Route 3 is somewhat of an anomaly, especially in Boston. It enters from the south as a freeway (MA 3), and then joins I-93, the Southeast Expressway and Central Artery. MA 3 then exits at "Storrow Drive," Exit 26, but this really is just an exit to Embankment Road and Leverett Circle (Embankment Road and its eastbound partner, Charles Street, connect to Storrow at the Longfellow Bridge). MA 3 NB follows Embankment to the Longfellow, but MA 3 SB uses Land Boulevard and shares the Charles River Dam with MA 28. Why MA 3 NB can't run next to MA 3 SB, uhh... well then. West of the Longfellow, Memorial Drive is fully MA 3. Then, while on Mem Drive, you pass the BU Bridge, and suddenly the square 3's are replaced by US shields, and vice versa. But that's not accurate, since US 3 technically overtakes MA 3 starting at the Mass Ave bridge, or MA 2A.


Crossing the Sagamore Bridge back to the mainland, we come to the rare signage of the BEGINning of a route at the Sagamore circle. There is also a Bourne circle, but MA 25 was routed directly into the bridge there (ramps lead to/from the circle), whereas MA 3 was just thrown into the circle here. 3 should take 25's lead here.

I-93/MA 3/US 1 south of Boston
I-93/MA 3/US 1 at Kneeland St. in Boston
I-93/MA 3/US 1 NB in Boston
I-93/MA 3/US 1 SB in Boston
Leverett Circle, MA 3 and MA 28
MA 3 NB: Embankment Road and Longfellow Bridge
MA 3 SB: Land Boulevard and Charles River Dam
Memorial Drive, MA 3 and US 3


MassHighway caught copying, receives grade of F! The first signs, sporting NJ-style black backgrounds on the shields, is found on MA 3 SB. The Plymouth Ctr. text isn't spaced too well, and it's clear that the ½ and ¾ replaced smaller versions of said text (either that, or it was just a big screwup from the beginning). The second sign is on US 44 EB, and is not so much a detour for NB MA 3 as it is the ramp to said route. With the direction and arrow in the shield, it would be copying Woonsignage in Rhode Island.

To US 3
Onto MA 2 directly
Exit 6 to US 44
MA 3 Expressway (Pilgrims Highway) on Steve Anderson's bostonroads.com
Back to Massachusetts Roads
Back to Roads