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145-603: The Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts, based in Worcester , Massachusetts , works to "...collaboratively to further the missions of member institutions." Before 2013, the association was known as the Colleges of Worcester Consortium ( COWC ). The current President of the Board is Luis G. Pedraja , who is also President of Quinsigamond Community College . The Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts consists of

290-580: A 30-mile (48 km) gap, has been controversial since the 1960s. The state conducted a study to determine the feasibility of such a project in 2018; land occupied by a service plaza and a maintenance facility (both in Blandford) and Algerie Road in Otis have been suggested as locations for a potential exit. The "I-90 Allston Multimodal Project" is a plan to replace a deteriorating viaduct in Allston by redeveloping

435-464: A 90-percent subsidy, rendering the need for a toll road into the city obsolete. Complicating the matter, Callahan's planned extension route was not universally accepted by others within the state, such as newly elected Governor John A. Volpe and Newton Mayor Donald Gibbs, who sought to construct a freeway that would follow a different route between the Borders of Newton , Waltham , and Watertown along

580-455: A Mayor/ Bicameral form of government. Together, the two chambers—the 11-member Board of Aldermen and the 30-member Common Council—were vested with complete legislative powers. The mayor handled all administrative departments, though appointments to those departments had to be approved by the two-chamber City Council. Seeking to replace the 1848 charter, Worcester voters in November 1947 approved

725-591: A blizzard traversed over the city as it shed almost 32 inches (81 cm) of snow. This was the highest single-day snowfall total for anywhere in Massachusetts since data collection began in 1892. While rare, the city has had its share of extreme weather. On September 21, 1938, the city was hit by the brutal New England Hurricane of 1938 . Fifteen years later, Worcester was hit by a tornado that killed 94 people. The deadliest tornado in New England history, it damaged

870-503: A center of American revolutionary activity. The Worcester Revolt on September 6, 1774, was an early successful attempt to throw off British rule. British General Thomas Gage was given information of patriot ammunition stockpiled in Worcester in 1775. That same year, Massachusetts Spy publisher Isaiah Thomas moved his radical newspaper out of British occupied Boston to Worcester. Thomas would continuously publish his paper throughout

1015-491: A change to Plan E municipal government . In effect from January 1949 until November 1985, this charter (as outlined in chapter 43 of the Massachusetts General Laws) established City Council/City Manager government. This type of governance, with modifications, has survived to the present day. Initially, Plan E government in Worcester was organized as a 9-member council (all at-large), a ceremonial mayor elected from

1160-589: A corruption trial which threw a pall on his reputation that did not help with his drive to construct the turnpike extension. On top of the legal allegations, a group of three professors from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University made public allegations that the MTA had been using inflated numbers to push through its bond issues, thus artificially inflating their values. This led to failed series of bond issues that critics hoped would prevent

1305-617: A deed to eight square miles of land in Quinsigamond from the Nipmuc people and English traders and settlers began to inhabit the region. In 1675, King Philip's War broke out throughout New England with the Nipmuc Indians coming to the aid of Indian leader King Philip . The English settlers completely abandoned the Quinsigamond area and the empty buildings were burned by the Indian forces. The town

1450-475: A five-alarm fire at the Worcester Cold Storage & Warehouse Company . The fire took the lives of six firemen and drew national attention as one of the worst firefighting tragedies of the late 20th century. President Bill Clinton , Vice President Al Gore and other local and national dignitaries attended the funeral service and memorial program in Worcester. In recent decades, a renewed interest in

1595-459: A former turnpike board member and Jordan Levy , the vice chair of the board. Mihos and Levy had cast votes on the board to postpone a toll hike. Swift objected, saying such a delay was "fiscally irresponsible" and saying the two men "interfered with the effective daily management of the Authority". Mihos and Levy refused to step down and sued Swift to retain their positions. The SJC ruled that

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1740-400: A large area of the city of Worcester. The tornado left massive destruction and killed 94 people. The Worcester tornado would be the deadliest tornado ever to hit Massachusetts. Debris from the tornado landed as far away as Dedham . In the 1960s, Interstate 290 was built right through the center of Worcester, permanently dividing the city. In 1963, Worcester native Harvey Ball introduced

1885-489: A large part of the city and surrounding towns. It struck Assumption Preparatory School , now the site of Quinsigamond Community College . According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Worcester had a population of 206,518, of which 104,911 (50.8%) were female and 101,607 (49.2%) were male. In terms of age, 81.0% were over 18 years old and 13.6% were over 65 years old; children under 5 made up 5.2% of the city's population. In terms of race and ethnicity, Worcester's population as of 2020

2030-538: A local retail location. Installation of gantries began in January 2016, and open road tolling began on October 28, 2016. The inner segments of the toll booths were demolished 30 days after this date, which allowed traffic speeds to be raised. Complete demolition of toll booths and reconstruction was completed by the end of 2017. As there are no gantries between exits 45 and 54 (former exits 4 and 7) or between exits 90 and 96 (former exits 10 and 11),

