runs to the west and then north of the city before ending in Revere at an intersection with Route 1A and Route 60.

Route 16
Route 16 highlighted in red
Route information
Length59.8646 mi[1] (96.3427 km)
Major junctions
West end Route 12 / Route 193 in Webster
 
East end Route 1A / Route 60 in Revere
Location
CountiesWorcester, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk
Highway system
Route 15 Route 17

Much of Route 16 east of the Newton-Wellesley town line, and especially from Cambridge eastward, is a multi-lane parkway, although it is not limited access for any significant length of road. Segments of Route 16 are also known as the Mystic Valley Parkway, the Alewife Brook Parkway, and the Revere Beach Parkway, among other names.

From the western end of the Route 135 concurrency in Wellesley to Route 30 (Commonwealth Avenue) in Newton, the route serves as a part of the Boston Marathon, from the halfway point to just before Mile 18 and the hills.

Route description

Westbound entering Wellesley

Webster to Milford

Route 16 begins at Routes 12 and 193, not far from the Connecticut border. In Webster, along the shore of Lake Chaubunagungamaug,[2] it intersects I-395.

After passing I-395, the route continues to the northeast, going through Douglas (with a trip through the Douglas State Forest), the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Uxbridge, Mendon, Hopedale, and Milford, while passing beneath I-495 shortly thereafter.

Milford to Newton

From I-495, Route 16 goes northeasterly past Holliston and the Elm Bank Reservation in Sherborn. The road then crosses into Natick while traveling next to the Dover line, and goes through Wellesley, where Wellesley College and Babson College are located. Entering Newton, the route travels past Lasell College before crossing into Middlesex County.

Newton to Revere

Eastbound entering Sherborn

In Newton, Route 16 crosses Route 30 and Route 128 (Interstate 95), later crossing I-90, the Massachusetts Turnpike, in West Newton; Pike Exit 16 here provides access to and from the east only. It enters Watertown shortly before crossing the Charles River, and intersects U.S. Route 20 in Watertown Square. The route passes by Mount Auburn Cemetery before entering Cambridge. Continuing east, Route 16 joins U.S. Route 3 and Route 2, turning north to pass by Fresh Pond and the large parking garage at the MBTA Alewife Station. From there, Route 2 splits off at the eastern end of the freeway portion of the Concord Turnpike, while Routes 3 and 16 continue north on Alewife Brook Parkway. Route 3 exits west at Massachusetts Avenue, while Route 16 continues north on the parkway into Somerville, meeting up with the Mystic Valley Parkway just south of the Mystic River.

Route 16 follows the Mystic Valley Parkway generally eastward, traveling beside the Mystic River downstream and eventually crossing it into Medford. It soon is joined from the north by Massachusetts Route 38, and passes near Medford Square (after recrossing the river), where Route 38 exits to the south on Main Street. Route 16 then crosses Interstate 93 in a series of ramps that include onramps to the north and south of I-93 from Route 16's eastbound lanes, and a ramp from I-93 southbound to Route 16 east. Route 16 then crosses the Mystic River again, reaching the Wellington Circle junction with Massachusetts Route 28 in Medford. This junction marks the end of the Mystic Valley Parkway and the beginning of the Revere Beach Parkway, on which Route 16 continues eastward, passing the Wellington MBTA station and crossing the Malden River. The route continues east through Everett (where it has an interchange with Massachusetts Route 99) and Chelsea, where it has an interchange with U.S. Route 1 at the border with Revere. The stretch between Wellington Circle and Route 1 is characterized by a fairly dense mixture of residential, industrial, and commercial uses, in contrast to the more residential and park-like settings of the section between Wellington and Route 2.

Continuing eastward from Route 1, Route 16 has an interchange with Massachusetts Route 107 at Cronin Park before heading north to a junction with Winthrop Ave, where the Revere Beach Parkway and Massachusetts Route 145 turn right. Route 16 goes a short way further north, before it ends near Revere Beach and the Atlantic Ocean at Timothy J. Mahoney Circle, a junction with Routes 1A and 60 in Revere.

