Route 138 (Massachusetts)

Route 138 is a north–south state highway in Massachusetts. From the state line in Tiverton, Rhode Island to Milton, Route 138 runs as an extension of Rhode Island Route 138, which is itself an extension of Connecticut Route 138. Route 138's northern terminus is at Route 28 in Milton.

Route description

Running generally north, Route 138 crosses from Rhode Island into Fall River, where it meets the southern terminus of Route 79 (Massachusetts), Route 79 at exit 11 (formerly 5) of Interstate 195 (Massachusetts), Interstate 195, then begins a concurrency with Route 79 and later, U.S. Route 6 in Massachusetts, U.S. Route 6. Routes 138 and 6 then travel off of Route 79 and over the Brightman Street Bridge into Somerset, Massachusetts, Somerset, where the concurrency with U.S. Route 6 splits at an intersection with Route 103 (Massachusetts), Route 103. Route 138 proceeds through Dighton, Massachusetts, Dighton and into Taunton, Massachusetts, Taunton, intersecting Route 140 (Massachusetts), Route 140 and U.S. Route 44 at Taunton Green. In Raynham, Massachusetts, Raynham, the route has an interchange with Interstate 495 (Massachusetts), Interstate 495 at exit 22 (formerly 8) before continuing into Easton, Massachusetts, Easton, where it intersects Route 106 (Massachusetts), Route 106 before beginning a brief concurrency with Route 123 (Massachusetts), Route 123 near Stonehill College. Route 138 meets the western terminus of Route 139 (Massachusetts), Route 139 at the beginning of an extremely short concurrency with Route 27 (Massachusetts), Route 27 in downtown Stoughton, Massachusetts, Stoughton, before crossing into Canton, Massachusetts, Canton and meeting Interstate 93/U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts, U.S. 1 at exit 2 (Exit 2A is for Route 138 south, while 2B is for Route 138 North). The route finally enters Milton, travels by Curry College and the Neponset Valley Parkway, and terminates at Route 28 (Massachusetts), Route 28, directly before that route crosses the Neponset River and enters Boston.

History

Until the late 1960's - early 1970's, Route 138 was multiplexed with Route 28 on Blue Hill Avenue to Route 3 (now Massachusetts Route 203, MA 203) on Morton Street, then to the Arborway and the Jamaicaway. Route 138 turned off onto Brookline Avenue at intersection of the Jamaicaway (where it became the Riverway) and continued to end at US Route 20 and Route 30 in Kenmore Square.

During the Northeastern United States blizzard of 1978, Blizzard of 1978, Route 138's intersection with Interstate 93 (which at the time still had Route 128 (Massachusetts), Route 128 concurrent with it) gained some notoriety as the location shot of photos taken featuring cars trapped in the snow along the underpassing freeway.

Parts of Route 138 follows the route of the "Old Bay Road," which was the earliest line of travel between Boston and Taunton.Frederic J. Wood, 1919, "The Turnpikes of New England", p. 118.

Major intersections

References

External links

{{Commons category, Massachusetts Route 138

Numbered routes in Massachusetts, 138
Transportation in Bristol County, Massachusetts
Transportation in Norfolk County, Massachusetts