2175-582: A municipal has-been, Callahan was tasked in 1955 by the legislature to create an extension into the city designed to facilitate a turnaround of the city's fortunes. This new highway would connect the Massachusetts Turnpike to the heart of the city with a 12.3-mile (19.8 km) extension of the Interstate. It was his plan to bring the tolled turnpike from its terminus at Route 128 in West Newton into

2320-618: A new retail, commercial and living destination in the city. After struggling to secure finances for a number of years, Hanover Insurance took over the project and demolition began on September 13, 2010. Unum Insurance and the Saint Vincent Hospital leased into the project and both facilities opened in 2013. The new Front Street opened on December 31, 2012. Worcester has become home to many refugees in recent years. The city has successfully resettled over 2,000 refugees coming from over 24 countries. Today, most of these refugees come from

2465-467: A new viaduct above the turnpike and off of the existing at-grade roadbed. The design is of a considerably smaller footprint than the existing configuration; this would facilitate the construction of the proposed West Station and the expansion of Harvard University on land where the existing viaduct is located. The design phase was expected to be completed in 2019 and with a planned ground breaking in 2020. In September 2021, after much public criticism of

2610-450: A period of new highway projects planning that sought to help end the economic malaise the state was suffering from. It was in 1947 that Republican Governor Robert F. Bradford realized that the commonwealth needed to implement a standard framework to properly guide the planning and construction of these new roadways. He commissioned a study to produce a new Highway Master Plan for the eastern region, and, by 1948, it had been completed. Seeking

2755-439: A riot broke out. Klansmen's cars were stoned and burned, and their windows smashed. KKK members were pulled from their cars and beaten. Klansmen called for police protection, but the situation raged out of control for most of the night. The violence after the "Klanvocation" had the desired effect: Membership fell off, and no further public Klan meetings were held in Worcester. Robert Stoddard , owner of The Telegram and Gazette ,

2900-690: A schoolteacher and studied law in Worcester. Worcester also had a role in the start of the American Revolution , with an event that is oft-forgotten. On September 6, 1774, 4,622 militiamen from 37 towns in Worcester County assembled and marched on Main Street, Worcester; they sought to shut down the Crown's court before it could sit for a new session. The event was dubbed the Worcester Revolution , or

3045-506: A series of "flyover ramps" that would eliminate the interweaving of traffic that causes bottlenecks and crashes at the interchange. The state expects that the construction would begin in 2022 and run through 2026 at an estimated cost of approximately $ 296.4 million. Since 2001, the MTA had come under fire from state politicians in a fight for control of the quasistate agency. Beginning in 2001, former Massachusetts acting Governor Jane Swift ( Republican ) attempted to fire Christy Mihos ,

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3190-543: A soda-water fountain and some lovely colored dishes." On October 19, 1924, the largest gathering of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) ever held in New England took place at the Agricultural Fairgrounds in Worcester. Klansmen in sheets and hoods, new Knights awaiting a mass induction ceremony, and supporters swelled the crowd to 15,000. The KKK had hired more than 400 "husky guards", but when the rally ended around midnight,

3335-414: A strong, independent, and semipublic transportation authority that could fund the new expressway by floating its own bond issues and financing them through tolls along the highway while having its own powers of eminent domain to secure the land needed to build it. Utilizing the political goodwill he accrued during his tenure as public works commissioner, primarily through extensive patronage hires, Callahan

3480-547: A way to overcome issues the BRA was having in obtaining approval for the Prudential project from the city. Logue was in many ways the equal to Callahan: a driven man who sought the power to get things done as the head of a semiindependent authority whose structure had been modeled on Callahan's MTA. Logue, who was responsible for many urban renewal projects in Boston at the time, including

3625-581: A year, as well as an average of 64 inches (160 cm) of snowfall a season, receiving far more snow than coastal locations less than 40 miles (64 km) away. Massachusetts' geographic location, jutting out into the North Atlantic , as well as Worcester's elevation relative to the surrounding terrain, makes the city very prone to Nor'easter weather systems that can dump heavy snow on the region. Extreme winters have brought up to 120 inches (300 cm) of snowfall, as happened in 2005. In late January 2015,

3770-408: Is 102 °F (39 °C), recorded on July 4, 1911, the only 100 °F (38 °C) or greater temperature to date. The all-time record low temperature is −24 °F (−31 °C), recorded on February 16, 1943. Worcester is known for being particularly snowy in the cold months, sometimes even experiencing intense autumn blizzards. The city averages 48.07 inches (1,220 mm) of precipitation

3915-530: Is a regional hub of government, industry, and transportation hub. Since the 1970s, and especially since the construction of Route 146 and interstates 90 , 495 , 190 , 290 , and 395 , both Worcester and its surrounding towns have become more integrated with Boston's suburbs. The Worcester region now marks the western periphery of the Boston–Worcester–Providence (MA–RI–NH) U.S. Census Combined Statistical Area (CSA), or Greater Boston . The area

4060-464: Is also used to access Soldiers Field Road , a surface parkway that provides local access through central Boston and parallels the Turnpike. Before being renumbered exit 131 in both directions, exit 18 was a left-hand eastbound exit and westbound entrance, and exit 20 was a westbound exit and eastbound entrance; a mainline toll plaza was previously placed in between them for through traffic and

