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Route 38 (Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
Route 38 is a state highway in Massachusetts
, United States
, running 27 miles (44 km.) from Sullivan Square in Boston north via Lowell
to the state line in Dracut
, where it continues as New Hampshire Route 38
in Pelham, New Hampshire
. Its south end is at Route 99
, though most signage indicates that it ends at Route 28, its former end in Somerville
.
The majority of Route 38 was originally designated as Route 6B, an alternate to New England Interstate Route 6. It began at Route 6 somewhere in Cambridge and made its way to present Route 38 in Somerville
, running north on much the same alignment as is followed now, with the only real differences in Medford
(where it used High Street (Route 60) rather than the Mystic Valley Parkway
) and in Winchester
center (where it ran via the rotary). In Lowell, Route 6B turned west on current Route 110, ending at the corner of Appleton Street and Gorham Street. (Route 6 came from the south on Gorham and turned west on Appleton; Route 6B came from the east on Appleton.)
In 1927, Route 6 became U.S. Route 3
north of Boston
, and Route 6B became Route 3B. By 1928 the alignment in Cambridge
was finalized. It began at the north end of the Boston University Bridge
, which carried US 3 across the Charles River
, and ran east on present Memorial Drive
and Land Boulevard before turning north on the Northern Artery (present Route 28) to reach present Route 38 at Mystic Avenue. The whole alignment south of Mystic Avenue was shared with U.S. Route 1
and Route 28.
Between 1929 and 1933, Route 3B was renumbered Route 38. Between 1945 and 1950, it was extended north from Lowell to cross the Merrimack River
on Gorham Street, then its present alignment to the newly-formed New Hampshire Route 38
. The present alignment in Lowell was adopted in or after 1954, when the new bridge across the Merrimack River was built.
By 1937, the concurrency
with Route 60 in Medford was removed, and Route 38 was moved to use South Street between Main Street and Winthrop Street. Later it was shifted north to the Mystic Valley Parkway
(Route 16) due to South Street becoming one-way eastbound.
In the early 1970s, many routes in the Boston area were renumbered or realigned. Route 38 was simply cut back to its split with Route 28, as it was concurrent with other routes the rest of the way to its southern end, and it was no longer tied to U.S. Route 3
. At some point in the 1990s, signs were installed taking Route 38 southeast from Route 28 to a new terminus at Route 99
at Sullivan Square.
By 1989, Route 38 was moved to a short bypass around the rotary in Winchester center. Prior to that, it was coextant with Main Street all the way from the Medford-Winchester line to the Tewksbury-Lowell line.
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, running 27 miles (44 km.) from Sullivan Square in Boston north via 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...
to the state line in Dracut
Dracut, Massachusetts
Dracut is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 29,457. Dracut is primarily a suburban community, belonging to Greater Lowell and bordering southern New Hampshire...
, where it continues as New Hampshire Route 38
New Hampshire Route 38
New Hampshire Route 38 is an long north–south state highway in extreme southeastern New Hampshire. It is the main road connecting Pelham with Salem.The northern terminus of NH 38 is in Salem at New Hampshire Route 28...
in Pelham, New Hampshire
Pelham, New Hampshire
The earliest census data shows the town of Pelham having a population of 543 residents in 1767.As of the census of 2000, there were 10,914 people, 3,606 households, and 2,982 families residing in the town. The population density was 412.9 people per square mile . There were 3,740 housing units at...
. Its south end is at Route 99
Massachusetts Route 99
-Route description:Route 99 begins at the intersection of New Rutherford Avenue and Chelsea Street, over the northbound tunnel of U.S. Route 1 created during the Big Dig. It continues along New Rutherford Avenue, passing onramps to Route 1 and Bunker Hill Community College before entering Sullivan...
, though most signage indicates that it ends at Route 28, its former end in Somerville
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
.
History
Somerville, Massachusetts
Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in...
, running north on much the same alignment as is followed now, with the only real differences in Medford
Medford, Massachusetts
Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173...
(where it used High Street (Route 60) rather than the Mystic Valley Parkway
Mystic Valley Parkway
Mystic Valley Parkway is a short parkway in Arlington, Medford, Somerville, and Winchester, Massachusetts. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and forms part of Route 16....
) and in Winchester
Winchester, Massachusetts
Winchester is a town located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, eight miles north of Boston. With its agricultural roots having mostly disappeared, it is now an affluent suburb...
center (where it ran via the rotary). In Lowell, Route 6B turned west on current Route 110, ending at the corner of Appleton Street and Gorham Street. (Route 6 came from the south on Gorham and turned west on Appleton; Route 6B came from the east on Appleton.)
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...
north of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and Route 6B became Route 3B. By 1928 the alignment in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
was finalized. It began at the north end of the Boston University Bridge
Boston University Bridge
The Boston University Bridge , and commonly referred to as the BU Bridge, is a steel truss bridge with a suspended deck carrying Route 2 over the Charles River, connecting Boston to Cambridge, Massachusetts. According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials route...
, which carried US 3 across the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
, and ran east on present Memorial Drive
Memorial Drive (Cambridge)
Memorial Drive runs along the north bank of the Charles River in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is designated as U.S. Route 3 or Massachusetts Route 3 for its entire length, and Massachusetts Route 2 over the portion west of the Boston University Bridge....
and Land Boulevard before turning north on the Northern Artery (present Route 28) to reach present Route 38 at Mystic Avenue. The whole alignment south of Mystic Avenue was shared with 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...
and Route 28.
