Route 18 is a south–north state highway

State highway

State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...

 in southeastern 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...

.

Route description

Route 18 starts as a four-lane freeway, a continuation of John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway in downtown New Bedford

New Bedford, Massachusetts

New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...

, at U.S. Route 6

U.S. Route 6 in Massachusetts

Route 6 is the portion of the cross-country U.S. Route 6 in the state of Massachusetts. Route 6 runs in the state connecting Providence, Rhode Island to Fall River, New Bedford, and Cape Cod. In the Fall River and New Bedford areas, Route 6 is a secondary highway paralleling Interstate 195...

. After the intersection with I-195, Route 18 runs via surface streets parallel to Route 140 for a while, up to a connector road with Route 140 northbound. (Before its highway route was construction, Route 140 followed County Road from Taunton until terminating at Route 18 in Freetown near the New Bedford line.) Route 18 then continues on a generally northerly direction. The highway goes through the East Freetown

East Freetown, Massachusetts

East Freetown is one of two villages in the town of Freetown, Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. Added to the town in 1747, East Freetown was originally an outpost settlement of Tiverton, Rhode Island, then a part of Massachusetts. It rests on the shore of Long Pond.- History :East...

 section of Freetown

Freetown, Massachusetts

Freetown is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 8,870 at the 2010 census.Freetown is one of the oldest communities in the United States, having been settled by the Pilgrims and their descendants in the latter half of the 17th century. The town once included...

, Lakeville

Lakeville, Massachusetts

Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...

 (with a three-mile (5 km) concurrency with Route 105

Massachusetts Route 105

-Route description:Route 105 begins at U.S. Route 6 in Marion. The highway crosses over I-195 less than a mile into its journey. The highway winds in a westerly direction through Rochester. When the highway enters Long Plain village in Acushnet, the only town in Bristol County on the route, Route...

 along Assawompset Pond

Assawompset Pond

Assawompset Pond is a reservoir/pond within the towns of Lakeville and Middleboro, in southeastern Massachusetts. It shares its waters with Long Pond and openly-connected with Pocksha Pond. These lakes provides a source of drinking water to the city of New Bedford, the largest city in southeastern...

), Middleborough

Middleborough, Massachusetts

Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,117 as of 2008.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts....

, where the highway meets U.S. Route 44

U.S. Route 44

U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...

 and Route 28 at the Middleboro rotary

Roundabout

A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...

 just north of Interstate 495

Interstate 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 ...

, beginning a six-mile (10 km) concurrency with Route 28 until the center of Bridgewater

Bridgewater, Massachusetts

For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...

, East Bridgewater

East Bridgewater, Massachusetts

East Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,974 at the 2000 census.-History:The lands that would become East Bridgewater were first settled by Carlos Mencia in 1630 A.D. as an outgrowth of the Plymouth and Duxbury plantations...

, Whitman

Whitman, Massachusetts

Whitman is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,489 as of the 2010 census. It is notable as being the place where the chocolate chip cookie was invented....

, Abington

Abington, Massachusetts

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,605 people, 5,263 households, and 3,747 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,469.1 people per square mile . There were 5,348 housing units at an average density of 538.0 per square mile...

, and Weymouth

Weymouth, Massachusetts

The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...

, ending at Route 53

Massachusetts Route 53

-History:Route 53 follows the former routing of the Kingston to Quincy section of Route 3 which was moved onto the Southeast Expressway and Pilgrim's Highway expressway when they were fully completed in 1963...

.

Highway Improvements

A major fault of Route 18 north of Bridgewater is its intersection patterns. At all lights north of Bridgewater center, the road widens to four lanes temporarily, before and after the intersection. While this helps alleviate backups at the lights and assists vehicles turning left off of the route, it creates bottlenecks after the intersection, where the two lanes re-merge into one. To help this, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation's Highway Division will be widening the section of Route 18 From Highland Place in Weymouth to Route 139 In Abington from 2 to 4 lanes. The $26 million project is expected to begin in 2013.

Exit list

The exits on the Route 18 freeway are unnumbered.

Town	Mile	Destination(s)	Notes
The portion of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Highway begins at . JFK Memorial Highway south of is an unnumbered highway.
New Bedford New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...	0.00	US 6 U.S. Route 6 in Massachusetts Route 6 is the portion of the cross-country U.S. Route 6 in the state of Massachusetts. Route 6 runs in the state connecting Providence, Rhode Island to Fall River, New Bedford, and Cape Cod. In the Fall River and New Bedford areas, Route 6 is a secondary highway paralleling Interstate 195...	Southern terminus of Route 18.
	0.3	Hillman Street	Northbound entrance only; no exit.
	0.5	Purchase Street	Southbound exit only; no entrance.
	1.1	I-195 Interstate 195 (Rhode Island-Massachusetts) Interstate 195 is an Interstate Highway running a combined 40.1 miles in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It travels from a junction with Interstate 95 in Providence, Rhode Island east to a junction with Interstate 495 and Route 25 in Wareham, Massachusetts...	Interstate 195, Exit 15. No access to Route 18 north from I-195. No access to I-195 from Route 18 south.
	Freeway ends at ; continues as a surface road

Junction list

This is a listing of Route 18's intersections with numbered highways which are not located on a freeway section.

