Middlesex Turnpike (Massachusetts) facts for kids
The Middlesex Turnpike was an old road in Massachusetts. It was a special kind of road called a turnpike, where people paid a small fee to use it. This road connected Cambridge to Tyngsborough, Massachusetts, and then continued into New Hampshire. From there, it linked up with other roads to places like Nashua.
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History of the Middlesex Turnpike
The idea for the turnpike started on June 15, 1805. The government in Massachusetts gave permission to build it. There was a big disagreement about where the road should go, but it finally opened about five years later.
Where the Road Went
The Middlesex Turnpike began in East Cambridge, near what is now Technology Square. It crossed another road called the Cambridge and Concord Turnpike. The road then went northwest through areas that are now Hampshire and Beacon Streets.
It passed by a spot called 'Foot of the Rocks' in West Cambridge. This area is now part of Massachusetts Avenue in Arlington. The turnpike continued to Lexington using what are now Westminster and Lowell Streets.
From Lexington, the road went through Burlington, Bedford, and Billerica. A part of the road in Billerica is still called the Middlesex Turnpike today. However, some parts of the old road have been changed or are no longer used. For example, a section in Burlington was moved to avoid a neighborhood.
Parts of the Old Road Today
In Billerica, some parts of the old road are hard to find. A section near the Concord River used to be covered with trees. Now, part of it is a paved driveway for a new building. On the other side of the Concord River, a short section is called "Old Middlesex Turnpike." It serves a few houses, but you can't go all the way to the river.
Other parts of the old road are overgrown or used as dirt driveways. Some sections follow modern roads like River Street and U.S. Route 3. You can even find small pieces of the original road in the Billerica State Forest.
Journey to New Hampshire
From Billerica, the Middlesex Turnpike continued northwest to Chelmsford. Then it followed the Merrimack River to Tyngsborough. A small part of the turnpike, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long, is still called "Turnpike Road" in Chelmsford.
The old road would have gone through the middle of the Drum Hill Rotary. This is where several roads meet today. It then followed what are now Route 4 and Route 3A into North Chelmsford. Finally, it became Daniel Webster Highway in Nashua, New Hampshire. The entire turnpike was about 26 miles (42 km) long. It had four places where people paid tolls.
Why the Turnpike Closed
The Middlesex Turnpike was built to be as straight as possible. This meant it often missed important towns and cities along the way. Because of this, it didn't pass through many busy economic centers.
The turnpike also had a lot of competition. The Middlesex Canal was built nearby, and later, a railroad followed a similar path. Both the canal and the railroad carried goods and people, making it hard for the turnpike to make money.
Around the mid-1800s, the section that crossed the Concord River was even fenced off. This was because the land was too rough to use. The road was never very profitable. In 1841, the government took away its special permission to operate. By 1846, it became a free road for everyone to use. Today, U.S. Route 3, a major highway built in the 1950s, runs mostly parallel to the old Middlesex Turnpike.
Modern Improvement Project
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation is working to improve the Middlesex Turnpike. They are working with the towns of Burlington, Bedford, and Billerica. This project is based on plans made in the 1980s.
Early Work and Phase 1
Some early work included improving the Middlesex Turnpike in Burlington. They also created a new road called Network Drive. The first part of the current project, called "Phase 1," involved making Crosby Drive wider. Phase 1 was finished in 2007.
Phase 2 Construction
"Phase 2" started in Burlington and went into Bedford. This part of the project cost over $13 million. Construction for Phase 2 began in July 2010 and finished in 2016. After Phase 2 was completed, the main flow of traffic now uses a new road section. This new section helps traffic avoid a busy residential area of the old Middlesex Turnpike in Burlington.
Future Plans: Phase 3
Billerica is planning "Phase 3" to make the road a "multi-modal corridor." This means the road will be improved for different ways of travel. It will have lanes for cars, bike lanes, and sidewalks for people walking.
This work will widen the road to two lanes in each direction. It will also add center lanes for left turns where needed. Traffic lights will be updated at Lexington Street and Albion Drive. New lights will be added at Oak Park Drive, Suburban Park Drive, and Manning Road. Construction for Phase 3 started in April 2018. As of 2019, this $35 million project was expected to be finished in 2023.
