Route 126 (Rhode Island)
Encyclopedia
Route 126 is a state highway running for 14.3 miles (23 km) in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...

 of Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...

. Route 126 is a heavily traveled route in Pawtucket
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...

.

Route description

Route 126 begins at an intersection with Providence's
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

 Main Street, which is carried by US 1
U.S. Route 1 in Rhode Island
In the U.S. state of Rhode Island, U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south state highway through Providence. Staying close to the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay, it is a longer route than Interstate 95, and many portions are a four-lane divided highway....

 and Route 122. The northbound direction begins on Smithfield Avenue, and the southbound begins at Frost Street, turning towards Smithfield via Nashua Street. Once the two meet, they travel the four-lane, divided Smithfield Avenue, very soon after interchanging with Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Rhode Island
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States, runs generally southwest-northeast through the U.S. state of Rhode Island. It runs from the border with Connecticut near Westerly through Warwick and Providence and to the Massachusetts state line...

 and coming to an intersection with Silver Spring Road and Foch Avenue, where Route 126 turns right, continuing on Smithfield Avenue. The route forms a skewed intersection with Power Road, afterwards narrowing to two lanes, and continues through a dense residential area as it skirts the west side of Pawtucket
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...

.

West of Lincoln Woods State Park
Lincoln Woods State Park
Lincoln Woods State Park is a 627 acre state park in Lincoln, Rhode Island containing two fresh water beaches, trails, and picnicking facilities. It was named after President Abraham Lincoln....

 and within the Lincoln
Lincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 21,105 at the 2010 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence....

 town limits, Route 126 turns onto River Road, just south of Route 123, which it intersects shortly after. It continues north, now known as River Road as it parallels the Blackstone River
Blackstone River
The Blackstone River is a river in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It flows approximately 48 mi and drains a watershed of approximately 540 sq. mi...

, which lies to the east. South of Albion
Albion, Rhode Island
Albion is a village and historic district in Lincoln, Rhode Island in the United States.Albion is home to several mill buildings, churches, and the Kirkbrae Country Club golf course. The historic Blackstone River flows through the center of the mill village with a walking path running along the river...

, the route's name changes to Old River Road at an intersection with Lower River Road, and it intersects Route 116 and flies over Interstate 295 with no access. The route then enters Manville
Manville, Rhode Island
Manville is a village in the town of Lincoln in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. It is located at latitude 41.9616° North, longitude 71.4744° West. It has been assigned the ZIP Code 02838....

, where it curves westward before turning right at an intersection with Sayles Hill Road, continuing north.

Passing underneath Route 99 with no access, Route 126 meets New River Road's northern terminus, upon which the route's name changes again to Manville Road, cutting briefly across the North Smithfield
North Smithfield, Rhode Island
North Smithfield is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States, settled as a farming community in 1666 and incorporated into its present form in 1871. North Smithfield includes the historic villages of Forestdale, Primrose, Waterford, Branch Village, Union Village, Park Square, and...

 town line. As it enters Woonsocket
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....

, the road begins to parallel Blackstone River more closely, the two straddling a railroad alignment. Within the city, the route turns eastward onto Hamlet Avenue, forming a concurrency with its Route 122. The two routes then bridge the river and intersect Cumberland Street. Here, Route 126 turns northward onto four lanes of Cumberland Street while Route 122 turns southward. Eventually, Cumberland Street intersects Clinton Street and Social Street, where Route 126 turns eastward, using both streets for northbound and southbound, respectively.

Route 126's one-way pair merge into Social Street at an intersection with Elm Street shortly afterward. The route then intersects Privilege Street, carrying Route 114. Route 126 forms an overlap with Route 114, which it then releases at Diamond Hill Road. Route 126 continues its final trek north to the 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...

 state line, where the route continues as Massachusetts Route 126 and still carrying the name Social Street for a short distance into that state.

History

Prior to the early 1960s, Route 126 was in the Tiverton and Little Compton
Little Compton, Rhode Island
Little Compton is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. Its population was 3,492 at the time of the 2010 census. Little Compton is located in southeastern Rhode Island, between the Sakonnet River and the Massachusetts state border...

 area. It started at the intersection of present-day Route 179
Route 179 (Rhode Island)
Route 179 is a long state highway running in Rhode Island. Route 179 is a short connector between Route  77 and Route 81 which are the two main roads in Tiverton and Little Compton...

 and Route 81
Route 81 (Rhode Island)
-Route:Route 81 takes the following route through the State:*Little Compton: : Route 179 to Tiverton town line**Crandall Road*Tiverton: ; Little Compton town line to Massachusetts State line at Route 81...

. It went north along Route 179
Route 179 (Rhode Island)
Route 179 is a long state highway running in Rhode Island. Route 179 is a short connector between Route  77 and Route 81 which are the two main roads in Tiverton and Little Compton...

 to present-day Route 77
Route 77 (Rhode Island)
-Route:Route 77 takes the following route through the State:*Little Compton: ; Rhode Island Road to Tiverton town line**Town Landing, Sakonnet Point Road and West Main Road*Tiverton: ; Little Compton town line to Route 24**Main Road-History:...

. It then went north on Route 77
Route 77 (Rhode Island)
-Route:Route 77 takes the following route through the State:*Little Compton: ; Rhode Island Road to Tiverton town line**Town Landing, Sakonnet Point Road and West Main Road*Tiverton: ; Little Compton town line to Route 24**Main Road-History:...

 to end at Route 138
Route 138 (Rhode Island)
Route 138 is a numbered State Highway running in Rhode Island. It runs from the Connecticut state line to the Massachusetts state line and is the only state-numbered route that traverses the entire state.-Route description:...

 near the eastern end of the now demolished Stone Bridge
Stone Bridge (Rhode Island)
The Stone Bridge was a bridge built in 1907 in Rhode Island that carried RI 138 over the Sakonnet River between Portsmouth and Tiverton. It was destroyed by Hurricane Carol in 1954, and replaced in 1956 by the Sakonnet River Bridge, located 0.8 mi to the north.-History:According to the...

.

Junction list

The entire route is located within Providence County
Providence County, Rhode Island
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 621,602 people, 239,936 households, and 152,839 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,504 people per square mile . There were 253,214 housing units at an average density of 613 per square mile...

.
Town
New England town
The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...

Mile Roads intersected Notes
Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...

0.00 Southern terminus of Route 126
, Boston, MA Interchange
Pawtucket
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...

Lincoln
Lincoln, Rhode Island
Lincoln is a town in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 21,105 at the 2010 census. Lincoln is located in northeastern Rhode Island, north of Providence....

, Worcester, MA
Route 126 (River Road) turns north at intersection
Woonsocket
Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Woonsocket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 41,186 at the 2010 census, making it the sixth largest city in the state. Woonsocket lies directly south of the Massachusetts border....

Begin Route 122 overlap
Bridge over the Blackstone River
Blackstone River
The Blackstone River is a river in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. It flows approximately 48 mi and drains a watershed of approximately 540 sq. mi...

End Route 122 overlap; Route 126 turns north onto Cumberland Street
Clinton Street / Social Street – Downtown Woonsocket Route 126 enters both streets: Clinton Street forms northbound, Social Street southbound
Begin Route 114 overlap
Attleboro, MA
Attleboro, Massachusetts
Attleboro is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States and is immediately north of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Once known as "The Jewelry Capital of the World" for its many jewelry manufacturers, Attleboro had a population of 42,068 at the 2000 census, and a population of 43,645 as of...

End Route 114 overlap
Northern terminus
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