Route 56 is a north–south state highway running through central
Worcester County,
, United States. Its southern terminus is at
Route 12 in
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
and its northern terminus is at
Route 68 in
Rutland
Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire.
Its greatest len ...
. Along the way it intersects major east–west highways including
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...
(US 20) in Oxford and
Route 9 in
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
.
Route description
Route 56 begins at
Route 12 in
North Oxford
North Oxford is a suburban part of the city of Oxford in England. It was owned for many centuries largely by St John's College, Oxford and many of the area's Victorian houses were initially sold on leasehold by the College.
Overview
The le ...
. It crosses the
French River before meeting
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...
. It continues north, passing under
Interstate 90
Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...
(the Mass Pike) without access between the two. (The nearest access to the Pike is in
Auburn
Auburn may refer to:
Places Australia
* Auburn, New South Wales
* City of Auburn, the local government area
*Electoral district of Auburn
*Auburn, Queensland, a locality in the Western Downs Region
*Auburn, South Australia
*Auburn, Tasmania
*Aub ...
.) Route 56 then crosses the French River again at the intersection of Mills Street and Commons Road before entering the town of
Leicester
Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest settlement in the East Midlands.
The city l ...
. It follows the Huntoon Memorial Highway until turning right onto Pleasant Street, following that street into the center of town, intersecting
Route 9 and turns east onto Main Street and then north on Paxton Street, passing
Becker College
Becker College was a private college in Worcester, Massachusetts, Worcester and Leicester, Massachusetts. Becker College traced its history from the union of two Massachusetts educational institutions—one founded in 1784 and the other in 1887 ...
in the process.
Route 56 continues northward, passing several of the Kettle Brook Reservoirs as it enters
Paxton. Paxton Street turns into Reservoir Road as route 56 enters Paxton. In Paxton, Route 56 begins a concurrency with
Route 122 which takes it into the center of Paxton. At the intersection of Route 122 and
Route 31, Route 56 joins Route 31 northbound for less than a tenth of a mile before the two split, with Route 56 heading northward. The route then enters the town of
Rutland
Rutland () is a ceremonial county and unitary authority in the East Midlands, England. The county is bounded to the west and north by Leicestershire, to the northeast by Lincolnshire and the southeast by Northamptonshire.
Its greatest len ...
, passing northward towards that town's center. The route has a concurrency with
Route 122A through the town center before turning northward again, ending at
Route 68 near the
Hubbardston town line.
Major intersections
References
External links
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