# Massachusetts Route 9

Route 9 is a 135.310-mile-long (217.760 km) major east–west state highway in Massachusetts, United States. Along with U.S. Route 20 (US 20), Route 2, and Interstate 90, Route 9 is one of the major east–west routes of Massachusetts. The western terminus is near the center of the city of Pittsfield. After winding through the small towns along the passes of the Berkshire Mountains, it crosses the college towns of the Pioneer Valley and then south of the Quabbin Reservoir and the rural areas of western Worcester County. Entering the city of Worcester from the southwestern corner of the city, it passes through the center of the city and forms the major commercial thoroughfare through the MetroWest suburbs of Boston, parallel to the Massachusetts Turnpike. Crossing the Route 128 freeway circling Boston, it passes through the inner suburbs of Newton and Brookline along Boylston Street, and enters Boston on Huntington Avenue, before reaching its eastern terminus at Copley Square.

## Route description

Route 9 passes through six counties and twenty-eight cities and towns.

### Western end (Pittsfield–Worcester)

Route 9 begins in the western Massachusetts city of Pittsfield, at U.S. Route 20. After separating from US-20, it has a brief (.2 mile) concurrency with U.S. Route 7 through the center of that city, then continues east, passing through the towns of Dalton and Windsor, wherein the route reaches its highest point at 2033 ft, in Berkshire County. It continues its winding pass through the small towns of The Berkshires in Berkshire and western Hampshire Counties before passing through the center of Northampton, passing Smith College before its first interstate junction, at Interstate 91. It then crosses the Connecticut River at the Calvin Coolidge Bridge, just downstream from Elwell Island. It goes through the retail area of Hadley before passing the near University of Massachusetts Amherst and by Amherst College. From Amherst, it wends its way into western Worcester County, south of the Quabbin Reservoir, through small towns until it makes its way into the city of Worcester.

### Through Worcester

Once in Worcester, Route 9 becomes a major thoroughfare through the city, as Park Avenue, Highland Street (which passes Major Taylor Boulevard), before passing over Interstate 290 and Belmont Street, where University of Massachusetts Medical School and the former Worcester State Hospital are located. At its intersection with McRae Ct., it becomes a divided highway with raised median, which it will retain until its terminus in Boston with the exception of a brief stretch in the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston.

### In the MetroWest region (Worcester–Wellesley)

From Worcester, it crosses Lake Quinsigamond into Shrewsbury. At this point, Route 9 becomes the main retail artery of the MetroWest region. Several plazas and chain stores are located along the route as it makes its way towards Northborough, where it crosses U.S. Route 20; Westborough, where it crosses Interstate 495; and eventually in the Golden Triangle retail area of Framingham and Natick, after crossing the Massachusetts Turnpike. It passes Shopper's World and the Natick Mall, New England's largest mall.

### In Greater Boston (Wellesley–Brookline)

Beginning in the Golden Triangle, Route 9 becomes one of the major routes into Boston, serving as a valuable bypass to the Mass Pike and its tolls. It crosses Interstate 95 (also known as Massachusetts Route 128) in Wellesley before crossing the Charles River into Newton and Brookline as Boylston Street. It enters the city of Boston by crossing over Brookline's former namesake, the Muddy River, part of the Emerald Necklace. At this point it briefly becomes Washington Street, then Huntington Avenue, also known as "Avenue of the Arts".

### Eastern end in Boston

Route 9 loses its raised median briefly between its intersection with South Huntington Avenue and Brigham Circle. It passes the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, which includes Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and other hospitals; the Museum of Fine Arts; and several colleges and universities, including Northeastern. This stretch is also a major site of baseball history; the first game of the 1903 World Series, baseball's first true World Series, was played at the Huntington Avenue Grounds, the original home of the Boston Red Sox. (The site is now part of Northeastern's campus.) The E branch of the MBTA Green Line roughly follows Huntington Avenue underground from Copley Square until it rises above ground at the Northeastern portal.
The Green Line E Branch then operates in a dedicated median of Huntington Avenue between Northeastern University and the Brigham Circle stop, where trains begin street running in mixed traffic to a terminus at Heath Street. Route 9 continues past Symphony Hall and The First Church of Christ, Scientist, which is the mother church of Christian Science. It then passes Copley Place and the Prudential Center complex, before splitting, the eastbound half onto Stuart Street, the westbound onto Saint James Avenue, past Copley Square; both the eastbound and westbound segments of Route 9 end at Route 28.