History

Parts of Route 16 were historically maintained by the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), and while the MDC no longer exists, the parkway portions of the route are still patrolled by the Massachusetts State Police and maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation as a remnant of the former MDC jurisdiction.[3]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
WorcesterWebster0.000.00 Route 12 / Route 193 south Webster, Putnam, CT, OxfordWestern terminus; northern terminus of Route 193
0.200.32 I395 Norwich, CT, New London, CT, Oxford, WorcesterExit 3 on I-395 (formerly exit 2); partial cloverleaf interchange
Douglas6.9111.12 Route 96 south Harrisville, RINorthern terminus of Route 96
Uxbridge12.2019.63 Route 146 Providence, RI, Sutton, WorcesterExit 6 on Route 146 (formerly exit 3); diamond interchange
14.4023.17 Route 122 (King Street) Worcester, Northbridge, BlackstoneBrief concurrency with Route 122
Milford21.4034.44 Route 140 to I495 Bellingham, Shrewsbury
22.9036.85 Route 85 north to I495 HopkintonSouthern terminus of Route 85
23.3037.50 Route 109 east to I495 Westwood, BostonWestern terminus of Route 109
MiddlesexHolliston27.3043.94 Route 126 south West Medway, Woonsocket, RISouthern terminus of concurrency with Route 126
29.6047.64 Route 126 north (Concord Street) FraminghamNorthern terminus of concurrency with Route 126
Sherborn33.0053.11 Route 27 south MedfieldSouthern terminus of concurrency with Route 27; some movements via Sawin Street
33.3053.59 Route 27 north NatickNorthern terminus of concurrency with Route 27
NorfolkWellesley39.1062.93 Route 135 west Framingham, HopkintonWestern terminus of concurrency with Route 135; some movements via Weston Road
39.3063.25 Route 135 east Needham, DedhamEastern terminus of concurrency with Route 135
40.7065.50 Route 9 Brookline, Boston, Framingham Center, WorcesterPartial interchange via Worcester and Grantland Roads
MiddlesexNewton42.2067.91 I95 / Route 128 Canton, Providence, RI, Portsmouth, NHExit 37 on I-95 / Route 128 (formerly exit 21); partial cloverleaf interchange
43.4069.85 Route 30 (Commonwealth Avenue) Weston, Framingham, Newton Center, Boston
44.0070.81 I90 / Mass Pike east BostonEastbound exit and westbound entrance; exit 125 on I-90; interchange
Watertown46.8075.32 US 20 Waltham, BrightonWatertown Square
Cambridge49.4079.50 US 3 south / Route 2 east BostonSouthern terminus of concurrency with US 3 / Route 2
North Cambridge50.7081.59 Route 2 west (Cambridge Turnpike) ConcordNorthern terminus of concurrency with Route 2
51.1082.24 US 3 north / Route 2A (Massachusetts Avenue) Arlington, Winchester, Lexington, CambridgeNorthern terminus of concurrency with US 3
SomervilleMystic Valley Parkway west ArlingtonRoute 16 joins the Mystic Valley Parkway
Medford53.0085.30 Route 38 (College Avenue) Somerville
53.5086.10 I93 Boston, Concord, NHSouthbound exit (to eastbound only); Northbound exit (to westbound only); exit 22 on I-93 (formerly exit 31); interchange
53.5986.24Powder House Square
55.3089.00 Route 28 (Fellsway) Somerville, Boston, Malden, ReadingMystic Valley Parkway transitions to Revere Beach Parkway
Everett56.1090.28 Route 99 (Broadway) Malden, BostonDual rotary intersection, with Main Street; Sweetser Circle
SuffolkRevere58.5094.15 US 1 Tobin Bridge, Boston, Saugus, PeabodyInterchange with the Northeast Expressway
58.8094.63 Route 107 Revere, Chelsea, LynnInterchange with Broadway; southern terminus of Route 107
59.695.9 Route 145 south (Revere Beach Parkway) Revere Beach, WinthropNorthern terminus of Route 145
59.864696.3427 Route 1A / Route 60 west to US 1 Revere Beach, Lynn, Malden, New Hampshire, Maine, Sumner Tunnel, BostonRotary; eastern terminus of Routes 16 and 60
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

KML is from Wikidata
  1. "Office of Transportation Planning – 2005 Road Inventory". Executive Office of Transportation. 2005. Archived from the original on September 27, 2006. Retrieved June 9, 2008.
  2. Columbia Gazetteer of North America. "Chaubunagungamaug, Lake, Massachusetts (MA), United States". AllRefer.com. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved June 9, 2008.
  3. "Parkway Maintenance Matrix" (PDF). Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Retrieved June 10, 2008.
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