Massachusetts Route 117

Massachusetts Route 117 is a 19.00-mile (30.58 km) east–west state highway in central Massachusetts. It connects the towns of Lancaster and Waltham, serving as a significant local corridor through several communities in Worcester County and Middlesex County. The route provides a vital link between the Route 2 corridor and the Interstate 95/Route 128 belt around Boston.

Route description

Beginning at a signalized intersection with Route 2 in Lancaster, Route 117 heads east as Main Street, passing near the campus of Atlantic Union College. It continues into Bolton, where it runs concurrently with Route 85 for a short distance near the Bolton Flats Wildlife Management Area. The road then enters Stow, serving the town center and passing near the Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge. In Maynard, Route 117 follows Main Street through the historic downtown, which was once home to the Digital Equipment Corporation. It then crosses the Assabet River and enters Sudbury, where it is known as the Boston Post Road and passes near the Wayside Inn. The route continues through Lincoln, skirting the Drumlin Farm wildlife sanctuary and the DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. It finally enters Waltham, where it traverses residential and commercial areas before terminating at a major junction with Route 20 near the Charles River.

History

The path of modern Route 117 largely follows historic colonial roads, including a section of the Boston Post Road, a major mail delivery route established in the 17th century. The route was designated as part of the New England road marking system in the 1920s, initially running from Lancaster to Waltham. Its alignment has remained largely consistent, though bypasses and realignments have occurred in towns like Maynard and Sudbury to improve traffic flow. In the mid-20th century, the construction of Interstate 95 and Route 128 near its eastern terminus increased its role as a feeder road. The route has been the site of several preservation efforts, particularly in Lincoln and Sudbury, due to its passage through areas of historical and environmental significance.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Massachusetts. {| class="wikitable" !County !Location !mi !km !Destinations !Notes |- |rowspan="7" |Worcester |Lancaster |0.00 |0.00 |Route 2 – Leominster, Concord |Western terminus |- |Bolton |3.4 |5.5 |Route 85 south – Hudson |Western end of concurrency with Route 85 |- |style="border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa;" |3.6 |style="border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa;" |5.8 |style="border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa;" |Route 85 north – Harvard |style="border-bottom: 1px solid #aaa;" |Eastern end of concurrency with Route 85 |- |rowspan="2" |Middlesex |Maynard |9.2 |14.8 |Route 62 – Acton, Marlborough |- |Sudbury |12.3 |19.8 |Route 27 – Marlborough, Framingham |- |Lincoln |15.2 |24.5 |Route 126 – Concord, Framingham |- |Waltham |19.00 |30.58 |Route 20 (Main Street) – Waltham, Watertown |Eastern terminus |}

See also

* Massachusetts Department of Transportation * List of state highways in Massachusetts * Boston Post Road

References

Category:State highways in Massachusetts