U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts

This article is about the section of U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts. For the entire route, see U.S. Route 20.

U.S. Route 20 (US 20) runs its easternmost 153 miles (246 km) in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The highway crosses the state border from New Lebanon, New York, into Hancock and runs eastward to Boston, where it ends at Route 2 in Kenmore Square. It spends the vast majority of its journey paralleling I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike), which has largely superseded US 20 for through travel. Still, US 20 directly serves many towns and local business areas which the turnpike bypasses.^[2]

U.S. Route 20
US 20 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MassDOT
Length	153.44 mi^[1] (246.94 km)
Existed	1926^[citation needed]–present
Major junctions
West end	US 20 at the New York state line in Hancock
Major intersections	US 7 in Pittsfield / Lenox I-90 / Mass Pike in Lee US 202 / Route 10 in Westfield US 5 in West Springfield I-91 / I-291 in Springfield I-84 / I-90 / Mass Pike in Sturbridge I-290 / I-395 in Auburn Route 146 in Millbury I-495 in Marlborough I-95 / Route 128 in Waltham
East end	Route 2 in Boston
Location
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
Counties	Berkshire, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester, Middlesex, Suffolk
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Massachusetts State Highway System Interstate US State
← Route 19 → Route 21
← Route 4 N.E. → Route 6

Southbound entering Lee

US 20 is currently the longest numbered highway in the entire country, at an estimated length of 3,365 miles (5,415 km) between Boston and Newport, Oregon.^[1]

Parts of US 20 between the Worcester and Boston areas are part of an alignment of the Boston Post Road, an early colonial highway designated in 1673 for carrying mail between New York City and Boston.^[3] US 20 is still locally known as the "Boston Post Road" in the towns of Northborough, Marlborough, Sudbury, Wayland, and Weston.^[4]

Route description

Berkshire, Hampshire, and Hampden counties

US 20 begins its eastward trek crossing the New York state border into Hancock and passing through the southern edge of the Pittsfield State Forest before entering Pittsfield and serving as the northern terminus of Route 41. The highway enters downtown and meets US 7, near the western terminus of Route 9. After its intersection with US 7, US 20 heads south, and the two routes form a concurrency into the town of Lenox. In Lenox, Route 7A splits off from the main road to serve the center of town, and US 20 splits from US 7 shortly thereafter to travel through the town of Lee to the southeast. The highway passes through Lee and has an interchange with I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) at exit 10 (formerly exit 2), south of town, near the eastern terminus of Route 102. Becoming the Jacob's Ladder Scenic Byway for the next 30 miles (48 km), US 20 returns to its eastward direction at this point and closely parallels the Mass Pike, having three non-interchange junctions with it before entering the town of Becket and meeting Route 8. Route 8 northbound forms a concurrency with US 20 to directly serve the town, while the Mass Pike passes south of Becket. Upon crossing through the town center, Route 8 splits from US 20, and it continues eastbound, passing into Hampden County and the town of Chester.

US 20 passes through the small town of Chester and clips the southern portion of Huntington in Hampshire County before reentering Hampden County and passing through the town of Russell. In Russell, US 20 serves as the eastern terminus of Route 23, passes under the Mass Pike, and continues into Westfield to finish off the scenic byway. In Westfield, US 20 crosses the US 202/Route 10 concurrency in the city's center and serves as the northern terminus of Route 187 just to the east. US 20 begins to enter urban landscape as it crosses into West Springfield, making its way through downtown, intersecting US 5, and crossing the Connecticut River into the city of Springfield. Immediately upon entering the city, US 20 interchanges with Interstate 91 (I-91) at exit 6 (formerly exit 8), where it leaves the surface street (which is picked up by Route 20A^[a]), to join I-291, which begins just to the south. US 20 is concurrent with most of I-291, about five miles (8.0 km). It splits off from the interstate via exit 5,^[2] where it meets the eastern end of Route 20A and resumes its surface alignment on Page Boulevard in Springfield, rejoining its original alignment in Springfield on Boston Road. US 20, as Boston Road, serves as the southern terminus of Route 21 and proceeds east into the town of Wilbraham, where it continues to parallel the Mass Pike. In Palmer, US 20 serves as the southern terminus of Route 181 and then intersects Route 32, which provides close access to the Mass Pike at exit 63 (formerly exit 8). US 20 and Route 32 share a short concurrency in downtown Palmer, before US 20 splits and continues east. Before leaving Palmer, Route 67 meets its southern terminus at US 20. Brimfield is the last town US 20 passes through in Hampden County; it enters from the west, crosses Route 19 in the center of town, and proceeds out of town to the east.

