Northwest Expressway (Boston)
Encyclopedia
The Northwest Expressway is a 19.3-mile expressway that carries U.S. Route 3
from its junction with Interstate 95 (Route 128
) in Burlington
north to the New Hampshire
state line in Tyngsborough
, where it connects to the Frederick E. Everett Turnpike.
The expressway serves as a freeway connection between the metro Boston area and the Everett Turnpike in Nashua (which provides further connections north and east of Nashua), bypassing downtown areas along US-3's former alignment, now designated as the northern stretch of Massachusetts Route 3A. Aside from this connection, an important interchange rests in Chelmsford
, where US-3 intersects with Interstate 495. This interchange is also located at the southern terminus of the Lowell Connector
, a short freeway spur into the nearby city of Lowell
.
The freeway heads in a generally northwest direction, with interchanges providing access to the nearby towns of Burlington, Bedford
, Billerica
, Carlisle
, and Chelmsford
. In Chelmsford, US-3 meets I-495, which provides northbound connections to Lawrence
, Haverhill
and points north and east, as well as southbound connections to Worcester and points west. This interchange also provides northbound-only access to the Lowell Connector which runs northeast into the city of Lowell. US-3 runs west of the Merrimack River
, continuing north near the towns of North Chelmsford, Westford
, Dunstable
and Tyngsborough
before reaching the New Hampshire state line.
Upon crossing into South Nashua, NH, the Everett Turnpike begins overlapped with US-3. The U.S. highway remains on the freeway for another 6.7 miles, before exiting onto its surface alignment.
. The highway was one of the expressway projects cancelled in the Gov. Francis Sargent's 1970 moratorium on expressway construction within MA 128. The latter section of the expressway was a key component of the "Master Plan Highway Plan for Metropolitan Boston."
The highway would have travelled through Lexington, Arlington, Medford, Somerville and Cambridge, before linking with the Inner Belt Expressway.
The original plan called for U.S. 3 and MA 2 to link up together at the Lexington-Arlington border, and continue southeasterly, crossing MA 16/Mystic Valley Parkway at the Arlington-Somerville border and proceeding into Cambridge toward Union Square, Somerville. A 1962 plan called for Routes 2 and 3 to converge at Alewife Brook Parkway with a longer stretch of new highway for Route 3 paralleling Lowell Street in Lexington and Summer Street in Arlington.
U.S. Route 3
U.S. Route 3 is a north–south United States highway that runs from its southern terminus in Cambridge, Massachusetts through New Hampshire to its terminus near Third Connecticut Lake at the Canadian border, where the road continues north as Quebec Route 257.In New Hampshire parts of US 3 are...
from its junction with Interstate 95 (Route 128
Route 128 (Massachusetts)
Route 128, also known as the Yankee Division Highway , and originally the Circumferential Highway, is a partial beltway around Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The majority of the highway is built to freeway standards, and about 3/5 of it is part of the Interstate Highway System...
) in Burlington
Burlington, Massachusetts
Burlington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,498 at the 2010 census.- History :It is believed that Burlington takes its name from the English town of Bridlington, however this has never been confirmed....
north to the New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
state line in Tyngsborough
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
Tyngsborough is a town located in the northwest section of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Composed of of land and surface water, Tyngsborough borders the towns of Dunstable, Groton, Westford, Chelmsford, Dracut, and the City of Lowell, as well as the New Hampshire communities of Hudson,...
, where it connects to the Frederick E. Everett Turnpike.
The expressway serves as a freeway connection between the metro Boston area and the Everett Turnpike in Nashua (which provides further connections north and east of Nashua), bypassing downtown areas along US-3's former alignment, now designated as the northern stretch of Massachusetts Route 3A. Aside from this connection, an important interchange rests in Chelmsford
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 33,802. The Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the town was 34,409, ranking it 14th in population among the 54 municipalities in...
, where US-3 intersects with Interstate 495. This interchange is also located at the southern terminus of the Lowell Connector
Lowell Connector
The Lowell Connector, officially the American Legion Connector Highway, is a small freeway connector in the Massachusetts state highway system that links nearby U.S. Highway 3 and Interstate 495 to downtown Lowell, Massachusetts...