4205-415: Is governed by a council–manager government , with a popularly elected mayor . A city council acts as the legislative body, and the council-appointed manager handles the traditional day-to-day chief executive functions. City councilors can run as either a representative of a city district or as an at-large candidate. The winning at-large candidate who receives the greatest number of votes for mayor becomes

4350-530: Is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth" because of its proximity to the center of Massachusetts. The city is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston , 50 miles (80 km) east of Springfield , and 38 miles (61 km) northwest of Providence, Rhode Island . The Blackstone River forms in the center of Worcester by the confluence of the Middle River and Mill Brook. The river courses underground through

4495-568: Is known as the "Heart of the Commonwealth"; a heart is the official symbol of the city. Worcester is the historical seat of Worcester County . Worcester developed as an industrial city in the 19th century because the Blackstone Canal and railways facilitated the import of raw materials and the export of such finished goods as machines, textiles, and wire. Many European immigrants made up the city's growing population. After World War II , manufacturing there waned; economic and population decline

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4640-606: Is labeled as a singular exit traveling westbound, but splits into three ramps for eastbound travel; exit 134A is a left-hand exit toward South Station , while exits 134B and 134C are directed toward I-93 northbound and southbound, respectively. The turnpike travels under the Fort Point Channel before reaching South Boston at exit 135, after which it enters the Ted Williams Tunnel to pass beneath Boston Harbor. Exit 137 to Logan International Airport

4785-700: Is the longest Interstate Highway in the United States . In the west, the turnpike begins in Berkshire County at the Massachusetts state line in West Stockbridge , where I-90 (routed through the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway ) enters from Canaan, New York . Most toll plazas were located on the entrance/exit ramps before entering the turnpike itself. An exception

4930-701: Is the longest gap between exits on the entire length of I-90, and the fifth-longest gap between exits in the entire Interstate Highway System . The highest elevation on the turnpike exists in the Berkshires , reaching 1,724 feet (525 m) above sea level in Becket ; this point is also the highest elevation on I-90 east of South Dakota . Beyond the peak elevation and between the exits, an eastbound runaway truck ramp exists in Russell . After almost 50 miles (80 km) of relative ruralness, I-90 has an interchange that leads to

5075-850: Is the sole exit within the Ted Williams Tunnel, before the turnpike exits the tunnel and meets its eastern terminus at Route 1A northbound toward Revere . As of 2009 , toll revenue generated from the Massachusetts Turnpike is to be spent in the section in which it was collected, either the Western Turnpike or the Boston Extension (alternatively named the "Metropolitan Highway System" for administrative purposes). Tolls from exit 3 (former exit 1) in West Stockbridge through exit 51 (former exit 6) in Chicopee were removed by then-Governor Bill Weld in 1996, following complaints that

5220-729: The American Revolutionary War . On July 14, 1776, Thomas performed the first public reading in Massachusetts of the Declaration of Independence from the porch of the Old South Church, where the 19th-century Worcester City Hall stands today. He would later go on to form the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester in 1812. During the turn of the 19th century, Worcester's economy moved into manufacturing. Factories producing textiles, shoes and clothing opened along

5365-519: The Boston University campus near Boston University Bridge . After four decades of no new developments, in August 2020, construction began on Parcel 12, and construction was expected to begin within the month at Fenway Center pending a final agreement with MassDOT, leading to planned closure of one lane in each direction for a year. Parcel 12 is between Newbury Street, Boylston Street, and

5510-547: The Charles River and US 20 and be constructed using the funds now being provided by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Additionally, residents of the city of Newton, who would see significant demolition of neighborhoods within the city along with large portions of its central business district to make way for the turnpike extension, were adamantly against the proposed Boston and Albany routing of

5655-545: The Democratic Republic of the Congo , Iraq , Somalia , Bhutan , Syria , Ukraine and Afghanistan . Worcester has a total area of 38.6 square miles (100 km ): 37.6 square miles (97 km ) of land and 1.0 square mile (2.6 km ), comprising roughly 2.59%, of water. Worcester is bordered by the towns of Auburn , Grafton , Holden , Leicester , Millbury , Paxton , Shrewsbury , and West Boylston . Worcester

5800-500: The E-ZPass branding in 2012. The original toll booths were demolished and replaced by toll gantries with the transition to open road tolling in 2016, which replaced cash payment with "pay-by-plate" billing. The Massachusetts Turnpike is informally divided into two sections by MassDOT : the original 123-mile (198 km) "Western Turnpike" extending from the New York state border through

5945-559: The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) and federal courts. Affected property owners within Boston who were also looking at the possibility of losing their homes and business followed Newton's lead by filing a series of state and federal lawsuits that they hoped would derail the proposed extension. In the late 1950s, eminent domain takings for the Massachusetts Turnpike Extension into Boston devastated

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6090-661: The Muddy River as it approaches the city's central neighborhoods. Exit 133 and the now-closed Clarendon Street onramp are located within the Prudential Tunnel , which takes the turnpike underneath the Prudential Center; the former is an eastbound exit towards the Prudential Center and Copley Square , while the latter is a westbound-only entrance from Clarendon Street. Beyond the Prudential Tunnel, exit 134

