Interstate 495

Interstate 495 acts as a regional bypass route for I-95 and for points to and from I-90 (Mass Pike) in eastern Massachusetts. Until 1975,¹ I-495 extended as far south from I-95 near the New Hampshire state line to I-95 near Foxboro. An eventual extension lengthened the route southeast along Route 25 to the eastern end of I-195 at Wareham. Route 25 remains as the freeway designation from there southeast to U.S. 6 at Buzzards Bay, with U.S. 6 continuing the route east to Cape Cod.

Interstate 495 Massachusetts Guides

North

Wareham (I-195) to Foxborough (I-95) - 23 photos

Foxborough (I-95) to Hopkinton (I-90) - 62 photos

Westborough (I-90) to Littleton (Route 2) - 52 photos

Littleton (Route 2) to Andover (I-93) - 52 photos

Andover (I-93) to Salisbury (I-95) - 56 photos

South

Littleton (Route 2) to Westborough (I-90) - 26 photos

Foxborough (I-95) to Wareham (I-195) - 76 photos

The first portion of I-495 opened was the section of Route 25 between I-195 and the freeway along Route 24. The 19 mile long stretch was completed in stages between 1959 and 1967. Work on Interstate 495 from Route 24 to I-95 and Foxboro was the last to be built. That 14 mile long segment opened in 1982.¹

The original extent of Interstate 495 ran north from Foxboro, with the 18 mile long portion between Route 9 and Route 2 opened in 1964 and the 26 miles between I-95 and Route 9 finished in 1969. The earliest segment constructed for I-495 was the 2.5 mile stretch between Exits 29 and 31 (Route 119). It was completed in 1961.¹

Southern Massachusetts in 1961. Route 25 opened to traffic between Route 29 and U.S. 44 in 1959. Subsequent work extended the freeway northward to Route 24 in 1963.¹

The Lowell area in 1961.

I-495 was under construction from Route 2 to Route 133 at Andover in 1961. The section east to the Lowell Connector opened in 1962 with the remainder to finished in 1963.¹

Construction on 15 miles of Interstate 495 east from North Andover (Exit 42) to Merrimac (Exit 53) was completed in 1964. Further lengthening of I-495 east from Exit 53 to Interstate 95 was finished in 1967.¹

scenes

Route 58 south at the parclo A2 interchange (Exit 2) with Interstate 495 along the Wareham and Rochester town line.

07/28/07

References:

1. Outer Circumferential Highway (I-495). BostonRoads.com.

Connect with:

Interstate 90 - Massachusetts Turnpike

Interstate 95

Interstate 195

Page Updated Sunday April 16, 2023.