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Route 129 (Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Route 129 is an east–west Massachusetts
state route that runs from Chelmsford
to Marblehead
.
at Exit 29. It passes into Billerica
, and shortly thereafter has a concurrency with Route 3A
for just over a mile, following southbound on that route and crossing the Concord River
. The route then turns eastward once more, heading over the Shawsheen River
into Wilmington
. In Wilmington, Route 129 becomes concurrent with Route 38, crossing Route 62 and passing the Wilmington MBTA station
in the process. The two routes split south of the intersection, with Route 129 heading more southeasterly towards its intersection with Interstate 93
at Exit 38.
After crossing I-93, Route 129 heads into Reading
. The route crosses Route 28 just north of the town center before continuing eastward. At the town line with Wakefield
, the route enters a rotary intersection with I-95
/Route 128 at Exit 40, most of which is in the town of Wakefield. Shortly after leaving the rotary, and just after crossing the Saugus River
, Route 128 turns southward along Main Street, following the eastern side of Lake Quannapowitt
towards the town center. At Water Street, Route 129 turns eastward, passing the Center Depot
, which is on the National Register of Historic Places
and along the Haverhill Line (though currently without a stop). From Wakefield, Route 129 enters Saugus
and Essex County
. Passing the Breakheart Reservation
, the route joins U.S. Route 1
at a cloverleaf intersection, following the route concurrently northward into Lynnfield
.
In Lynnfield, Route 129 leaves Route 1 at the Lynnfield Tunnel, a traffic landmark just south of I-95 and Route 128. Just east of this point, Route 129 enters Goodwin Circle, which provides access to all three highways via a connector road. Immediately after leaving the circle, Route 129 enters the city of Lynn
. In Lynn the route heads southeastward, above the Lynn Woods Reservation
, twisting around Sluice Pond before meeting Route 129A next to Flax Pond. At this intersection, Route 129 turns southwest along Boston Street before turning southeast on Washington Street, where it crosses Route 107
. After passing east of Lynn Common, the route splits, with the eastbound side staying on Washington Street and the westbound following Central Avenue and Exchange Street. Both directions meet again on Route 1A
, staying concurrent with that route until meeting the eastern end of Route 129A, turning south before turning eastward once more an entering Swampscott
.
In Swampscott, Route 129 follows along King's Beach, above Black Will's Cliff and then along Fisherman's Beach before turning more inland, bypassing the Phillips Point neighborhood before coming close to the ocean once again in the Beach Bluff neighborhood as it enters Marblehead
. Once in Marblehead, Route 129 continues along Atlantic Avenue before finally terminating at th corner of Atlantic and Ocean, where it meets the eastern end of Route 114. Atlantic Avenue continues into downtown Marblehead from this point, while Ocean Avenue heads across a short isthmus onto Marblehead Neck.
Prior to the construction of the Yankee Division Highway, Route 128 shared a short concurrency with Route 129 in Wakefield, joining the route at the intersection of Water Street and Main Street and leaving at the junction of Vernon Street and Water Street.
In 1996, Route 129 had a realignment in Lynn, with the old route re-designated as Route 129A. This was done to bring the route through downtown.
state route that serves as an alternate to Route 129, located entirely in Lynn, Massachusetts
. The route was created in 1996, taking over the old routing of Route 129 in Lynn after it was realigned to enter downtown.
The route starts where Route 129 leaves its old routing when it enters Lynn, heading southeast
. It soon enters into a concurrency
with Route 107
and goes northeast
, but returns to going southeast when the concurrency ends. Route 129A ends at the end of a concurrency between Routes 1A
and 129, when 129 returns to its older route.
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state route that runs from 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...
to Marblehead
Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...
.
Route description
Route 129 begins at Route 110 in Chelmsford Center, where the northbound lanes of Route 4 leave Route 110. The route passes out of the town center to the east before intersecting U.S. Route 3U.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...
at Exit 29. It passes into 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 :...
, and shortly thereafter has a concurrency with Route 3A
Massachusetts Route 3A
Route 3A is a state highway in eastern Massachusetts, which parallels Route 3 and U.S. Route 3 from Cedarville in southern Plymouth to Tyngsborough at the New Hampshire state line....
for just over a mile, following southbound on that route and crossing the Concord River
Concord River
The Concord River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in eastern Massachusetts in the United States. The river drains a small rural and suburban region northwest of Boston. One of the most famous small rivers in U.S...
