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MA-24

MAP/ROAD

MA-24 is a freeway in southeastern Massachusetts linking the southeast with the Boston Metropolitan Area. The Massachusetts part of Route 24 begins at the state line in Fall River and runs north through Taunton and Brockton up to an interchange with I-93/US-1. This road is called the Fall River Expressway. From the R.I. border, the route continues to I-195, where it runs concurrent. It then leaves and heads north, only to merge again with MA-79 at exit 7. It runs with MA-79 up to exit 9 in Assonet, then exits and runs northeast. MA-24 continues north, connecting the end of the Taunton-New Bedford Expressway, or MA-140, and I-495 in Raynham. It continues north through Brockton and ends in Braintree at a split junction with I-93/US-1. The official length of MA-24 is 40.9 miles, but mile markers on the I-93 ramps go up to 41.2 miles.

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There are service plazas on either side on MA-24 in the city of Bridgewater.

Length: 40.91 miles

From: R.I. 24 in Tiverton

To: I-93/US-1 in Randolph

MY SUGGESTION

Now it's time for a section of my page called My Suggestion. So, for MA-24, I believe if an interstate upgrade is approved, it should be an extension of I-93. I don't mean a by-pass or alt, I mean an auxiliary interstate. I think it should be numbered either I-193 or I-393. Why? Mainly because it is very close to the end of the SB side or beginning of the NB side. That's it, but I prefer I-393. 

Signage for MA-24 on MA-140  southbound in Taunton. Photo taken by me on February 23, 2017.

MA-24 HISTORY

MA-24 and MA-138 are both built along an old Indian Trail that twisted its way up to Boston.

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MA-24's original designation was the present day MA-124, which was called MA-24 until the completion of the Fall River Expressway in 1951. 

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When the original portion opened in 1951, it brought traffic from Exit 10 in Assonet, Freetown to Raynham. There are now 21 interchanges and it spans 40.91 miles.

MA-24 FUTURE

MA-24 has been called out for years as a likely target for an Interstate Higway upgrade. Sure, it's an expressway, so obivously it's going to be made an interstate. The Massachusetts Highway Department (MHD) and the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD) conducted a study about what exact improvements must be made to convert MA-24 into an interstate. They unfortunately ran into this: Major work for 11 interchanges and minor work for 7 more. This was calculated at very high costs, forcing a halt. In April of 2007, the Old Colony Regional Planning Council included the interstate proposal in a 25-yr regional transportation plan draft. Then, the SRPEDD endorsed another similar proposal one month prior to, if built, according to a MassHighway official, what would be signed as an extension of I-93. South of I-195 would remain unaffected and continue as RI-24. It was proposed in 6 phases, which are listed below

  • Phase 1: Randolph I-93 interchange reconstruction ($30 mil.)

  • Phase 2: Randolph to Stoghton ($56 mil.)

  • Phase 3: Canton to Bridgewater ($224 mil.)

  • Phase 4: Bridgewater to I-495 ($175 mil.)

  • Phase 5: I-495 to US-44 ($35 mil.)

  • Phase 6: US-44 to Fall River ($357 mil.)

This was all expected to be $877 mil., way too expensive for them. There were actually no current MassDOT proposals for the upgrade, though. â€‹

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Exit Reconfiguration

It has been announced that all exits on MA-24 and other routes will be changes from sequential numbering to milepost based numbering.

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