## History

Route 9 was established in 1933. From its start in 1810 as a toll road from Brookline to Worcester, Route 9 has undergone transformation into a major highway due to the rise of the automobile, especially with the popularity of Henry Ford's Model T. It took over the alignment of what was Route 115 from Kenmore Square in Boston to Route 22 in North Grafton, part of the original route of US 20 between North Grafton and West Brookfield and the original Route 109 between West Brookfield and US 7 in Pittsfield. Route 9's original route in Boston was along Brookline Avenue from Kenmore Square turning west onto its current path along Boylston Street. Between Worcester and Boston, Route 9 follows the path of the 19th-century Worcester Turnpike, opened in 1810. This route originally included a floating bridge over Lake Quinsigamond in Shrewsbury. From Dalton to Goshen in the Berkshires, the road follows the old Berkshire Trail. The massive expansion of the University of Massachusetts Amherst transformed that part of Route 9 in the late 20th century; this otherwise rural part of the route now has several shops, restaurants, and the mid-sized Hampshire Mall. In the 20th century, Route 9 became the focus for urban sprawl in towns like Newton and Wellesley. Further west, in Framingham, Route 9 was home to one of the first modern shopping malls, the aptly named Shoppers' World.
In Natick, Route 9 is officially the "Ted Williams Highway", named after the Red Sox sports legend Ted Williams, who sported that number. In Newton, it is officially the "United Spanish War Veterans Highway".
From 1903 to 1932, the Boston and Worcester Street Railway ran mostly via modern Route 9. Today the E branch of the MBTA's Green Line follows Route 9 along Huntington Avenue.

