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Route 146 (Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Route 146 is a high-speed road, mostly freeway, linking Rhode Island Route 146 (the North Smithfield Expressway towards Providence, Rhode Island
) to I-290
in Worcester, Massachusetts
. South of the interchange with Route 122A, Route 146 is known as the Worcester-Providence Turnpike. Unlike some roads designated as turnpikes, the road has never had tolls, and was built on a brand new alignment in the 1930s. Similar never-tolled turnpikes are the Berlin Turnpike
in Connecticut
and the Boston-Providence Turnpike in Massachusetts
.
In 1981 the MassDPW began work on rebuilding Route 146. During the next three years, the state rebuilt the 13.1-mile-long section from just south of Boston Road in Sutton to the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border, replacing the three-lane undivided section with a four-lane freeway and eliminating all at-grade intersections and curb cuts.
The project upgrading the section linking Exit 10A on the Massachusetts Turnpike
north into downtown Worcester at Brosnihan Square to Interstate Highway standards
was completed in November 2007 according to the State Highway Administration. The final construction phase will upgrade the remaining Massachusetts section in Sutton and Millbury to freeway status and is scheduled for completion sometime after 2010.
, United States, is a 4.1 mile north to south route which connects Route 122
in Uxbridge, and Rhode Island Route 146A in North Smithfield
. There are two connector entrances to Route 146, along Route 146A. These are Exit 1, which connects Route 146 directly to Route 146A, and Exit 2, the Chockalog Road exit in Uxbridge. This highway was renamed by the General Court of Massachusetts in 2004 as the Lydia Taft Highway, after America's first woman voter, Lydia Chapin Taft
, a colonial woman from Uxbridge. Lydia Chapin Taft's historic vote and her role in the history of Women's suffrage
is recognized by the Massachusetts legislature since 2004, which named Route 146A from Uxbridge to the Rhode Island
border in her honor. Route 146A is completely within the town limits of Uxbridge.
In colonial times, this route had the name of "the Great Road", and later "the Quaker Highway", after Quakers from Smithfield, Rhode Island
settled here. There are a number of historic sites along this road including the Friends Meetinghouse
, which is on the National Historic Register. The "Moses Farnum House
, and the Ironstone Mill Housing and Cellar Hole are two other sites along this road. Route 98 also connects with Route 146A, near its midpoint, and has significant historic sites of the original Quaker village known as Quaker City, and Aldrich Village, which are also on the National Historic Register. Just beyond the northern terminus of Route 146A and continuing north on Route 122
is a famous historical house known as Elmshade, a home and gathering place of the influential Taft family
in America. Part of what is now Route 146A was the original Route 146 before a new limited access highway was constructed from the Rhode Island line to Worcester, between 1981 and 1984. This project involved moving a former almshouse cemetery and led to archeological findings on mortuary practices following that excavation.
The Second Great Awakening
changed local mortuary practices for the poor.
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
) to I-290
Interstate 290 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 290 runs for from Auburn, Massachusetts to Marlborough, Massachusetts. It is a continuation of I-395 north of I-90 and runs through downtown Worcester, Massachusetts, I-190 splits off, and I-290 runs across Lake Quinsigamond and east to I-495 in Marlborough...
in Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
. South of the interchange with Route 122A, Route 146 is known as the Worcester-Providence Turnpike. Unlike some roads designated as turnpikes, the road has never had tolls, and was built on a brand new alignment in the 1930s. Similar never-tolled turnpikes are the Berlin Turnpike
Berlin Turnpike
The Berlin Turnpike is a 4-lane/6-lane divided arterial road carrying U.S. Route 5 and Route 15 through the towns of Berlin, Newington, and Wethersfield, Connecticut, United States. The road begins at the Meriden-Berlin town line. The official length of the Berlin Turnpike is 11.02 miles but the...
in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and the Boston-Providence Turnpike in Massachusetts
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...
.
History
During the late 1940's, the Massachusetts Department of Public Works (MassDPW) planned an extension of Route 146 from Rhode Island north toward Worcester. MA 146 was built between 1949 and 1952 as a four-lane divided roadway from US 20 in Millbury to Boston Road in Sutton and from Sutton south to the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border, Route 146 was built as a three-lane undivided roadway, providing one lane in each direction and a shared lane in the center.In 1981 the MassDPW began work on rebuilding Route 146. During the next three years, the state rebuilt the 13.1-mile-long section from just south of Boston Road in Sutton to the Massachusetts-Rhode Island border, replacing the three-lane undivided section with a four-lane freeway and eliminating all at-grade intersections and curb cuts.