. The route then turns eastward once more, heading over the Shawsheen River
Shawsheen River
The Shawsheen River is a tributary of the Merrimack River in northeast Massachusetts. The name has had various spellings. According to Bailey's history of Andover, the spelling Shawshin was the most common in the old records, although Shawshine, Shashin, Shashine, Shashene, Shawshene, and later,...
into Wilmington
Wilmington, Massachusetts
Wilmington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 22,325 at the 2010 census.-History:Wilmington was first settled in 1665 and was officially incorporated in 1730, from parts of Woburn, Reading and Billerica. Minutemen from Wilmington responded to the alarm...
. In Wilmington, Route 129 becomes concurrent with Route 38, crossing Route 62 and passing the Wilmington MBTA station
Wilmington (MBTA station)
Wilmington station is located at 405 Main Street at its intersection with Church Street Wilmington, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. The station serves trains on the MBTA's Lowell Line, and some trains from the Haverhill Line via the Wildcat Branch...
in the process. The two routes split south of the intersection, with Route 129 heading more southeasterly towards its intersection with Interstate 93
Interstate 93
Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91...
at Exit 38.
After crossing I-93, Route 129 heads into Reading
Reading, Massachusetts
Reading is an affluent town situated in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, some north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.-Settlement and Independence:...
. The route crosses Route 28 just north of the town center before continuing eastward. At the town line with Wakefield
Wakefield, Massachusetts
-History:-Geography:The diagram above shows what is to the east, west, north, south, and other directions of the center of Wakefield. Towns with population above 25,000 are in bold italics.-Demographics:-Notable residents:...
, the route enters a rotary intersection with I-95
Interstate 95 in Massachusetts
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, 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...
/Route 128 at Exit 40, most of which is in the town of Wakefield. Shortly after leaving the rotary, and just after crossing the Saugus River
Saugus River
The Saugus River is a river in Massachusetts.The river is long, drains a watershed of approximately , and passes through Wakefield, Lynnfield, Saugus, and Lynn as it meanders east and south from its source in Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield to its mouth at Boston Broad Sound...
, Route 128 turns southward along Main Street, following the eastern side of Lake Quannapowitt
Lake Quannapowitt
Lake Quannapowitt is one of two main lakes in Wakefield, Massachusetts, the other being the manmade Crystal Lake. Lake Quannapowitt is a popular setting for walkers, joggers, bikers, and in-line skaters off Route 128 in Middlesex County. It is the site of many organized races from 5Ks to Ultra...
towards the town center. At Water Street, Route 129 turns eastward, passing the Center Depot
Center Depot
Center Depot is a historic railway station at 57 Water Street in Wakefield, Massachusetts.The Queen Anne style depot was built in 1900 on the Boston and Maine Railroad's Wakefield to Newburyport line. The depot was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. As of 2008, the former...
, which is on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and along the Haverhill Line (though currently without a stop). From Wakefield, Route 129 enters Saugus
Saugus, Massachusetts
Saugus is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 26,628 at the 2010 census.-History:Saugus was first settled in 1629. Saugus is an Indian name believed to mean "great" or "extended"...
and Essex County
Essex County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:...
. Passing the Breakheart Reservation
Breakheart Reservation
Breakheart Reservation is a Massachusetts state park located in Saugus and Wakefield. The park is managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.-Description:...
, the route joins U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts
In the U.S. state of Massachusetts, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Boston. The portion of US 1 south of Boston is also known as the Boston-Providence Turnpike, and portions north of the city are known as the Northeast Expressway and the Newburyport Turnpike.-Route...
at a cloverleaf intersection, following the route concurrently northward into Lynnfield
Lynnfield, Massachusetts
Lynnfield is a wealthy town in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 11,542.- History :...
.
In Lynnfield, Route 129 leaves Route 1 at the Lynnfield Tunnel, a traffic landmark just south of I-95 and Route 128. Just east of this point, Route 129 enters Goodwin Circle, which provides access to all three highways via a connector road. Immediately after leaving the circle, Route 129 enters the city of Lynn
Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:...