, a short freeway spur into the nearby city of Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
.
Route description
U.S. Route 3 breaks off from its surface alignment in Burlington, at the Exit 33 interchange with I-95/Route 128. Route 3A continues the old alignment from this point north to the border, while US-3 joins I-95 and Route 128 in a wrong-way concurrency lasting approximately one mile. At Exit 32A, US-3 exits from I-95 onto the Northwest Expressway.The freeway heads in a generally northwest direction, with interchanges providing access to the nearby towns of Burlington, Bedford
Bedford, Massachusetts
Bedford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. It is within the Greater Boston area, north-west of the city of Boston. The population of Bedford was 13,320 at the 2010 census.- History :...
, Billerica
Billerica, Massachusetts
Billerica is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,243 at the 2010 census. It is the only town named Billerica in the United States and borrows its name from the town of Billericay in Essex, England.- History :...
, Carlisle
Carlisle, Massachusetts
Carlisle is an affluent, rural town northwest of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the town is 4,852.-History:...
, and Chelmsford
Chelmsford, Massachusetts
Chelmsford is a suburban town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts in the Greater Boston area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 33,802. The Census Bureau's 2008 population estimate for the town was 34,409, ranking it 14th in population among the 54 municipalities in...
. In Chelmsford, US-3 meets I-495, which provides northbound connections to Lawrence
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
, Haverhill
Haverhill, Massachusetts
Haverhill is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 60,879 at the 2010 census.Located on the Merrimack River, it began as a farming community that would evolve into an important industrial center, beginning with sawmills and gristmills run by water power. In the...
and points north and east, as well as southbound connections to Worcester and points west. This interchange also provides northbound-only access to the Lowell Connector which runs northeast into the city of Lowell. US-3 runs west of the Merrimack River
Merrimack River
The Merrimack River is a river in the northeastern United States. It rises at the confluence of the Pemigewasset and Winnipesaukee rivers in Franklin, New Hampshire, flows southward into Massachusetts, and then flows northeast until it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Newburyport...
, continuing north near the towns of North Chelmsford, Westford
Westford, Massachusetts
Westford is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,951 at the 2010 census.-History:Originally a part of neighboring Chelmsford, West Chelmsford soon grew large enough to sustain its own governance, and was officially incorporated as Westford on September 23,...
, Dunstable
Dunstable, Massachusetts
Dunstable is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,179 at the 2010 census.-Etymology:Dunstable was named after its sister town Dunstable, UK....
and Tyngsborough
Tyngsborough, Massachusetts
Tyngsborough is a town located in the northwest section of Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Composed of of land and surface water, Tyngsborough borders the towns of Dunstable, Groton, Westford, Chelmsford, Dracut, and the City of Lowell, as well as the New Hampshire communities of Hudson,...
before reaching the New Hampshire state line.
Upon crossing into South Nashua, NH, the Everett Turnpike begins overlapped with US-3. The U.S. highway remains on the freeway for another 6.7 miles, before exiting onto its surface alignment.
History
The final section of the expressway was an unbuilt expressway, planned for inner suburban towns northwest of Boston, Massachusetts. The expressway was to supply a new route for U.S. Route 3, between MA 128 and the cancelled Interstate-695/Inner BeltInterstate 695 (Massachusetts)
The Inner Belt in Boston was a planned six-lane, limited-access highway that would have run through parts of Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville.-History:...
. The highway was one of the expressway projects cancelled in the Gov. Francis Sargent's 1970 moratorium on expressway construction within MA 128. The latter section of the expressway was a key component of the "Master Plan Highway Plan for Metropolitan Boston."
The highway would have travelled through Lexington, Arlington, Medford, Somerville and Cambridge, before linking with the Inner Belt Expressway.
The original plan called for U.S. 3 and MA 2 to link up together at the Lexington-Arlington border, and continue southeasterly, crossing MA 16/Mystic Valley Parkway at the Arlington-Somerville border and proceeding into Cambridge toward Union Square, Somerville. A 1962 plan called for Routes 2 and 3 to converge at Alewife Brook Parkway with a longer stretch of new highway for Route 3 paralleling Lowell Street in Lexington and Summer Street in Arlington.
