northeasthighways.com

See also: MA 295

RI line in North Attleboro to Attleboro

Expressway, full length

Shows as a proposal in 1961. Between 1967 and 1969, it was completed in Massachusetts. The 1969 state highway map shows a proposed route continuing east of I-95, then turning due south at MA 123. It would have crossed I-195 at exit 2, then turned west to return into RI. No route number is listed, just the designation “Proposed Interstate”. In 1971, this proposal was shown as I-895, without the turn west into RI. A 1972 map shows the built section of 295 listed as 895 as well; I would believe this to be a error. Between 1974 and 1975, this proposed route was removed from the maps.

Kurumi’s I-295 entry

Springfield to Holyoke via Chicopee

Expressway, full length

391 shows as a proposal in 1969. By 1971, a small section up to Chicopee St had been completed. By 1979, the rest was shown as under construction. Between 1983 and 1986, the highway was completed and opened.

Kurumi’s I-391 entry
Dan Vincent’s I-391 page.

Wareham to Salisbury via Middleboro, Milford, Lowell and Haverhill.

Expressway, full length.

I-495 first shows as a proposed route from Westboro at MA 9 north to I-95 in Salisbury. By 1961, the section from MA 111 in Boxboro to MA 97 in Haverhill was under construction. The proposal had also extended south to I-95 near Mansfield. By 1966, the highway was built from Rt 9 to MA 110, with sections under construction to the Mass Pike to the south and I-95 to the north. By 1969, the enitre highway from Mansfield to Salisbury was open except for a gap between MA 126 and MA 85 near Milford. This was completed by 1971, and already another proposal was on the maps – an extension southward to the intersection of MA 24 and MA 25 just outside Taunton. Construction began between 1977 and 1979 on this section and was completed by 1986.

In March 2008, a $7.5 million project was approved to add a second lane to each of the ramps to I-90. The work is scheduled to be completed by early December. [1]

Kurumi’s I-495 entry

[1] Metrowest Daily News Mass. Pike/495 interchange to be widened

RI line in Seekonk to Wareham.

Expressway, full length

195 was completed to exit 3 by 1961. By 1966, it had reached exit 4, and was under construction to New Bedford. It was complete to New Bedford by 1969. By 1975, the entire route was completed.

Kurumi’s I-195 entry

Auburn to Hudson via Worcester

Expressway full length

I-290 first appears on a 1961 map, roughly along the same route as now to Shrewsbury. It then was to turn more southerly, crossing US 20 and MA 135 south of Northboro Center, crossing MA 30 and MA 9 slightly east of their intersection in Westboro, then meeting I-495 between the Mass Pike and Rt 9 interchanges. By 1966, the proposed route had been shifted to match more closely what it is now. The highway was completed between 1969 and 1971.

The interchange with I-495 makes it clear that the road was originally intended to continue east. The highway does connect to MA 85 in Hudson via an unnumbered route commonly referred to as the Rt 85 Connector.

[flickr-gallery mode=”search” tags=”i 290″ user_id=”80252055@N02″]

Kurumi’s I-290 entry

Springfield to Chicopee

Expressway full length

First appears between 1967 and 1969. Most of it is proposed at that point, only the area north of exit 5 to the Mass Pike exists. By 1971, the whole road was opened.

Links
Kurumi’s I-291 entry
Dan Vincent’s I-291 page.

CT line in Webster to Worcester

Expressway, full length

See MA 52 for construction history. Renumbered to I-395 in 1983.

Kurumi’s I-395 entry

Worcester to Leominster

Expressway full length

The first section of 190 to open was the short part from I-290 to Exit 1, which was posted as MA 122A as early as 1966. By 1975, the state maps show a proposal for I-190. The 1979-80 map shows it under construction. The road opened in April, 1983. [1]

[flickr-gallery mode=”search” tags=”i 190″ user_id=”80252055@N02″]

Kurumi’s I-190 entry

[1] Kurumi, see link above.