. In Lynn the route heads southeastward, above the Lynn Woods Reservation
Lynn Woods Reservation
Lynn Woods Reservation is a municipal forest park located in Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts. The City of Lynn's Department of Public Works, Park Commission and Lynn Water & Sewer Commission share jurisdiction and management of Lynn Woods Reservation...
, twisting around Sluice Pond before meeting Route 129A next to Flax Pond. At this intersection, Route 129 turns southwest along Boston Street before turning southeast on Washington Street, where it crosses Route 107
Massachusetts Route 107
Route 107 is a north–south Massachusetts state route located along the North Shore of Massachusetts. Route 107 runs from Route 16 in Revere to Route 1A at the Essex Bridge in Salem.-Route description:...
. After passing east of Lynn Common, the route splits, with the eastbound side staying on Washington Street and the westbound following Central Avenue and Exchange Street. Both directions meet again on Route 1A
Massachusetts Route 1A
Route 1A is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent...
, staying concurrent with that route until meeting the eastern end of Route 129A, turning south before turning eastward once more an entering Swampscott
Swampscott, Massachusetts
Swampscott is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States located 15 miles up the coast from Boston in an area known as the North Shore. The population is 13,787...
.
In Swampscott, Route 129 follows along King's Beach, above Black Will's Cliff and then along Fisherman's Beach before turning more inland, bypassing the Phillips Point neighborhood before coming close to the ocean once again in the Beach Bluff neighborhood as it enters Marblehead
Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...
. Once in Marblehead, Route 129 continues along Atlantic Avenue before finally terminating at th corner of Atlantic and Ocean, where it meets the eastern end of Route 114. Atlantic Avenue continues into downtown Marblehead from this point, while Ocean Avenue heads across a short isthmus onto Marblehead Neck.
History
Route 129 (which was likely formed sometime in the 1920s) was originally a shorter route that only existed between Wilmington and Lynn, expanding to Marblehead by 1933 and to Chelmsford sometime in the late 1930s.Prior to the construction of the Yankee Division Highway, Route 128 shared a short concurrency with Route 129 in Wakefield, joining the route at the intersection of Water Street and Main Street and leaving at the junction of Vernon Street and Water Street.
In 1996, Route 129 had a realignment in Lynn, with the old route re-designated as Route 129A. This was done to bring the route through downtown.
Junction list
| County | Location | Mile | Roads intersected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlesex Middlesex County, Massachusetts -National protected areas:* Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge* Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge* Longfellow National Historic Site* Lowell National Historical Park* Minute Man National Historical Park* Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge... |
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... |
0.00 |  Route 110  Route 4 North |
Eastern end of Route 129. To  I-495Interstate 495 (Massachusetts) Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ... via Route 4 North & Route 110 East. To  Route 27 via Route 4 South. |
| 2.3 |  U.S. Route 3U.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... |
Route 3 Exit 29. | ||
| 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 :... |
3.5 |  Route 3AMassachusetts Route 3A Route 3A is a state highway in eastern Massachusetts, which parallels Route 3 and U.S. Route 3 from Cedarville in southern Plymouth to Tyngsborough at the New Hampshire state line.... North |
Northern end of concurrency with Route 3A. | |
| 4.7 | Route 3A Massachusetts Route 3A Route 3A is a state highway in eastern Massachusetts, which parallels Route 3 and U.S. Route 3 from Cedarville in southern Plymouth to Tyngsborough at the New Hampshire state line.... South |
Southern end of concurrency with Route 3A. | ||
| Wilmington Wilmington, Massachusetts Wilmington is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 22,325 at the 2010 census.-History:Wilmington was first settled in 1665 and was officially incorporated in 1730, from parts of Woburn, Reading and Billerica. Minutemen from Wilmington responded to the alarm... |
10.2 |  Route 38 North |
Northern end of concurrency with Route 38. | |
| 11.1 |  Route 62 |
|||
| 11.5 | Route 38 South |
Southern end of concurrency with Route 38. | ||
| 13.2 |  I-93Interstate 93 Interstate 93 is an Interstate Highway in the New England section of the United States. Its southern terminus is in Canton, Massachusetts, in the Boston metropolitan area, at Interstate 95; its northern terminus is near St. Johnsbury, Vermont, at Interstate 91... |
I-93 Exit 38. | ||
| Reading Reading, Massachusetts Reading is an affluent town situated in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, some north of central Boston. The population was 24,747 at the 2010 census.-Settlement and Independence:... |