6235-623: The Prudential Center in Boston . The 0.75-mile (1.21 km) underwater section of the Ted Williams Tunnel , which carries the turnpike under Boston Harbor to its eastern terminus at Route 1A by Logan International Airport , is reduced to four lanes. The turnpike is the longest Interstate Highway in Massachusetts , while I-90 in full (which begins nationally in Seattle, Washington )

6380-648: The Southeast Expressway , and the Central Artery through the heart of the Boston's downtown. These three projects, totaling more than $ 92 million (equivalent to $ 986 million in 2023 ), were seen as being essential to the growth of the city in the future. However, the construction of these roads took such a large portion of funds that the commonwealth was unable to provide funds for the Western Expressway project. However, before Callahan could oversee

6525-631: The Sudbury River between exit 111 at Route 9 and exit 117 at Route 30 , all located within Framingham . The last connection with another Interstate Highway on the Western Turnpike is located in Weston, at the I-95 and Route 128 concurrency . This multipiece interchange is collectively referred to as the "Weston tolls". Before being renumbered exit 123 in both directions, exit 14

6670-574: The Tobin Bridge , Callahan Tunnel , Sumner Tunnel , and Ted Williams Tunnel joined the system and were converted to charging a single toll in both directions, rather than a double toll in one direction. The Tobin Bridge was converted to all-electronic tolling for southbound only in July 2014. In addition to license plate information, the gantries also collect vehicle speed data; a MassDOT spokesperson said that

6815-526: The United States . Named after Worcester, England , the city had 206,518 people at the 2020 census , also making it the second- most populous city in New England , after Boston . Worcester is about 40 miles (64 km) west of Boston, 50 miles (80 km) east of Springfield , and 40 miles (64 km) north-northwest of Providence . Because it is near the geographic center of Massachusetts, Worcester

6960-423: The poverty threshold . Worcester is known for its diversity and large immigrant population, with significant communities of Vietnamese , Brazilians , Albanians , Puerto Ricans , Ghanaians , Dominicans , along with Chinese and Indian Americans. 22% of Worcester's population in 2018 was born outside the United States. Data is from the 2015–2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Worcester

7105-484: The ticket system for toll collection; a driver would obtain a ticket from an onramp, which they would surrender to an offramp and pay a toll based on traveled distance. While most toll plazas were located on the entrance/exit ramps by the turnpike, exceptions included the mainline toll plazas in West Stockbridge, Weston, and Allston–Brighton. Electronic toll collection was introduced as an alternative to cash payment with Fast Lane transponders in 1998; when installed in

7250-480: The $ 200 million applied for from the same program in 2023. The "I-495/I-90 Interchange Improvements Project" is intended to realign exit 106 (former exit 11A) in Hopkinton , where the existing interchange (designed for the now-demolished toll plazas) is notoriously congested and accident-prone during rush hour and holiday travel times. As of 2018 , MassDOT is examining three design proposals, which have raised

7395-434: The 1950s weighed heavy on the minds of Frederick P. Salvucci and his team. It was realized early on that the commonwealth could not just lay waste to parts of the city and pave them over; the state would have to ensure that construction would balance the needs of the highways against the livability of the city and neighborhoods the project would pass through. Mitigation efforts would be of utmost importance in moving ahead with

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7540-556: The Boston Extension continue to be handled separately with this reorganization. In response to a fatality caused by the collapse of the ceiling of the eastbound I-90 connector tunnel approaching the Ted Williams Tunnel on July 10, 2006, and, in response to MTA Chair Matthew J. Amorello 's refusal (at the time) to resign, Romney took legal steps to have Amorello forcibly removed as head of the MTA. This effort culminated in Amorello's resignation on August 15, 2006. The next day, John Cogliano

7685-709: The Canal District Business Association, have proposed restoring the canal and creating a Blackstone Valley National Park . Worcester is one of many cities claimed, like Rome , to be found on seven hills : Airport Hill, Bancroft Hill, Belmont Hill (Bell Hill), Grafton Hill , Green Hill, Pakachoag Hill and Vernon Hill. However, Worcester has more than seven hills, examples of which include Indian Hill, Newton Hill, Poet's Hill, and Wigwam Hill. Worcester has many ponds and two prominent lakes: Indian Lake and Lake Quinsigamond . Lake Quinsigamond (also known as Long Pond) stretches four miles (6.4 km) across

7830-459: The Central Artery, and the Prudential Center was on its way to completion; however, Callahan did not live to see this. On April 24, 1964, he died of a massive heart attack at his home. The year 1968 saw the beginning of the first major expansion of the turnpike after the completion of the Boston extension in 1965. While the original design of the roadway called for an eight-lane expressway along

7975-513: The Earles and the Chases, whose organizing efforts were crucial to the anti-slavery cause in central Massachusetts and throughout New England. Anarchist Emma Goldman and two others opened an ice cream shop in 1892. "It was spring and not yet warm," Goldman later wrote, "but the coffee I brewed, our sandwiches, and dainty dishes were beginning to be appreciated. Within a short time, we were able to invest in