Worcester and Middlesex counties

US 20 crosses into Worcester County and the town of Sturbridge, immediately serving as the southern terminus of Route 148. The route continues east where it serves as the western terminus of Route 131 before having an interchange with I-84 at exit 6 (formerly exit 3). I-84 is another quick route north to the Mass Pike, as it ends there less than a mile (1.6 km) away. Route 49, a short connector to Route 9 in Spencer, has its southern terminus at US 20 east of the I-84 interchange. US 20 enters the town of Charlton, passing through the village of Charlton City where it serves as the northern terminus of Route 169 and intersects with Route 31. Continuing east, US 20 enters the town of Auburn, where it briefly has a concurrency with Route 12. Route 12 provides direct access to the Mass Pike at exit 90 (formerly exit 10), while US 20 has an interchange with I-395, which ends at I-290 north of the Mass Pike interchange. US 20 continues to the northeast, entering Millbury after briefly crossing into southern Worcester, where it has an interchange with the Mass Pike at exit 94 (formerly exit 10A), as well as with Route 146 which at this point has a concurrency with Route 122A. The route reenters Worcester, crossing over Route 122 in a non-highway interchange. Leaving Worcester, US 20 enters the city of Shrewsbury, having another non-highway interchange with Route 140 south of downtown. The highway continues to the northeast, once again having a non-highway interchanging with Route 9. Heading almost due north at this point, US 20 crosses into Northborough and turns back eastward, serving as the western terminus of Route 135 in the town center. Two local roads, Church and Hudson streets, provide access to nearby I-290, which runs to the north. US 20 proceeds out of Northborough to the northeast, crossing into Marlborough and Middlesex County.

US 20 enters Marlborough and interchanges with I-495 (also referred to as the Outer Circumferential Highway and the Blue Star Memorial Highway) at exit 63 (formerly exit 24), effectively crossing into Boston's western suburbs. The route directly serves the center of town, intersecting with Route 85 in the process. It is in eastern Marlborough where US 20 begins to be famously referred to as Boston Post Road, and the road continues eastward into the town of Sudbury. Leaving Sudbury, US 20 intersects the Route 27/Route 126 concurrency in Wayland, and continues into Weston. US 20 does not intersect any major roads or numbered highways in Weston but does follow an approximately mile-long (1.6 km) bypass of the Boston Post Road (appropriately named Boston Post Road Bypass) between Highland and Wellesley streets, where US 20 rejoins the road and continues east into Waltham. The entire length of US 20 in Weston is designated as the Boston Post Road Historic District, since it retains much of its rural 18th-century character. Immediately upon crossing into Waltham, US 20 has an interchange with the concurrent I-95/Route 128 at exit 41 (formerly exit 26), marking the change from suburban landscape to the urban landscape of metro Boston. US 20 serves as the eastern terminus of Route 117 and passes through the center of Waltham and its downtown, serving as Main Street east of Route 117. In Waltham, US 20 also serves as the western terminus of Route 60, an urban route serving Boston's northern suburbs. The route continues into the city of Watertown serving as its Main Street to Watertown Square, where it has a major junction with Route 16, which passes west and north of Boston, through Cambridge and Medford. US 20 becomes North Beacon Street at this point and continues southeast as it crosses into the city of Boston over the North Beacon Street Bridge.

Suffolk County

 

US 20 eastbound approaching Kenmore Square, Boston

 

The former eastern terminus sign of US 20 in Boston before being replaced

US 20 briefly continues as Leo F. Birmingham Parkway upon crossing into the Boston neighborhood of Brighton, immediately intersecting the western end of Soldiers Field Road Extension. The route then turns right and continues as North Beacon Street again, crossing under the Mass Pike with no interchange. US 20 continues toward downtown, passing through the Allston neighborhood of Boston. Upon crossing Cambridge Street, US 20 becomes known as Brighton Avenue for a short distance. US 20 soon reaches Commonwealth Avenue, serving as the eastern terminus for Route 30. At this point, US 20 passes through the Boston University campus.^[5] US 20 meets Route 2 at the southern end of the Boston University Bridge, crossing over the Mass Pike for the final time without an interchange. Route 2, via Mountfort Street, Park Drive, and Beacon Street, turns from south to east to meet US 20 at Kenmore Square. Upon meeting Route 2 again, US 20 meets its eastern terminus, with Route 2 taking Commonwealth Avenue its final stretch to the Boston Public Garden and Route 28, where Route 2 meets its own end.^[6]

US 20's official eastern terminus is in Kenmore Square at the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue, Beacon Street, and Brookline Avenue.

