Started the day off with a bang, a huge crash of thunder at around 6:30 am at the onset of a thunderstorm in Quincy, MA. A few hours later storm clouds gave way to brilliant skies, setting the tone for the day. We were due in Vermont this night, but opted to stay with our friend in Quincy another night and explore more of the area roads instead. Beginning on Interstate 93 south, we again headed to its terminus with Interstate 95, viewing work associated with the aforementioned project between the two highways. Surprisingly the tight single lane loop ramp that Interstate 95 northbound utilizes between itself and the Massachusetts 128 circumferential highway is not being addressed. The northbound mainline of one of America’s busiest freeways remains relegated to just one lane here. At the same time, abandoned ramps and bridges associated with unconstructed Interstate 95 northeast through Canton remain and presently are the site of construction staging areas for the current project.
Further south, cloverleaf ramps between Interstates 95 and 495 are being slightly altered to improve their curvature. It is amazing to us as to how many full cloverleaf interchanges remain in service between two Interstates, let alone freeways of any kind. It reminds me of the interchanges I experienced in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area..
Interstate 495, for as long as the highway is, carries six lanes throughout most of its length. It is a testament to the far reaching suburbs of Boston and the increasing weekend beach and mountain-bound traffic to have that much capacity on a freeway so far from the city center. Unfortunately the only modern interchange along the route that comes to mind is the Exit 23C directional to Simarano Drive at Marlborough, officially known as Joseph A. Ferrecchia Connector Road.
Finding a state-named Interstate shield in either Massachusetts or New Hampshire is next to impossible, but thanks to our friend Jake, we were able to locate this 18″ wooden trailblazer for Interstate 495 in Upton.
One stop along the northward drive along Interstate 495 took us into the city of Lowell via the Lowell Connector. Once upon a time this freeway spur received the designation Business Spur Interstate 495 (one junction shield still remains). Nowadays it is simply signed as the “Lowell Connector” or “To Interstate 495 & U.S. 3″. A complex series of loop and directional ramps join both the Lowell Connector and the U.S. 3 freeway with Interstate 495 via Exits 35A-B-C. Spurring north from U.S. 3 just south of Interstate 495, the six-lane freeway even receives its own set of sequential exit numbers.
Nearing the northern end of the Lowell Connector at the partition between Exits 5B (Massachusetts 3A north) and 5C (Central Lowell via Gorham Street). “Road Ends” signs are a bit misleading in our opinion. Having seen them as far south as Rhode Island and as far north as Essex Junction, Vermont, they are somewhat standard in the New England states.
Continuing northeast on Interstate 495, the freeway next meets Interstate 93 near Lawrence. Lawrence, Lowell’s sister city if you will, has its own connector in the form of the Loop Connector. Like the Lowell Connector, the Loop Connector also has its own sets of exit numbers but receives the designation Massachusetts 213. Massachusetts 213 carries four overall lanes as it joins Interstate 495 to the east with Interstate 93 to the west.
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