Between 1929 and 1933, Route 3B was renumbered Route 38. Between 1945 and 1950, it was extended north from Lowell to cross 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...
on Gorham Street, then its present alignment to the newly-formed New Hampshire Route 38
New Hampshire Route 38
New Hampshire Route 38 is an long north–south state highway in extreme southeastern New Hampshire. It is the main road connecting Pelham with Salem.The northern terminus of NH 38 is in Salem at New Hampshire Route 28...
. The present alignment in Lowell was adopted in or after 1954, when the new bridge across the Merrimack River was built.
By 1937, the 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 60 in Medford was removed, and Route 38 was moved to use South Street between Main Street and Winthrop Street. Later it was shifted north to the Mystic Valley Parkway
Mystic Valley Parkway
Mystic Valley Parkway is a short parkway in Arlington, Medford, Somerville, and Winchester, Massachusetts. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and forms part of Route 16....
(Route 16) due to South Street becoming one-way eastbound.
In the early 1970s, many routes in the Boston area were renumbered or realigned. Route 38 was simply cut back to its split with Route 28, as it was concurrent with other routes the rest of the way to its southern end, and it was no longer tied to U.S. Route 3
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...
. At some point in the 1990s, signs were installed taking Route 38 southeast from Route 28 to a new terminus at Route 99
Massachusetts Route 99
-Route description:Route 99 begins at the intersection of New Rutherford Avenue and Chelsea Street, over the northbound tunnel of U.S. Route 1 created during the Big Dig. It continues along New Rutherford Avenue, passing onramps to Route 1 and Bunker Hill Community College before entering Sullivan...
at Sullivan Square.
By 1989, Route 38 was moved to a short bypass around the rotary in Winchester center. Prior to that, it was coextant with Main Street all the way from the Medford-Winchester line to the Tewksbury-Lowell line.
Junction List
| County | Location | Mile | Roads intersected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suffolk Suffolk County, Massachusetts Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site... |
Boston Boston Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had... |
0.0 |  Route 99Massachusetts Route 99 -Route description:Route 99 begins at the intersection of New Rutherford Avenue and Chelsea Street, over the northbound tunnel of U.S. Route 1 created during the Big Dig. It continues along New Rutherford Avenue, passing onramps to Route 1 and Bunker Hill Community College before entering Sullivan... |
Southern end of Route 38 at Sullivan Square, Charlestown |
| 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... |
Somerville Somerville, Massachusetts Somerville is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, located just north of Boston. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 75,754 and was the most densely populated municipality in New England. It is also the 17th most densely populated incorporated place in... |
0.6 |  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... |
Exit 29 |
| 0.9 |  Route 28 |
Junction of McGrath Highway & Fellsway West | ||
| 1.6 | I-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... |
Exit 30 southbound | ||
| Medford Medford, Massachusetts Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173... |
2.1 | To  Route 16Massachusetts Route 16 Route 16 is an 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... |
Access from Route 38 to the Mystic Valley Parkway Mystic Valley Parkway Mystic Valley Parkway is a short parkway in Arlington, Medford, Somerville, and Winchester, Massachusetts. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and forms part of Route 16.... |
|
| 3.0 | Route 16 Massachusetts Route 16 Route 16 is an 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... |
Begin concurrency with Route 16 along the Mystic Valley Parkway | ||
| 3.4 | Route 16 Massachusetts Route 16 Route 16 is an 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... |
End concurrency with Route 16/Mystic Valley Parkway | ||
| 3.6 |  Route 60 |
Rotary junction | ||
| Woburn Woburn, Massachusetts Woburn is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. The population was 38,120 at the 2010 census. Woburn is located north of Boston, Massachusetts, and just south of the intersection of I-93 and I-95.- History :... |
9.7 |   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 |
Exit 35, rotary interchange under interstate | |
| 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... |
13.0 |  Route 129 East |
Begin concurrency with Route 129 | |
| 13.4 |  Route 62 |
|||
| 14.3 | Route 129 West |
End concurrency with Route 129 | ||
| Tewksbury Tewksbury, Massachusetts Tewksbury is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 28,961 at the 2010 census.- History :Tewksbury was first settled in 1637 and was officially incorporated in 1734 from Billerica. Like Tewksbury Township, New Jersey, it is named after the town of Tewkesbury,... |
21.3 |  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 ... |
Exit 38 | |
| 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... |
23.1 |  Route 133Massachusetts Route 133 Route 133 is an east–west Massachusetts state route that runs from Lowell to Gloucester.-Route description:Route 133 begins at the junction of Route 38 and Route 110 in Lowell, where Route 110 begins a concurrency with Route 38 northbound. Route 133 heads east from this point, heading... East  Route 110 West |
Western end of Route 133. Begin concurrency with Route 110. |
|
| 23.4 | Hunts Falls Bridge | Routes 38 & 110 cross 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... |
||
| 23.6 | Route 110 East |
End concurrency with Route 110 at rotary above VFW Parkway. Route 38 joins VFW Parkway west. |
||
| 23.8 | VFW Parkway | Route 38 leaves VFW Parkway at end of John E. Cox Bridge | ||
| Dracut Dracut, Massachusetts Dracut is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 29,457. Dracut is primarily a suburban community, belonging to Greater Lowell and bordering southern New Hampshire... |
25.2 |  Route 113 |
||
| 27.3 |  NH Route 38New Hampshire Route 38 New Hampshire Route 38 is an long north–south state highway in extreme southeastern New Hampshire. It is the main road connecting Pelham with Salem.The northern terminus of NH 38 is in Salem at New Hampshire Route 28... |
Northern end of Massachusetts Route 38. Southern end of NH Route 38. |