15.1 |  Route 28 |
||
| Wakefield Wakefield, Massachusetts -History:-Geography:The diagram above shows what is to the east, west, north, south, and other directions of the center of Wakefield. Towns with population above 25,000 are in bold italics.-Demographics:-Notable residents:... |
16.2 |   I-95Interstate 95 in Massachusetts Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, 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... /Route 128 |
I-95/Route 128 Exit 40. | |
| Essex Essex County, Massachusetts -National protected areas:* Parker River National Wildlife Refuge* Salem Maritime National Historic Site* Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site* Thacher Island National Wildlife Refuge-Demographics:... |
Saugus Saugus, Massachusetts Saugus is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. The population was 26,628 at the 2010 census.-History:Saugus was first settled in 1629. Saugus is an Indian name believed to mean "great" or "extended"... |
21.3 |  U.S. Route 1U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts In the U.S. state of Massachusetts, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Boston. The portion of US 1 south of Boston is also known as the Boston-Providence Turnpike, and portions north of the city are known as the Northeast Expressway and the Newburyport Turnpike.-Route... South |
Southern end of concurrency with Route 1. |
| Lynnfield Lynnfield, Massachusetts Lynnfield is a wealthy town in Essex County, Massachusetts, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 11,542.- History :... |
23.3 | U.S. Route 1 U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts In the U.S. state of Massachusetts, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Boston. The portion of US 1 south of Boston is also known as the Boston-Providence Turnpike, and portions north of the city are known as the Northeast Expressway and the Newburyport Turnpike.-Route... North |
Northern end of concurrency with Route 1. To I-95Interstate 95 in Massachusetts Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, 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... / Route 128 via Route 1 North. |
|
| 23.9 | To I-95 Interstate 95 in Massachusetts Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, 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... / Route 128 To U.S. Route 1U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts In the U.S. state of Massachusetts, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Boston. The portion of US 1 south of Boston is also known as the Boston-Providence Turnpike, and portions north of the city are known as the Northeast Expressway and the Newburyport Turnpike.-Route... |
Goodwin Circle; connector route to I-95 / Route 128 / Route 1. | ||
| Lynn Lynn, Massachusetts Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:... |
27.0 |  Route 129A East |
Western end of Route 129A. | |
| 27.9 |  Route 107Massachusetts Route 107 Route 107 is a north–south Massachusetts state route located along the North Shore of Massachusetts. Route 107 runs from Route 16 in Revere to Route 1A at the Essex Bridge in Salem.-Route description:... |
|||
| 28.7 |  Route 1AMassachusetts Route 1A Route 1A is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent... South |
Western end of concurrency with Route 1A. | ||
| 29.9 | Route 1A Massachusetts Route 1A Route 1A is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent... North Route 129A West |
Eastern end of concurrency with Route 1A. Eastern end of Route 129A. |
||
| Marblehead Marblehead, Massachusetts Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach... |
34.08 |  Route 114 West |
Eastern end of Routes 129 and 114. |
Suffixed routes
Route 129A is an east–west MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state route that serves as an alternate to Route 129, located entirely in Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn, Massachusetts
Lynn is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 89,050 at the 2000 census. An old industrial center, Lynn is home to Lynn Beach and Lynn Heritage State Park and is about north of downtown Boston.-17th century:...
. The route was created in 1996, taking over the old routing of Route 129 in Lynn after it was realigned to enter downtown.
The route starts where Route 129 leaves its old routing when it enters Lynn, heading southeast
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
. It soon enters into a concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with Route 107
Massachusetts Route 107
Route 107 is a north–south Massachusetts state route located along the North Shore of Massachusetts. Route 107 runs from Route 16 in Revere to Route 1A at the Essex Bridge in Salem.-Route description:...
and goes northeast
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
, but returns to going southeast when the concurrency ends. Route 129A ends at the end of a concurrency between Routes 1A
Massachusetts Route 1A
Route 1A is a south–north state highway in Massachusetts. It is an alternate route to U.S. 1 with three signed sections and two unsigned sections where the highway is concurrent with its parent...
and 129, when 129 returns to its older route.