8120-520: The General Court to once again authorize a land taking deal and tax-deferment bill, which was passed rather quickly and signed by then-Governor Foster Furcolo . While this new bill was again deemed unconstitutional by the SJC, in its decision the General Court provided a framework for the legislature to construct a bill that would pass constitutional muster. The bill also gave Logue's BRA considerable powers over

8265-476: The MTA from raising the needed funds for construction. It was in the midst of these many legal problems that, in April 1960, Prudential announced that continuation of their building project was contingent on direct highway access via a toll road along the Boston and Albany Railroad right-of-way . Additionally, Prudential would lease air rights to the parcels from the MTA and purchase a large portion of bonds issued by

8410-499: The Massachusetts Legislature Transportation Committee cited the potential need to amend state law and the uncertainty of how the turnpike would be maintained as setbacks to the toll removal, which ultimately never came to fruition. In the November 9, 2006, edition of The Boston Globe , Governor Mitt Romney announced his intention to try to remove the tolls before his successor, Deval Patrick ,

8555-456: The Massachusetts Turnpike is essentially free between those pairs of exits. Otherwise, the transition to open road tolling is revenue neutral, meaning the tolls between any other pair of exits only saw small adjustments. Tolls are slightly higher for out-of-state residents without an E-ZPassMA transponder, and no-transponder tolls are higher. When all-electronic tolling went live on the Mass Pike,

8700-443: The Performing Arts . In 2000, the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences built a new campus in downtown Worcester. In 2007, WPI opened the first facility in their new Gateway Park center in Lincoln Square. In 2004, Berkeley Investments proposed demolishing the old Worcester Center Galleria for a new mixed-used development called City Square . The ambitious project looked to reconnect old street patterns while creating

8845-410: The United States. Worcester would also claim many inventions and firsts. New England Candlepin bowling was invented in Worcester by Justin White in 1879. Esther Howland began the first line of Valentine's Day cards from her Worcester home in 1847. Loring Coes invented the first monkey wrench and Russell Hawes created the first envelope folding machine. On June 12, 1880, Lee Richmond pitched

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8990-406: The Worcester Revolt. Having seized the courthouse, the militiamen waited for the 25 appointees from the Crown to arrive, where they were denied entry and later forced to disavow their appointments by King George III. Bloodshed and violence was avoided, with not a shot fired. British authority had been demonstrably overthrown in the American colonies for the first time. In the 1770s, Worcester became

9135-484: The Worcester and Shrewsbury border and is a very popular competitive rowing and boating destination. Worcester's humid continental climate ( Köppen : Dfb ) is typical of New England . The weather changes rapidly owing to the confluence of warm, humid air from the southwest; cool, dry air from the north; and the moderating influence of the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Summers are typically hot and humid, while winters are cold, windy, and snowy. Snow typically falls from

9280-451: The agency "will not be using the AET [all-electronic tolling] system to issue speeding violations". Toll data is not a public record and is not subject to Freedom of Information Act requests, and MassDOT states that "All data collected will remain secure and kept confidential." The data can be obtained by subpoena , however, and law enforcement will be able to specify license-plate numbers that will generate an immediate email if detected by

9425-411: The authority. Despite this agreement, Governor Volpe was still trying to nix the turnpike's plans along the Boston and Albany right-of-way, filing the city of Newton's request with the ICC to stop the construction of the roadway. It was only after a series of meetings between Volpe, Callahan, and Prudential executives that the governor was finally persuaded to withdraw the ICC filing and reluctantly support

9570-409: The beginning of the Great Depression . Boston retail stalwarts such as Filene's and Jordan Marsh had decided to focus their energies and growth into the suburbs; Boston's citizens had begun to flee to the same suburban pastures as property taxes in the city skyrocketed. As U.S. News & World Report stated, Boston was "dying on the vine". After the end of the war, Massachusetts entered into

9715-463: The center of the city, and emerges at the foot of College Hill. It then flows south through Quinsigamond Village and into Millbury. Worcester is the beginning of the Blackstone Valley that frames the river. The Blackstone Canal was once an important waterway connecting Worcester to Providence and the Eastern Seaboard , but the canal fell into disuse at the end of the 19th century and was mostly covered up. In recent years, local organizations, including

9860-411: The city along the path of the Boston and Albany Railroad and connect it to the Southeast Expressway. This plan was in line with the 1948 Master Highway Plan for the city, which had always called for a Western Expressway to be built into the city. However, with the passage of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 , the federal government provided sufficient funds to the states to construct new highways with

10005-410: The city shortly after taking office in 1949. Enjoying a Democratic majority within the State House coupled with a Democratic governor for the first time in the commonwealth's history, he pushed through a series of highway bills with associated gas tax increases totaling over $ 400 million (equivalent to $ 3.69 billion in 2023 ) between 1949 and 1952. To oversee this undertaking, Dever brought in

10150-405: The city's downtown has brought new investment and construction to Worcester. A Convention Center was built along the DCU Center arena in downtown Worcester in 1997. In 2000, Worcester's Union Station reopened after 25 years of neglect and a $ 32 million renovation. Hanover Insurance helped fund a multimillion-dollar renovation to the old Franklin Square Theater into the Hanover Theatre for

