Massachusetts Route 109
Encyclopedia
Route 109 is a state highway
in eastern Massachusetts
. It runs from Route 16 in Milford
east to the VFW Parkway
in West Roxbury
. Most of Route 109 runs along a portion of the Hartford and Dedham Turnpike.
at Exit 19 before crossing into Norfolk County
and the town of Medway
. Route 109 passes through northern Medway, crossing Route 126 along the way before turning onto Main Street. The highway crosses the Charles River
and continues into Millis
, where it crosses Route 115
in the center of town. The road then enters Medfield
, passing through the center of town where it intersects Route 27.
East of Medfield, Route 109 travels along the Dover
- Walpole
town line before entering Westwood
. The highway passes through the town, easing towards the urban landscape of metro Boston. North of the center of town, Route 109 interchanges with Interstate 95
(Route 128) at Exit 16 as it enters Dedham
. Route 109 passes through northwest Dedham, crossing the Charles twice more before crossing into the Boston neighborhood of West Roxbury, where it immediately meets the VFW Parkway
and ends.
The VFW Parkway, which has its southern terminus at the intersection with Route 109, formerly carried U.S. Route 1
into the city, before US-1 was rerouted along I-95 and I-93 through Braintree
and downtown Boston, due to the cancellation of I-95 in Boston during the 1970s. As such, Route 109 no longer ends at a numbered highway, although the Boston-Providence Turnpike runs south from this intersection to join the current US-1 at its interchange with I-95/Route 128. South of the interchange, US-1 runs along the Turnpike.
between Dedham and Hartford. It ran from Dedham
southwest to West Medway
, where it continued as the earlier Ninth Massachusetts Turnpike and Boston Turnpike
to Hartford, Connecticut
. North of Dedham, the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike
continued to Boston. The turnpike, built in 1807, was never a success. In 1821 it was closed to all but local travel due to its condition; it became a free road in 1830, with the rest of the route to Hartford becoming free in 1838.
The path of the road is now mostly covered by Route 109. The turnpike entered Dedham center using High Street, and in Westwood
, Dover
and Medfield
the old turnpike exists as Hartford Street, while Route 109 uses the older alignment with better grades. Near the west end, Route 109 turns west towards Milford
, and the turnpike continues southwest on Main Street to end at its merge with Route 126 and the Middle Post Road.
The original Route 109 went from Pittsfield
to West Brookfield
along what is now Route 9. This number was removed by 1933. The modern 109 was posted by 1933, presumably when the old one was taken down.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in eastern Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. It runs from Route 16 in Milford
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
east to the VFW Parkway
VFW Parkway
VFW Parkway is a historic parkway in Boston, Massachusetts. The parkway begins at Spring Street in West Roxbury at the Charles River and ends at Centre Street at the Arnold Arboretum. The parkway was built in 1931 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005...
in West Roxbury
West Roxbury, Massachusetts
West Roxbury is a neighborhood in Boston bordered by Roslindale to the north, the Town of Dedham to the east and south, the Town of Brookline and the City of Newton to the west. Many people mistakenly confuse West Roxbury with Roxbury, but the two are not connected. West Roxbury is separated from...
. Most of Route 109 runs along a portion of the Hartford and Dedham Turnpike.
Route description
Route 109 begins at Route 16 in Milford, just east of Route 85's southern terminus. The route proceeds to the east, meeting Interstate 495Interstate 495 (Massachusetts)
Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ...
at Exit 19 before crossing into Norfolk County
Norfolk County, Massachusetts
-National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:...
and the town of Medway
Medway, Massachusetts
Medway is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 12,752.-History:Medway was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated in 1713. At that time, Medway began as a farming community of two hundred thirty-three...
. Route 109 passes through northern Medway, crossing Route 126 along the way before turning onto Main Street. The highway crosses the Charles River
Charles River
The Charles River is an long river that flows in an overall northeasterly direction in eastern Massachusetts, USA. From its source in Hopkinton, the river travels through 22 cities and towns until reaching the Atlantic Ocean at Boston...
and continues into Millis
Millis, Massachusetts
Millis is a town in Norfolk County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is a small town with a population of 7,891 according to the 2010 census. The town is approximately southwest of downtown Boston and is bordered by Norfolk, Sherborn, Holliston, Medfield, and Medway...
, where it crosses Route 115
Massachusetts Route 115
Route 115 is a short south–north highway in southeastern Massachusetts. The route connects several small towns in western Norfolk County, ending just into Middlesex County in Sherborn.-Route description:...
in the center of town. The road then enters Medfield
Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston....