County	Location	Milepost	Roads Intersected	Notes
Bristol Bristol County, Massachusetts -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 534,678 people, 205,411 households, and 140,706 families residing in the county. The population density was 962 people per square mile . There were 216,918 housing units at an average density of 390 per square mile...	New Bedford New Bedford, Massachusetts New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...	4.6	Route 140	Route 140, exit 6. Southbound exit and northbound entrance via unnumbered connector road.
Plymouth Plymouth County, Massachusetts Plymouth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. As of 2010, the population was 494,919. Its county seats are Plymouth and Brockton...	Lakeville Lakeville, Massachusetts Lakeville is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 9,821 at the 2000 census.For geographic and demographic information on the village of North Lakeville, please see the article North Lakeville, Massachusetts.-History:...	13.4	Route 105 Massachusetts Route 105 -Route description:Route 105 begins at U.S. Route 6 in Marion. The highway crosses over I-195 less than a mile into its journey. The highway winds in a westerly direction through Rochester. When the highway enters Long Plain village in Acushnet, the only town in Bristol County on the route, Route...	Southern terminus of Route 18/105 concurrency.
		16.1	Route 105 Massachusetts Route 105 -Route description:Route 105 begins at U.S. Route 6 in Marion. The highway crosses over I-195 less than a mile into its journey. The highway winds in a westerly direction through Rochester. When the highway enters Long Plain village in Acushnet, the only town in Bristol County on the route, Route...	Northern terminus of Route 18/105 concurrency.
		18.0	Route 79
	Middleborough Middleborough, Massachusetts Middleborough is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 21,117 as of 2008.For geographic and demographic information on the village of Middleborough Center, please see the article Middleborough Center, Massachusetts....	19.6	I-495 Interstate 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 ...	Interstate 495, Exit 5.
		20.0	US 44 U.S. Route 44 U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York... Route 28	Rotary. Southern terminus of Route 18/28 concurrency.
	Bridgewater Bridgewater, Massachusetts For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Bridgewater, please see the article Bridgewater , Massachusetts.The Town of Bridgewater is a city in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States, 28 miles south of Boston. At the 2000 Census, the population was 25,185...	26.1	Route 104	Signed as a rotary. Southern terminus of Route 18/28/104 concurrency.
		26.2	Route 28 Route 104	Signed as a rotary. Northern terminus of Route 18/28/104 concurrency.
	East Bridgewater East Bridgewater, Massachusetts East Bridgewater is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,974 at the 2000 census.-History:The lands that would become East Bridgewater were first settled by Carlos Mencia in 1630 A.D. as an outgrowth of the Plymouth and Duxbury plantations...	28.0	Route 106 Massachusetts Route 106 -Route description:Route 106 begins in Plainville at Route 1A. The route heads east, intersecting U.S. Route 1 and Route 152 in quick succession, with Turnpike Lake between the three routes. As Route 106 passes south of Lake Mirimichi it enters the town of Foxborough...	Southern terminus of Route 18/106 concurrency.
		28.2	Route 106 Massachusetts Route 106 -Route description:Route 106 begins in Plainville at Route 1A. The route heads east, intersecting U.S. Route 1 and Route 152 in quick succession, with Turnpike Lake between the three routes. As Route 106 passes south of Lake Mirimichi it enters the town of Foxborough...	Northern terminus of Route 18/106 concurrency.
	Whitman Whitman, Massachusetts Whitman is a town in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,489 as of the 2010 census. It is notable as being the place where the chocolate chip cookie was invented....	32.0	Route 14	Site of the Toll House Inn Toll House Inn Toll House Inn of Whitman, Massachusetts, was established in 1930 by Kenneth and Ruth Graves Wakefield. Toll House chocolate chip cookies are named after the inn.-History:... , birthplace of the chocolate chip cookie Chocolate chip cookie A chocolate chip cookie is a drop cookie that originated in the United States and features chocolate chips as its distinguishing ingredient. The traditional recipe combines a dough composed of butter and both brown and white sugar with semi-sweet chocolate chips... , just northwest of intersection
		32.7	Route 27
	Abington Abington, Massachusetts As of the census of 2000, there were 14,605 people, 5,263 households, and 3,747 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,469.1 people per square mile . There were 5,348 housing units at an average density of 538.0 per square mile...	34.5	Route 123 Massachusetts Route 123 Route 123 is a west–east state highway in southeastern Massachusetts. It crosses northern Bristol and Plymouth Counties, crossing several highways along the way.-Route description:...
		36.1	Route 139 Massachusetts Route 139 Route 139 is nominally a west–east state highway in southeastern Massachusetts.-Route description:Route 139 begins in Stoughton Square at the southern junction of the Route 27 and 138 concurrency. The highway heads northeast until the junction with Route 24, at which point the highway heads...
Norfolk Norfolk County, Massachusetts -National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...	Weymouth Weymouth, Massachusetts The Town of Weymouth is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, Weymouth had a total population of 53,743. Despite its city status, it is formally known as the Town of Weymouth...	37.7	Route 58 Massachusetts Route 58 Route 58 is a south–north highway in southeastern Massachusetts. For all but its final , the route lies within Plymouth County.-Route description:...	Northern terminus of Route 58.
		40.5	Route 3	Route 3, Exit 16.
		41.59	Route 53 Massachusetts Route 53 -History:Route 53 follows the former routing of the Kingston to Quincy section of Route 3 which was moved onto the Southeast Expressway and Pilgrim's Highway expressway when they were fully completed in 1963...	Northern terminus of Route 18.