10295-419: The city, this one to revitalize the desolate Seaport District. The MTA managed the Big Dig, which rerouted the elevated Central Artery into the O'Neill Tunnel through Downtown Boston, and extended the turnpike beyond its terminus at the Central Artery into the Ted Williams Tunnel and connected it to Route 1A beyond Logan International Airport . Construction began in 1991, and the final extension of

10440-641: The city; this alignment was ultimately approved by the SJC , under the condition that a replacement Star Market was allowed to be built above the turnpike. Other projects developed through air rights include the Four Points by Sheraton in Newton, the Copley Place shopping mall in Boston, and the Prudential Center in Boston. Proposals for future air rights projects include the mixed-use Fenway Center , and an extension of

10585-488: The commonwealth's plan to bypass the MTA was being announced. This proposed development stood square in the middle of the Boston leg of Callahan's planned turnpike extension and could possibly kill his proposed extension. While many opponents within and outside the city looked upon the Prudential announcement as the possible final nail-in-the-coffin for Callahan's proposed toll road, Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) head Edward J. Logue saw Callahan's Prudential problem as

10730-462: The commonwealth. As a result, East Boston saw almost no takings of buildings or homes through eminent domain or the destruction of neighborhoods because construction was relegated to the then-unoccupied areas of the Seaport District and Logan International Airport . Like the first turnpike extension, the connection of the turnpike to East Boston was also designed to provide an economic stimulus to

10875-486: The completion of the southern leg of Route 128, he was appointed by Dever to run the newly formed MTA. Because of the financial strain created by the bond issues used to construct these other highways, the commonwealth was unable to afford the costs of floating more bonds to fund the expenditures required to construct the Western Expressway along the Western Approach corridor of Boston. Callahan suggested creating

11020-445: The constitutionality of the land takings required to build the complex. Adding to the problems associated with the Prudential project, during 1960 and 1961 there was a series of allegations made against Callahan claiming he had been engaging in illegal activities related to his second tenure as Public Works commissioner. These allegations included charges of financial kickbacks, bid rigging, and other questionable practices. This led to

11165-549: The construction of Storrow Drive and the West End redevelopment project, realized the Prudential project was essential to Boston's redevelopment efforts. The main issue holding up the project was a lack of consensus over tax breaks Prudential was demanding in order to move forward with the project. Additionally, several legal decisions were handed down by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) questioning

11310-512: The contract with Citizens Bank was not renewed upon expiration; the Fast Lane name was replaced with the E-ZPass branding, with which Fast Lane was interoperable, in 2012. In 2014, Raytheon won a $ 130 million (equivalent to $ 165 million in 2023 ) contract to convert the Massachusetts Turnpike to all-electronic open road tolling . The stated goal of the change was to "make vehicle travel safer and more efficient". Additional changes included

11455-541: The council by the councilors, and a council-appointed city manager. The manager oversees the daily administration of the city, makes all appointments to city offices, and can be removed at any time by a majority vote of the council. The mayor chairs the city council and the school committee, and does not have the power to veto any vote. From 1949 through 1959, elections were by the single transferable vote . Voters repealed that system in November 1960. Despite non-partisan elections, two groups alternated in control of council:

11600-552: The country and Washburn became one of the leading industrial and philanthropic figures in the city. Worcester would become a center of machinery, wire products and power looms and boasted large manufacturers, including Washburn & Moen, Wyman-Gordon Company, American Steel & Wire, Morgan Construction and the Norton Company . In 1908, the Royal Worcester Corset Company was the largest employer of women in

11745-510: The eastern terminus of I-84 . In Auburn , exit 90 has a two-Interstate interchange with I-395 traveling southbound and I-290 traveling eastbound. The Blackstone River flows underneath the turnpike in Millbury , where it has an interchange with Route 146 and a second direct connection to US 20 at exit 94. Entering Middlesex County in Hopkinton , it has an interchange with I-495 at exit 106. The turnpike crosses

11890-436: The elimination of toll booth operators, as well as the demolition of existing toll plazas and reconfiguration of surrounding roadways. Overhead gantries between most exits read E-ZPass transponders. Drivers without a transponder use pay-by-plate , having their license plate photographed and an invoice sent to the registered owner. This method of payment adds a $ 0.60 surcharge per invoice, with payment made online, or in cash at

12035-704: The first perfect game in Major league baseball history for the Worcester Ruby Legs at the Worcester Agricultural Fairgrounds . The first three-decker homes were built by Francis Gallagher (1830–1911) in Worcester. After World War II, Worcester began to fall into decline as the city lost its manufacturing base to cheaper alternatives across the country and overseas. Worcester felt the national trends of movement away from historic urban centers. The city's population dropped over 20% from 1950 to 1980. In

12180-406: The following schools: Former members include: Official website See also: Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( / ˈ w ʊ s t ər / WUUST -ər , locally [ˈwɪstə] ) is the second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the 114th most populous city in

12325-531: The former commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Works , William F. Callahan , to once again head the agency he had helmed from 1934 to 1939. Known for his strong personality and drive to get projects completed, Callahan immediately set out to construct three of the proposed highways (not including what would become I-495 , which had been included in the 1947 plan): the "original outer" circumferential highway which became Route 128 ,