History

Major intersections

County	Location^[7]	mi^[7]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Berkshire	Hancock	0.000	0.000		US 20 west – New Lebanon	Continuation into New York
	Pittsfield	3.336	5.369		Route 41 south to I-90 / Mass Pike / Route 102 – Richmond, West Stockbridge	Northern terminus of Route 41
		7.431	11.959		Route 9 east (Center Street) – Dalton	Western terminus of Route 9
		7.596	12.225		US 7 north to Route 9 – Williamstown	Western end of US 7 concurrency
	Lenox	12.845	20.672		West end of expressway section
					Route 7A south – Historic Lenox	Northern terminus of Route 7A
		14.694	23.648		Route 183 south – Historic Lenox, Tanglewood	Northern terminus of Route 183
		15.001	24.142		US 7 south – Stockbridge, Great Barrington	Eastern end of US 7 concurrency
					East end of expressway section
	Lee	17.405	28.011		Bridge over the Housatonic River
		18.766	30.201		I-90 / Mass Pike – Springfield, Boston, West Stockbridge, Albany, NY	Exit 10 on I-90 / Mass Pike
		18.836	30.314		Route 102 west – Stockbridge, Great Barrington	Eastern terminus of Route 102
	Becket	25.719	41.391		Route 8 south – Otis, Winsted, CT	Western end of Route 8 concurrency
		30.895	49.721		Route 8 north – Becket, Dalton	Eastern end of Route 8 concurrency
Hampshire	Huntington	41.831	67.320		Route 112 north to Route 66 – Huntington	Southern terminus of Route 112
Hampden	Russell	48.016	77.274		Route 23 west – Blandford, Otis	Eastern terminus of Route 23
	Westfield	53.752	86.505		US 202 / Route 10 north – Holyoke	Western end of US 202 / Route 10 concurrency
		54.004	86.911		US 202 / Route 10 south – Southwick, New Haven, CT	Eastern end of US 202 / Route 10 concurrency
		55.770	89.753		Route 187 south – Feeding Hills	Northern terminus of Route 187
	West Springfield	61.577	99.099		US 5 – Agawam, Holyoke, Northampton	Rotary interchange
	Connecticut River	61.697	99.292		Bridge
	Springfield	62.739	100.969		I-91 / Route 20A east – Holyoke, Greenfield, Hartford, CT	Western terminus of Route 20A; exits 6-7B on I-91 northbound, 6-8 on I-91 southbound.
		63.135	101.606	1B	I-291 east – Chicopee	Western end of I-291 concurrency
		63.261	101.809	2A	Chestnut Street – Springfield
		64.012	103.017	3	Armory Street
		65.082	104.739	4	St. James Avenue – Chicopee Falls
		66.559	107.116	5A	I-291 east / Route 20A west to I-90 / Mass Pike – Chicopee, East Springfield, Boston	Eastern terminus of Route 20A; Eastern end of I-291 concurrency
		70.388	113.279		Route 21 north to I-90 / Mass Pike – Ludlow, Chicopee, Indian Orchard	Southern terminus of Route 21; eastern terminus of Route 141
	Palmer	78.782	126.787		Route 181 north – Belchertown	Southern terminus of Route 181
		79.794	128.416		Route 32 north to I-90 / Mass Pike – Ware, Barre	Western end of Route 32 concurrency
		80.775	129.995		Route 32 south – Monson, Stafford Springs, CT	Eastern end of Route 32 concurrency
		82.461	132.708		Route 67 north – Warren, Brookfield	Southern terminus of Route 67
	Brimfield	87.867	141.408		Route 19 – Wales, Stafford, CT, Warren, West Brookfield
Worcester	Sturbridge	92.813	149.368		Route 148 north – Brookfield, North Brookfield	Southern terminus of Route 148
		94.467	152.030		Route 131 east – Sturbridge, Southbridge	Western terminus of Route 131
		94.831	152.616		I-84 west to I-90 / Mass Pike – Hartford, CT, Boston, Springfield	Exits 6A-B on I-84; left exit eastbound to I-90; left exit westbound to I-84 west
		96.795	155.776		Route 49 north to Route 9 – Spencer	Southern terminus of Route 49
	Charlton	99.991	160.920		Route 169 south – Southbridge, Putnam, CT	Northern terminus of Route 169
		100.393	161.567		Route 31 – Dudley, Spencer, Paxton
	Oxford	105.826	170.310		Route 56 – Oxford, Webster, Leicester
	Auburn	106.731	171.767		Route 12 south – Webster	Western end of Route 12 concurrency
		107.413	172.864		Route 12 north to I-90 / Mass Pike – Auburn, Boston, Worcester	Eastern end of Route 12 concurrency
		108.624	174.813		I-395 south / I-290 east – Norwich, CT, Worcester	Exit 11 on I-395
	Millbury	112.510	181.067		Route 146 (Route 122A) / I-90 / Mass Pike – Worcester, Providence, RI, Boston, Springfield	Exit 94 on I-90 / Mass Pike; exit 18 on Route 146
	Worcester	115.252	185.480		Route 122 – Grafton, Providence, RI, Worcester, Barre, Uxbridge	Interchange
	Shrewsbury	117.548	189.175		Route 140 – Grafton, Shrewsbury	Interchange
	Northborough	120.697	194.243		Route 9 – Westboro, Boston, Shrewsbury, Worcester	Interchange
		123.895	199.390		Route 135 east – Westboro, Hopkinton	Western terminus of Route 135
Middlesex	Marlborough	127.683	205.486		I-495 – Cape Cod, Lowell	Exit 63 on I-495
		129.519	208.441		Route 85 – Southboro, Milford, Hudson, Bolton
	Wayland	139.707	224.837		Route 27 / Route 126 (Cochituate Road) – Sudbury, Concord
	Waltham	144.589	232.693		I-95 / Route 128 to I-90 / Mass Pike – Providence, RI, Portsmouth, NH	Rotary interchange; exit 41 on I-95 / Route 128
		145.808	234.655		Route 117 west – Maynard, Leominster	Eastern terminus of Route 117
		147.073	236.691		Route 60 east – Belmont, Arlington	Western terminus of Route 60
	Watertown	149.373	240.393		Route 16 – West Newton, Cambridge
Charles River		150.683	242.501		North Beacon Street Bridge
Suffolk	Boston	152.654	245.673		Route 30 west (Commonwealth Avenue) – Newton, Framingham	Eastern terminus of Route 30
		153.365	246.817		Route 2 west (Essex Street) – Cambridge, Arlington
		154.11	248.02		Route 2 east (Beacon Street) – Downtown Boston	Eastern terminus of US 20
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus        Tolled

