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
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

References:
- Outer Circumferential Highway (I-495). BostonRoads.com.
Photo Credits:
- AARoads: 07/28/07
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Page Updated Sunday April 16, 2023.