12470-407: The historic Black-American community named "The Village". Compensation was offered for the homes below market value. Homeowners and renters confronted racial discrimination when trying to purchase or rent homes in Newton. Real estate agents would not work with them. They had to rely on word of mouth to find a new home. It is estimated that 50 percent left Newton as a result of the construction of

12615-547: The iconic yellow smiley face to American culture. In the late 20th century, Worcester's economy began to recover as the city expanded into biotechnology and healthcare fields. The UMass Medical School has become a leader in biomedical research and the Massachusetts Biotechnology Research Park has become a center of medical research and development. Worcester hospitals Saint Vincent Hospital and UMass Memorial Health Care have become two of

12760-597: The idea into the late 2000s. In 2011, the Town of Oxford included the construction of a new interchange as a long-term recommendation in their municipal transportation plan; construction estimates were $ 60 million to $ 75 million (equivalent to $ 86.9 million to $ 100 million in 2023 ). The construction of an exit between exit 10 (former exit 2) in Lee and exit 41 (former exit 3) in Westfield, separated by

12905-540: The inner windshield of a vehicle, the equipment would be recognized automatically in special lanes at toll plazas and would withdraw the toll amount from the motorist's account. It was first sponsored by BankBoston , and later FleetBoston Financial , before sponsorship was assumed by Citizens Bank in 2003. Motorists were previously charged $ 27.50 (equivalent to $ 45.55 in 2023 ) for the hardware itself, although this fee has since been removed. Citing federal highway regulations that prohibit sponsorship of toll plaza signage,

13050-596: The interchange with I-95 and Route 128 at exit 123 in Weston , and the 15-mile (24 km) "Boston Extension" that continues beyond exit 123 through Boston . It is a four-lane highway from the New York state border through its interchange with I-84 at exit 78 in Sturbridge ; it expands to six lanes beyond this interchange and briefly travels with eight lanes from exit 127 in Newton through exit 133 by

13195-527: The largest employers in the city. Worcester's many colleges, including the College of the Holy Cross , Worcester Polytechnic Institute , Clark University , UMass Medical School, Assumption University , Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences , and Worcester State University , attract many students to the area and help drive the new economy. On December 3, 1999, a homeless couple accidentally started

13340-514: The local Democratic Party and a slate known as the Citizens' Plan E Association (CEA). CEA members included the Republican Party leadership and other groups not affiliated with the regular Democratic Party. In 1983, Worcester voters again decided to change the city charter. This "Home Rule" charter (named for the method of adoption of the charter) is similar to Plan E, the major changes being to

13485-418: The local routes used to get into Boston were still insufficient for the automotive traffic burdens placed upon them. While the highway construction boom proved to be fortunate for the suburban communities these new roadways passed through, the economy of Boston was still in a fragile state. Realizing that Boston still needed to be connected to the turnpike to help reverse its flagging economy and reputation as

13630-574: The majority of the route, it was only constructed as a four-lane roadway along most of its length until it reached the junction of Route 9 in Framingham, where the roadway expanded to six lanes. Starting in 1968, the highway from the I-84 interchange in Sturbridge to Route 9 was widened from its original four lanes to six; that widening project was completed around 1971. However, the mainline right-of-way

13775-516: The manufacturer of the epoxy used to hold the ceiling bolts. In addition to the exits opened during construction of the Boston Extension, two infill exits were opened between existing interchanges on the Western Turnpike. Exit 106 (former exit 11A) in Hopkinton connects the turnpike with I-495 and enables transit between northern New England and Cape Cod ; it was opened in 1969. Exit 94 (former exit 10A) in Millbury connects

13920-554: The mayor (at-large councilor candidates must ask to be removed from the ballot for mayor if they do not want to be listed on the mayoral ballot). As a result, voters must vote for their mayoral candidate twice, once as an at-large councilor, and once as the mayor. The mayor has no more authority than other city councilors, but is the ceremonial head of the city and chair of the city council and school committee. Currently, there are 11 councilors: 6 at-large and 5 district. Worcester's first charter , which went into effect in 1848, established

14065-520: The mid-19th century and later many immigrants of Lithuanian, Polish, Italian, Greek, Turkish, Armenian, Syrian, and Lebanese descent. Immigrants moved into new three-decker houses (which originated in Worcester) lining hundreds of Worcester's expanding streets and neighborhoods. In 1831, Ichabod Washburn opened the Washburn & Moen Company . The company would become the largest wire manufacturing in

14210-682: The mid-20th century, large urban renewal projects were undertaken to try to reverse the city's decline. A huge area of downtown Worcester was demolished for new office towers and the 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m ) Worcester Center Galleria shopping mall. After only 30 years, the Galleria would lose most of its major tenants and its appeal to more suburban shopping malls around Worcester County. On June 9, 1953, an F4 tornado touched down in Petersham , northwest of Worcester. The tornado tore through 48 miles (77 km) of Worcester County including

