Massachusetts Turnpike

Massachusetts Turnpike
source
State	MA
Route	90
Length mi	138.1
Established	1957
Direction a	West
Terminus a	I-90 at the New York state line
Direction b	East
Terminus b	Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston
Previous route	84
Next route	91

Massachusetts Turnpike. A major east–west controlled-access highway and the longest toll road entirely within the state, officially designated as Interstate 90 (I-90). It extends 138 miles from the New York border at West Stockbridge to its terminus at the Ted Williams Tunnel in Boston, forming a critical transportation artery for New England. The highway connects major cities including Springfield, Worcester, and the state capital, while also linking to other key routes like the Connecticut Turnpike and the Central Artery.

Route description

Beginning at the New York state line, the highway traverses the scenic Berkshire Hills region before descending into the broader Connecticut River valley. It passes just north of downtown Springfield, intersecting with Interstate 91, and continues east across the central part of the state. The route skirts the northern edge of Worcester, the state's second-largest city, and proceeds through increasingly suburban landscapes. Its final segment is a complex elevated roadway through Boston, merging with the Central Artery and culminating at the Ted Williams Tunnel under Boston Harbor. Key engineering features include the Thomas P. O'Neill Jr. Tunnel and numerous large bridges over rivers like the Westfield River.

History

Planning for the highway began in the early 1950s under the administration of Governor Christian Herter, with the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority established by the Massachusetts General Court in 1952. The first section, from the New York border to Route 128 in Weston, opened in stages between 1957 and 1959, spearheaded by authority chairman William F. Callahan. The extension into downtown Boston, a controversial and costly project, was completed in 1965, directly linking the turnpike to Logan International Airport. A major modernization project in the 1990s, coinciding with the Big Dig, integrated the highway with the new Ted Williams Tunnel and replaced its original toll plazas with an electronic E-ZPass system.

Tolls and funding

Originally funded through revenue bonds, the highway operated as a full-length toll road with barrier plazas at Auburn and West Stockbridge. Following political debates and the financial pressures of the Big Dig, the toll system was dramatically reconfigured in the 1990s. The western tolls were removed in 1996, leaving only the tolls east of Interstate 95/Route 128. Today, tolls are collected via all-electronic gantries at the Ted Williams Tunnel, the Sumner Tunnel, and the Boston extension, with revenue managed by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation following the dissolution of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority in 2009.

Major interchanges

The highway features numerous critical junctions with other interstate and state routes. Key interchanges from west to east include the western terminus with Interstate 90 in New York; Interstate 91 in West Springfield, providing access to Hartford and Vermont; Interstate 84 in Sturbridge, a major route to Connecticut and New York City; Interstate 290 in Auburn, serving Worcester; Interstate 495 in Hopkinton, the outer beltway around Boston; and its eastern terminus with Interstate 93 in Boston. The complex interchange with Interstate 95/Route 128 is a major commuter nexus.

Service plazas

Operated under a long-term concession by Applegreen, the highway's service plazas provide fuel, food, and amenities. Key plazas include the Lee service plaza in the Berkshires, the Charlton service plaza (one of the largest on the East Coast), and the Framingham service plaza. A major redevelopment project completed in 2018 modernized these facilities, adding brands like Starbucks, Shake Shack, and Dunkin'. The plazas also feature EV charging stations and tourist information centers operated by the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.

Future and proposed projects

Current focus includes managing increased traffic volumes and integrating with regional rail initiatives like the proposed West Station in Allston. The major Allston Multimodal Project aims to straighten a curved viaduct section, free up land for development by Harvard University, and improve connections to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Framingham/Worcester Line. Other long-term discussions involve potential extensions of public transit, such as the Indigo Line, and continued maintenance of the aging structures within the City of Boston, coordinated by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Category:Interstate 90 Category:Transportation in Massachusetts Category:Toll roads in the United States