Suffixed routes

Route 20A
Location	Springfield
Length	4.14 mi^[8] (6.66 km)

Route 20A is a state highway located entirely within Springfield. The route, an alternate route of US 20, parallels the section of US 20 concurrent with I-291. The western terminus is at the junction of US 20 and I-91 in downtown Springfield east of where US 20 crosses the Connecticut River on the North End Bridge. The eastern terminus is at the junction between US 20 and I-291 northeast of the heart of the city.

This alignment provides an alternate to I-291, which overlaps US 20 for much of its length, but was originally an alternate to old US 20, which ran down State Street and Boston Road. This route was therefore never part of US 20 but has served as an alternate to two separate routes.

Major intersections
The entire route is in Springfield, Hampden County.

mi^[8]	km	Destinations	Notes
0.00	0.00	US 20 west – West Springfield, Westfield	Continuation beyond western terminus
0.05	0.080	I-91 to I-291 east / US 20 east – Greenfield, Hartford, CT	Western terminus; exit 7 on I-91; no westbound access to I-91 south
0.31	0.50	Route 116 north (Main Street)	Southern terminus of Route 116
4.00	6.44	I-291 / US 20 west to I-90 (Mass Pike) / I-91	Eastern terminus; exit 5 on I-291
4.15	6.68	US 20 east – Indian Orchard	Continuation beyond eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Incomplete access

Notes

1. Route 20A is not a former alignment of US 20. Before the construction of I-291, US 20 followed Main Street, State Street, and Boston Road

References

1. Executive Office of Transportation, Office of Transportation Planning - 2007 Road Inventory September 27, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
2. Vincent, Dan (2005). . homepage.mac.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
3. S.H. Holbrook, The Old Post Road: The Story of the Boston Post Road, (McGraw-Hill, 1962)
4. Google (June 8, 2009). "U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 8, 2009.
5. "Boston University maps, retrieved August 5, 2009". Retrieved October 9, 2014.
6. "MapQuest Maps:". Retrieved October 9, 2014.
7. MassDOT Planning Division. "Massachusetts Route Log Application". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
8. Planning Division (2012). "Massachusetts Highway Route Log". Massachusetts Department of Transportation. Retrieved March 8, 2015.

External links

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U.S. Route 20
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