## Major intersections

| County | Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
| Berkshire | Pittsfield | 0.000 | 0.000 | US 20 – Lenox, Richmond, Albany, NY | Western terminus |
| Berkshire | Pittsfield | 0.388 | 0.624 | US 7 south to US 20 east – Lenox, Lee | Western end of US 7 concurrency |
| Berkshire | Pittsfield | 0.555 | 0.893 | US 7 north – Lanesborough, Williamstown | Eastern end of US 7 concurrency |
| Berkshire | Pittsfield | 3.592 | 5.781 | Route 8 north – Cheshire, Adams | Western end of Route 8 concurrency |
| Berkshire | Dalton | 5.959 | 9.590 | Route 8 south – Hinsdale, Becket Route 8A begins | Eastern end of Route 8 concurrency; western terminus of Route 8A |
| Berkshire | Windsor | 12.216 | 19.660 | Route 8A north – Savoy | Eastern end of Route 8A concurrency |
| Hampshire | Cummington | 21.874 | 35.203 | Route 112 south – Worthington | Western end of Route 112 concurrency |
| Hampshire | Goshen | 28.850 | 46.430 | Route 112 north – Ashfield, Buckland | Eastern end of Route 112 concurrency |
| Hampshire | Williamsburg | 34.138 | 54.940 | Route 143 west – Chesterfield, Worthington | Eastern terminus of Route 143 |
| Hampshire | Northampton | 42.345 | 68.148 | Route 66 west – Westhampton | Eastern terminus of Route 66 |
| Hampshire | Northampton | 42.380 | 68.204 | Route 10 south – Easthampton, Westfield | Western end of Route 10 concurrency |
| Hampshire | Northampton | 42.659 | 68.653 | US 5 / Route 10 north – Holyoke, Springfield, Greenfield | Eastern end of Route 10 concurrency |
| Hampshire | Northampton | 43.727 | 70.372 | I-91 south – Holyoke, Springfield | Exit 25 on I-91 |
| Hampshire | Connecticut River | 44.040 | 70.876 | Calvin Coolidge Bridge | Calvin Coolidge Bridge |
| Hampshire | Hadley | 45.597 | 73.381 | Route 47 – South Hadley, Sunderland, Montague | |
| Hampshire | Hadley | 48.355 | 77.820 | Route 116 north – University of Massachusetts, Sunderland, South Deerfield | Western end of Route 116 concurrency |
| Hampshire | Amherst | 49.774 | 80.103 | Route 116 south – South Hadley, Holyoke | Eastern end of Route 116 concurrency |
| Hampshire | Belchertown | 58.703 | 94.473 | US 202 – Pelham, Athol, Belchertown Center | |
| Hampshire | Belchertown | 59.631 | 95.967 | Route 21 south – Ludlow, Springfield, Belchertown, Holyoke | Northern terminus of Route 21 |
| Hampshire | Ware | 68.966 | 110.990 | Route 32 south – Palmer, Monson | Western end of Route 32 concurrency |
| Hampshire | Ware | 70.565 | 113.563 | Route 32 north – Gilbertville, Barre | Eastern end of Route 32 concurrency |
| Worcester | West Brookfield | 74.790 | 120.363 | Route 19 south / Route 67 south – Warren, Palmer | Northern terminus of Route 19; western terminus of Route 67 concurrency |
| Worcester | West Brookfield | 75.888 | 122.130 | Route 67 north – North Brookfield | Eastern end of Route 67 concurrency |
| Worcester | Brookfield | 78.564– 78.596 | 126.437– 126.488 | Route 148 – Fiskdale, Sturbridge, North Brookfield, Barre | |
| Worcester | Spencer | 83.443 | 134.288 | Route 49 south to US 20 – Sturbridge | Northern terminus of Route 49 |
| Worcester | Spencer | 85.004 | 136.801 | Route 31 north – Paxton, Fitchburg | Western end of Route 31 concurrency |
| Worcester | Spencer | 85.145 | 137.028 | Route 31 south – Charlton, Dudley | Eastern end of Route 31 concurrency |
| Worcester | Leicester | 90.004 | 144.847 | Route 56 – Oxford, Paxton, Rutland | |
| Worcester | Worcester | 94.286 | 151.739 | Route 12 south – Auburn, Webster | Western end of Route 12 concurrency |
| Worcester | Worcester | 95.465 | 153.636 | Route 122 / Route 122A south – Millbury, Grafton, Paxton, Barre | Western end of Route 122A concurrency |
| Worcester | Worcester | 96.114 | 154.680 | Route 12 north / Route 122A north – West Boylston, Holden | Eastern end of Route 12/Route 122A concurrency |
| Worcester | Worcester | 96.983 | 156.079 | Route 70 north to I-290 east – Boylston, Clinton, Shrewsbury, Marlboro | Southern terminus of Route 70 |