The project upgrading the section linking Exit 10A on the Massachusetts Turnpike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
north into downtown Worcester at Brosnihan Square to Interstate Highway standards
Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in the publication A Policy on Design Standards - Interstate System...
was completed in November 2007 according to the State Highway Administration. The final construction phase will upgrade the remaining Massachusetts section in Sutton and Millbury to freeway status and is scheduled for completion sometime after 2010.
Exit list
Exit numbers were traditionally not signed, but are now being signed. Also, they have been assigned by MassHighway.| County | Location | Mile | Exit # | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Worcester County, Massachusetts -Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density... |
Millville Millville, Massachusetts Millville is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,190 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Providence metropolitan area.- History :... |
0.0 |  enters Massachusetts from Rhode Island |
|||
| Uxbridge Uxbridge, Massachusetts Uxbridge is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It was first settled in 1662, incorporated in 1727 at Suffolk County, and named for the Earl of Uxbridge. Uxbridge is south-southeast of Worcester, north-northwest of Providence, and southwest of Boston. It is part of... |
1.1 | 1 |  Route 146A - South UxbridgeIronstone, Massachusetts Ironstone is an historic village in Uxbridge, Massachusetts, United States. It derived its name from plentiful bog iron found here which helped Uxbridge to become a center for three iron forges in the town's earliest settlement. Ironstone today is known as South Uxbridge... ; North Smithfield, Rhode Island North Smithfield, Rhode Island North Smithfield is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, settled as a farming community in 1666 and incorporated into its present form in 1871. North Smithfield includes the historic villages of Forestdale, Primrose, Waterford, Branch Village, Union Village, Park Square, and... |
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| 2.6 | 2 | TO Chockalog Road to Route 146A - Uxbridge and to  Route 98 to South Uxbridge and Burrillville, Rhode IslandBurrillville, Rhode Island Burrillville is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. It was incorporated as an independent municipality on November 17, 1806 when the Rhode Island General Assembly authorized the residents of then North Glocester to elect its own officers. The population was 15,955 at the 2010... and its villages of Harrisville, Rhode Island Harrisville, Rhode Island Harrisville is a census-designated place and village in the town of Burrillville in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 1,561 at the 2000 census... and Pascoag. |
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| 5.3 | 3 |  Route 16 - Uxbridge; Douglas |
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| 7.6 | 4 | Lackey Dam Road - East Douglas; Whitinsville; North Uxbridge | ||||
| Sutton Sutton, Massachusetts -Library:The Sutton Free Library was established in 1876. In fiscal year 2008, the town of Sutton spent 0.7% of its budget on its public library—some $18 per person.-Education:... |
8.5 | 5 | Main Street - Whitinsville; Manchaug | |||
| 10.3 | 6 | Purgatory Road - Northbridge; Whitinsville (to Purgatory Chasm State Reservation Purgatory Chasm State Reservation Purgatory Chasm State Reservation is a state park in Sutton, Massachusetts. The park, managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, is notable for its long, deep chasm of granite bedrock featuring abrupt precipices and boulder caves in which ice lingers into the early... ) |
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| 12.3 | 7 | Central Turnpike - Northbridge; Oxford | ||||
| North end of freeway | ||||||
| 13.8 | Boston Road - Wilkinsonville, Sutton Center | At-grade intersection At-grade intersection An at-grade intersection is a junction at which two or more transport axes cross at the same level .-Traffic management:With areas of high or fast traffic, an at-grade intersection normally requires a traffic control device such as a stop sign, traffic light or railway signal to manage conflicting... with traffic signal |
||||
| Millbury Millbury, Massachusetts Millbury is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,261 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.-History:... |
16.0 | 8 | West Main Street - Millbury Millbury, Massachusetts Millbury is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,261 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.-History:... |
|||
| South end of freeway | ||||||
| 16.9 | 9 |   Route 122A south - MillburyMillbury, Massachusetts Millbury is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 13,261 at the 2010 census. The town is part of the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor.-History:... Center |
Route 122A joins northbound and leaves southbound | |||
| 16.9 | joins |
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| 17.9 | 10 |   I-90Interstate 90 Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It is the northernmost coast-to-coast interstate, and parallels US 20 for the most part. Its western terminus is in Seattle, at Edgar Martinez Drive S. near Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field, and its eastern terminus is in... - Mass Pike / US 20 U.S. Route 20 U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90... - Boston; Springfield |
via Route 20 Connector | |||
| Worcester Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston.... |
18.8 | 11 | Millbury Street | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 19.5 | 12 |   Route 122A north, to I-290 west - McKeon Road; Vernon Hill |
Route 122A joins southbound and leaves northbound | |||
| 19.5 | leaves |
|||||
| 20.5 | 13 |  I-290 east - Shrewsbury; Marlboro |
Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 20.5 | ends at |
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Suffixed routes
Route 146A in 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...