, passing through the center of town where it intersects Route 27.
East of Medfield, Route 109 travels along the Dover
Dover, Massachusetts
Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census.Located about southwest of downtown Boston, Dover is a residential town nestled on the south banks of the Charles River. Almost all of the residential zoning requires or larger...
- Walpole
Walpole, Massachusetts
Walpole is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is located about south of Boston and north of Providence, Rhode Island. The population was 24,070 at the 2010 census. Walpole was first settled in 1659 and was considered a part of Dedham until officially incorporated in 1724...
town line before entering Westwood
Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its...
. The highway passes through the town, easing towards the urban landscape of metro Boston. North of the center of town, Route 109 interchanges with Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Massachusetts
Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in...
(Route 128) at Exit 16 as it enters Dedham
Dedham, Massachusetts
Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...
. Route 109 passes through northwest Dedham, crossing the Charles twice more before crossing into the Boston neighborhood of West Roxbury, where it immediately meets the VFW Parkway
VFW Parkway
VFW Parkway is a historic parkway in Boston, Massachusetts. The parkway begins at Spring Street in West Roxbury at the Charles River and ends at Centre Street at the Arnold Arboretum. The parkway was built in 1931 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005...
and ends.
The VFW Parkway, which has its southern terminus at the intersection with Route 109, formerly carried U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts
In the U.S. state of Massachusetts, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Boston. The portion of US 1 south of Boston is also known as the Boston-Providence Turnpike, and portions north of the city are known as the Northeast Expressway and the Newburyport Turnpike.-Route...
into the city, before US-1 was rerouted along I-95 and I-93 through Braintree
Braintree, Massachusetts
The Town of Braintree is a suburban city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Although officially known as a town, Braintree adopted a municipal charter, effective 2008, with a mayor-council form of government and is considered a city under Massachusetts law. The population was 35,744...
and downtown Boston, due to the cancellation of I-95 in Boston during the 1970s. As such, Route 109 no longer ends at a numbered highway, although the Boston-Providence Turnpike runs south from this intersection to join the current US-1 at its interchange with I-95/Route 128. South of the interchange, US-1 runs along the Turnpike.
History
The Hartford and Dedham Turnpike was chartered on March 9, 1804 to close a gap in the turnpikes that were being built to replace the Middle Post RoadBoston Post Road
The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York City and Boston, Massachusetts that evolved into the first major highways in the United States.The three major alignments were the Lower Post Road The Boston Post Road was a system of mail-delivery routes between New York...
between Dedham and Hartford. It ran from Dedham
Dedham, Massachusetts
Dedham is a town in and the county seat of Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 24,729 at the 2010 census. It is located on Boston's southwest border. On the northwest it is bordered by Needham, on the southwest by Westwood and on the southeast by...
southwest to West Medway
Medway, Massachusetts
Medway is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 12,752.-History:Medway was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated in 1713. At that time, Medway began as a farming community of two hundred thirty-three...
, where it continued as the earlier Ninth Massachusetts Turnpike and Boston Turnpike
U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
to Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
. North of Dedham, the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike
Washington Street (Boston)
Washington Street is a street originating in downtown Boston, Massachusetts that extends southwestward to the Massachusetts-Rhode Island state line. The majority of it was built as the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike in the early nineteenth century...
continued to Boston. The turnpike, built in 1807, was never a success. In 1821 it was closed to all but local travel due to its condition; it became a free road in 1830, with the rest of the route to Hartford becoming free in 1838.
The path of the road is now mostly covered by Route 109. The turnpike entered Dedham center using High Street, and in Westwood
Westwood, Massachusetts
Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its...
, Dover
Dover, Massachusetts
Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,589 at the 2010 census.Located about southwest of downtown Boston, Dover is a residential town nestled on the south banks of the Charles River. Almost all of the residential zoning requires or larger...
and Medfield
Medfield, Massachusetts
Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston....
the old turnpike exists as Hartford Street, while Route 109 uses the older alignment with better grades. Near the west end, Route 109 turns west towards Milford
Milford, Massachusetts
Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,...
, and the turnpike continues southwest on Main Street to end at its merge with Route 126 and the Middle Post Road.
The original Route 109 went from Pittsfield
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
to West Brookfield
West Brookfield, Massachusetts
West Brookfield is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,701 at the 2010 census. Lucy Stone was born in West Brookfield, and Noah Webster published his dictionary there....
along what is now Route 9. This number was removed by 1933. The modern 109 was posted by 1933, presumably when the old one was taken down.
