Route 1A (Massachusetts)

Route 1A (Massachusetts) is a state highway in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. It serves as an alternate route, running roughly parallel to the primary U.S. Route 1 corridor through numerous coastal and suburban communities from the Rhode Island border to the North Shore. The route provides vital local access and passes through historic downtowns, commercial districts, and scenic coastal areas, including sections of the famed Boston Post Road.

Route description

Beginning at an interchange with Route 1 in Attleboro, Route 1A heads north through the downtowns of North Attleborough and Plainville. It continues into Norfolk County, serving Wrentham and Foxborough, where it passes near Gillette Stadium, home of the New England Patriots. The route then traverses Walpole and Sharon before entering the dense urban environment of Boston. Through the city, it follows several major thoroughfares, including Blue Hill Avenue and Columbia Road, skirting Franklin Park and passing through neighborhoods like Dorchester and South Boston. North of downtown Boston, it follows the North Washington Street bridge across the Charles River into Charlestown, then proceeds through the Sumner Tunnel to East Boston. From there, it travels along Bennington Street and Revere Beach Parkway, serving the coastal cities of Revere, Winthrop, and Lynn. The northern segment passes through Swampscott and Marblehead before terminating at another junction with Route 1 in Lynnfield.

History

The alignment of Route 1A largely follows the path of the historic Boston Post Road, a major colonial mail route established in the 17th century. Much of the road was originally designated as part of U.S. Route 1 before that highway was relocated to wider, limited-access bypasses like the Southwest Corridor and the current Route 1 freeway. The state re-designated the older surface road as Route 1A in stages throughout the mid-20th century. Significant infrastructure projects along its path include the construction of the Sumner Tunnel in 1934, which connected Boston to East Boston, and the development of the Revere Beach Parkway. The route has been the scene of notable events, including early segments of the Boston Marathon and parades in cities like Lynn. Its path through Dorchester and South Boston has been central to the cultural and political history of those neighborhoods.

Major intersections

From south to north, Route 1A intersects numerous significant highways and roads. In Attleboro, it begins at Route 1. It crosses Interstate 95 in Wrentham and meets the western terminus of Interstate 495 in Foxborough. In Boston, it has junctions with Interstate 93, the Massachusetts Turnpike (Interstate 90), and Route 28. It intersects Route 60 in Revere and meets the northern terminus of Route 1A from New Hampshire at the state line in Salisbury. Other key intersections include Route 27 in Walpole, Route 109 in Westwood, and Route 129 in Lynn. The route terminates at Route 1 in Lynnfield.

See also

* U.S. Route 1 * Boston Post Road * List of state highways in Massachusetts * Massachusetts Route 1A (North Shore)

Category:State highways in Massachusetts