, United States, is a 4.1 mile north to south route which connects Route 122
Route 122 (Massachusetts)
Route 122 is a southeast-northwest state highway in Massachusetts that is a continuation of RI Route 122. The highway is signed as south–north.-Route description:...
in Uxbridge, and Rhode Island Route 146A in North Smithfield
North Smithfield, Rhode Island
North Smithfield is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, settled as a farming community in 1666 and incorporated into its present form in 1871. North Smithfield includes the historic villages of Forestdale, Primrose, Waterford, Branch Village, Union Village, Park Square, and...
. There are two connector entrances to Route 146, along Route 146A. These are Exit 1, which connects Route 146 directly to Route 146A, and Exit 2, the Chockalog Road exit in Uxbridge. This highway was renamed by the General Court of Massachusetts in 2004 as the Lydia Taft Highway, after America's first woman voter, Lydia Chapin Taft
Lydia Taft
Lydia Chapin was the first known legal woman voter in colonial America. This occurred in the New England town Town Meeting, at Uxbridge, MA Massachusetts Colony.-Early life:...
, a colonial woman from Uxbridge. Lydia Chapin Taft's historic vote and her role in the history of Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
is recognized by the Massachusetts legislature since 2004, which named Route 146A from Uxbridge to the Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
border in her honor. Route 146A is completely within the town limits of Uxbridge.
In colonial times, this route had the name of "the Great Road", and later "the Quaker Highway", after Quakers from Smithfield, Rhode Island
Smithfield, Rhode Island
Smithfield is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. It includes the historic villages of Esmond, Georgiaville, Mountaindale, Hanton City, Stillwater and Greenville...
settled here. There are a number of historic sites along this road including the Friends Meetinghouse
Friends Meetinghouse (Uxbridge, Massachusetts)
The ' is an historic Friends Meeting House of the Religious Society of Friends located at the junction of Routes 146A and 98 in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. On January 24, 1974, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.-History:The Friends Meeting House is one of the last crude brick...
, which is on the National Historic Register. The "Moses Farnum House
Moses Farnum House
The Moses Farnum House is an historic house located on Route 146A. in Uxbridge, Massachusetts. On October 7, 1983, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.-National Register listing:...
, and the Ironstone Mill Housing and Cellar Hole are two other sites along this road. Route 98 also connects with Route 146A, near its midpoint, and has significant historic sites of the original Quaker village known as Quaker City, and Aldrich Village, which are also on the National Historic Register. Just beyond the northern terminus of Route 146A and continuing north on Route 122
Route 122 (Massachusetts)
Route 122 is a southeast-northwest state highway in Massachusetts that is a continuation of RI Route 122. The highway is signed as south–north.-Route description:...
is a famous historical house known as Elmshade, a home and gathering place of the influential Taft family
Taft family
The Taft family of the United States hails from Cincinnati, Ohio, with historic origins in Massachusetts; its members have served Ohio, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Utah, and the United States in various positions, such as Governor of Ohio, Governor of Rhode Island, U.S. Senator , U.S...
in America. Part of what is now Route 146A was the original Route 146 before a new limited access highway was constructed from the Rhode Island line to Worcester, between 1981 and 1984. This project involved moving a former almshouse cemetery and led to archeological findings on mortuary practices following that excavation.
The Second Great Awakening
Second Great Awakening
The Second Great Awakening was a Christian revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1800, had begun to gain momentum by 1820, and was in decline by 1870. The Second Great Awakening expressed Arminian theology, by which every person could be...
changed local mortuary practices for the poor.