Junction list
| County | Location | Milepost | Roads intersected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Worcester County, Massachusetts -Demographics:In 1990 Worcester County had a population of 709,705.As of the census of 2000, there were 750,963 people, 283,927 households, and 192,502 families residing in the county. The population density was 496 people per square mile . There were 298,159 housing units at an average density... |
Milford Milford, Massachusetts Milford is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It had a population of 27,999 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Milford, constituting the center of the town, please see the article Milford ,... |
0.00 |  Route 16 |
Western terminus of Route 109. To  Route 85Route 85 (Massachusetts) Route 85, is a north–south state highway in Massachusetts, United States. It passes through the heart of Boston's MetroWest region, through towns on the eastern edge of Worcester County and western edge of Middlesex County, crossing the border between the two counties four times... , via Route 16 West. |
| 1.0 |  Interstate 495Interstate 495 (Massachusetts) Interstate 495 is the designation of an Interstate Highway half-beltway in Massachusetts. It was the longest auxiliary Interstate Highway of its kind—measuring 120.74 miles —until 1996, when the PA Route 9 section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike was redesignated as Interstate 476, making it about ... |
I-495 Exit 19. | ||
| Norfolk Norfolk County, Massachusetts -National protected areas:* Adams National Historical Park* Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area * Frederick Law Olmsted National Historic Site* John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site-Demographics:... |
Medway Medway, Massachusetts Medway is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the town had a population of 12,752.-History:Medway was first settled in 1657 and was officially incorporated in 1713. At that time, Medway began as a farming community of two hundred thirty-three... |
3.2 |  Route 126Route 126 (Massachusetts) Route 126 is a north–south state highway in Massachusetts. It is a continuation of Rhode Island Route 126-Route description:Route 126 begins at the Rhode Island state line, continuing into Woonsocket as Rhode Island Route 126. After a short stretch in the town of Blackstone and Worcester... |
|
| Millis Millis, Massachusetts Millis is a town in Norfolk County in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. It is a small town with a population of 7,891 according to the 2010 census. The town is approximately southwest of downtown Boston and is bordered by Norfolk, Sherborn, Holliston, Medfield, and Medway... |
8.0 |  Route 115 |
||
| Medfield Medfield, Massachusetts Medfield is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 12,024 according to the 2010 Census. Medfield is an affluent community about 17 miles southwest of Boston.... |
10.8 |  Route 27Route 27 (Massachusetts) -Route description:Route 27 runs in a sweeping arc from Kingston to Chelmsford. For most of its route, it acts as an intermediate route between Interstate 95 and Interstate 495.... |
||
| Westwood Westwood, Massachusetts Westwood is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 14,618 at the 2010 census. In July 2005, CNN/Money and Money magazine ranked Westwood 13th on its list of the 100 Best Places to Live in the United States. Boston Magazine listed Gay Street in Westwood on its... |
18.1 |  Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Massachusetts Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in...  Route 128Route 128 (Massachusetts) Route 128, also known as the Yankee Division Highway , and originally the Circumferential Highway, is a partial beltway around Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The majority of the highway is built to freeway standards, and about 3/5 of it is part of the Interstate Highway System... |
I-95 Exits 16A-B. | |
| Suffolk Suffolk County, Massachusetts Suffolk County has no land border with Plymouth County to its southeast, but the two counties share a water boundary in the middle of Massachusetts Bay.-National protected areas:*Boston African American National Historic Site... |
West Roxbury (Boston) |
20.97 | VFW Parkway VFW Parkway VFW Parkway is a historic parkway in Boston, Massachusetts. The parkway begins at Spring Street in West Roxbury at the Charles River and ends at Centre Street at the Arnold Arboretum. The parkway was built in 1931 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2005... Boston-Providence Turnpike |
To I-95 Interstate 95 in Massachusetts Interstate 95 is the main highway on the East Coast of the United States, paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Maine. The Massachusetts portion of the highway enters from the state of Rhode Island in Attleboro and travels in a northeasterly direction to the junction with Route 128 in... /Route 128 Route 128 (Massachusetts) Route 128, also known as the Yankee Division Highway , and originally the Circumferential Highway, is a partial beltway around Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The majority of the highway is built to freeway standards, and about 3/5 of it is part of the Interstate Highway System... . To  U.S. Route 1. |
External links
- Francis D. Donovan, The Hartford & Dedham Turnpike in Medway, 1995