| Worcester | Worcester | 97.229 | 156.475 | I-290 west to I-395 south – Auburn, Norwich, CT | Exit 21 on I-290 |
| Worcester | Lake Quinsigamond | 99.298 | 159.805 | Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge | Kenneth F. Burns Memorial Bridge |
| Worcester | Shrewsbury | 101.571 | 163.463 | Route 140 – Shrewsbury, Grafton | Interchange |
| Worcester | Northborough | 103.702 | 166.892 | US 20 – Auburn, Northboro | Cloverleaf interchange |
| Worcester | Westborough | 105.585 | 169.923 | Route 135 – Westboro, Hopkinton, Northboro | Interchange |
| Worcester | Westborough | 107.537 | 173.064 | Route 30 – Westboro, Southboro, North Grafton | Interchange |
| Worcester | Westborough | 108.116 | 173.996 | Computer Drive / Research Drive | Interchange |
| Worcester | Westborough | 109.070 | 175.531 | I-495 to I-90 / Mass Pike – Cape Cod, Lowell | Exits 59A-B on I-495 |
| Worcester | Southborough | 111.121 | 178.832 | Route 85 – Hopkinton, Milford, Southboro, Marlboro | Cloverleaf interchange |
| Middlesex | Framingham | 112.949 | 181.774 | To Route 30 – Worcester, Southboro | Interchange; access via Pleasant Street Connector |
| Middlesex | Framingham | 113.759 | 183.077 | I-90 / Mass Pike – Springfield, Boston | Exit 111 on I-90 / Mass Pike |
| Middlesex | Framingham | 116.096 | 186.838 | Route 30 west (Edgell Road) / Main Street – Framingham, Southborough | Interchange; western end of Route 30 concurrency; Route 30 not signed eastbound |
| Middlesex | Framingham | 117.122 | 188.490 | Route 30 east | Interchange; eastern end of Route 30 concurrency westbound |
| Middlesex | Framingham | 117.441 | 189.003 | Route 30 east / Route 126 – Framingham, Milford, Wayland, Weston | Interchange; eastern end of Route 30 concurrency eastbound |
| Middlesex | Framingham | 118.097 | 190.059 | Ring Road | Shoppers World entrance; eastbound left exit and westbound entrance |
| Middlesex | Natick | 118.307 | 190.397 | Shoppers World Drive | Shoppers World entrance; westbound exit and eastbound entrance |
| Middlesex | Natick | 118.944 | 191.422 | Speen Street to I-90 / Mass Pike / Route 30 – Natick | Interchange |
| Middlesex | Natick | 119.957 | 193.052 | Route 27 – Natick Center, Sherborn, Cochituate, Wayland, Concord | Cloverleaf interchange |
| Norfolk | Wellesley | 122.360 | 196.919 | Weston Road – Needham, Weston | Interchange |
| Norfolk | Wellesley | 124.551 | 200.445 | Route 16 – Wellesley Hills, Natick | Partial interchange |
| Norfolk | Wellesley | 125.896 | 202.610 | Cedar Street – Newton Lower Falls, West Newton, Needham, Dover | Interchange |
| Norfolk | Wellesley | 126.545 | 203.654 | I-95 / Route 128 – Canton, Providence, RI, Peabody, Portsmouth, NH | Exits 36A-B on I-95 |
| Charles River | Charles River | 126.867 | 204.173 | Bridge | Bridge |
| Middlesex | Newton | 126.984 | 204.361 | Chestnut Street – Upper Falls, Waban | Interchange |
| Middlesex | Newton | 127.956 | 205.925 | Centre Street – Needham, Dedham, Newton Centre | Interchange |
| Middlesex | Newton | 128.609 | 206.976 | Parker Street – Newton Centre, West Roxbury | Interchange |
| Middlesex | Newton | 129.748 | 208.809 | Hammond Pond Parkway – West Roxbury, Hyde Park | Interchange |
| Suffolk | Boston | 132.936 | 213.940 | Jamaicaway / Riverway – Dedham, Providence, RI | Interchange |
| Suffolk | Boston | 134.599 | 216.616 | Route 2A (Massachusetts Avenue) – Cambridge, Roxbury | Interchange |
| Suffolk | Boston | 135.028 | 217.307 | Exeter Street | Split of eastbound and westbound lanes into Stuart Avenue and Avenue of the Arts |
| Suffolk | Boston | 135.055 | 217.350 | I-90 west / Mass Pike west – New York | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; exit 133 on I-90 / Mass Pike |
| Suffolk | Boston | 135.310 | 217.760 | Route 28 south (Clarendon Street) | Eastern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Electronic toll collection Incomplete access ||||||

## Gallery

* Eastbound entering Leicester
* Downtown Spencer
* Downtown Ware
* Eastbound in Windsor