Massachusetts Route 62

Massachusetts Route 62 is a 22.20-mile (35.73 km) east–west state highway in the North Shore and MetroWest regions of Massachusetts. It connects the towns of Acton and Beverly, passing through several historic communities in Middlesex and Essex counties. The route serves as a local connector between several major north-south highways, including Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1.

Route description

Beginning at an intersection with Route 2 and Route 111 in Acton, the road travels east as Main Street through the town center. It crosses into Concord, where it is known as Lowell Road and passes near historic sites like The Old Manse and the North Bridge, part of Minute Man National Historical Park. Continuing east, it enters Carlisle and briefly shares a concurrency with Route 225. After crossing into Middleton in Essex County, the route intersects Interstate 95 and becomes Maple Street. It proceeds through Danvers, running concurrently with Route 35 along Hobart Street and passing near the Rebecca Nurse Homestead. In Beverly, the route follows Cabot Street through the downtown commercial district before terminating at a junction with U.S. Route 1A near the Beverly Harbor.

History

The route was originally designated as part of the New England road marking system in the 1920s, with its current alignment largely following colonial-era roads and turnpikes. In Acton and Concord, the roadway traces paths used during the American Revolutionary War, including the retreat of British forces after the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The segment through Middleton and Danvers was improved in the mid-20th century to accommodate increased traffic from the expansion of Interstate 95. Historically, the eastern terminus in Beverly connected to ferry services across Beverly Harbor to Salem, a route supplanted by the construction of the Beverly-Salem Bridge carrying U.S. Route 1A.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Middlesex and Essex counties. {| class="wikitable" !Location !mi !km !Destinations !Notes |- |Acton |0.00 |0.00 |Route 2 / Route 111 – Boston, Leominster, Maynard |Western terminus |- |Carlisle |4.3 |6.9 |Route 225 north (Lowell Street) – Carlisle center |Western end of concurrency with Route 225 |- | |4.6 |7.4 |Route 225 south (Lowell Street) – Bedford |Eastern end of concurrency with Route 225 |- |Middleton |11.5 |18.5 |I-95 – Portsmouth, Providence |Exit 50 on I-95 |- |Danvers |14.8 |23.8 |Route 35 south (Hobart Street) – Lynn |Western end of concurrency with Route 35 |- | |16.0 |25.7 |Route 35 north (Pine Street) – Topsfield |Eastern end of concurrency with Route 35 |- |Beverly |22.20 |35.73 |US 1A (Cabot Street / Dodge Street) – Salem, Gloucester |Eastern terminus |}

See also

* Massachusetts Route 62A * List of state highways in Massachusetts * Massachusetts Department of Transportation

Category:State highways in Massachusetts