14355-501: The nearby Blackstone River . However, the manufacturing industry in Worcester would not begin to thrive until the opening of the Blackstone Canal in 1828 and the opening of the Worcester and Boston Railroad in 1835. The city transformed into a transportation hub and the manufacturing industry flourished. Worcester was officially chartered as a city on February 29, 1848. The city's industries soon attracted immigrants of primarily Irish, Scottish, French, German, and Swedish descent in

14500-521: The new highway, since the turnpike had been described as "wider and more divisive to the city" than the original Central Artery . More recently, the income received from the leased air rights have been used for paying off the Big Dig . There are 23 parcels of air space over the highway, the majority of which have not been developed. Among other objectives, guidelines established by the "Civic Vision for Turnpike Air Rights in Boston" in 2000 recommend that

14645-560: The only unbuilt freeway-related construction projects "inside" of Route 128 that would be allowed to go forward. The notions of using existing rights of way or areas where neighborhood displacement would be minimized were applied to the second extension of the turnpike as part of the Big Dig. Salvucci deliberately planned to bring the East Boston Extension through areas with little or no occupancy or those properties already owned by

14790-569: The political benefits that a major public works project would bring, Bradford sent his plan to the Democratic -controlled Massachusetts General Court for approval; however, the Democrats sat on the project until their candidate, newly elected Democratic Governor Paul A. Dever , took office in January 1949. It was instead Dever who initiated the program to implement the Highway Master Plan for

14935-450: The position of 'member ' ". Romney put pressure on Amorello to step down. Amorello announced he would do so in 2007, after Romney would have left office. Romney continued to press the legislature to give him the power to remove members from the board, specifically the chairman, pointing to a series of financial and construction mishaps over the last several years. However, the legislature instead sought to keep Amorello on board by extending

15080-493: The project, and, As of January 2022 , preliminary design is in progress, and modified project permits need to be obtained; construction is expected to start in 2023 and last for 6–10 years. As of October 2023, the project is undergoing the federal environmental permitting process, which will continue into 2024. The project did not win a National Infrastructure Project Assistance Program (MEGA) competitive grant on its 2021 application for $ 1.2 billion in federal funding, nor

15225-588: The project. Governor Francis Sargent had shut down any ideas of further freeway construction within the Route ;128 beltway in 1970, thereby canceling both the I-695 "inner belt" and the Southwest Corridor freeway projects, placing more emphasis on the already-completed Boston extension of I-90, the extension of I-93 into Boston, and the work to eventually depress Boston's Central Artery below ground level as

15370-488: The proposed use of the parcels "[foster] increased use and capacity of public transportation" and "[reinforce] the vitality and quality of life in adjacent neighborhoods". The Star Market (briefly renamed Shaw's Supermarket) in Newtonville is the earliest example of commercial construction over the turnpike. In the 1960s, the MTA intended to route the highway through the parking lot of the supermarket's previous location in

15515-481: The redevelopment project, allowing him to rapidly move forward with permit approvals and tax issues. The turnpike–Prudential deal linked with the Logue and the BRA's new powers to move the project forward quickly quieted much of the remaining opposition to the new roadway and cemented the idea of air right development as an integral part of the turnpike moving forward. By 1965, the Massachusetts Turnpike had been connected to

15660-445: The road will still need $ 135 million per year for repairs and maintenance. At a January 22, 2009, board meeting, the turnpike decided to stop charging a one-time $ 25.95 fee for the acquisition of a Fast Lane toll transponder, replacing it with a 50-cent monthly recurring service fee. The implementation of the 50-cent monthly fee was canceled after long delays at toll plazas on Easter Sunday. The turnpike traditionally utilized

15805-407: The road. Newton, through the terms of two mayors, set about fighting the turnpike proposal through a series of increasingly futile legislative maneuvers in the General Court. Realizing that the needs and wants of the smaller city could not overcome the influence of Callahan within the state capitol, the smaller city would instead redirect its efforts to blocking the highway at the federal level through

15950-617: The second half of November into early April, with occasional falls in October; May snow is much rarer. The USDA classifies the city as straddling hardiness zones 5b and 6a. The hottest month is July, with a 24-hour average of 70.2 °F (21.2 °C), while the coldest is January, at 24.1 °F (−4.4 °C). There are an average of only 3.5 days of highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C) and 4.1 nights of lows at or below 0 °F (−18 °C) per year, and periods of either extremes are rarely sustained. The all-time record high temperature

16095-701: The separate routes of I-91 and US 5 at exit 45 in West Springfield ; it passes over the Connecticut River before reaching Route 33 at exit 49 and I-291 at exit 51, both in Chicopee . The turnpike passes through Ludlow at exit 54 before crossing the Quaboag River to exit 63 in Palmer . The turnpike first enters Worcester County in Sturbridge, where exit 78 serves as

16240-473: The state highway department, operated under the Executive Office of Transportation . A first step to this was to replace the chair of the board, Matthew J. Amorello , with someone loyal to the governor. The governor has the power to appoint members to the board, but the SJC advised in an advisory opinion that "nothing in G. L. c. 81A explicitly provides for the removal and reassignment of the chairperson to

16385-532: The state, and is the longest Interstate Highway in Massachusetts , spanning 138 miles (222 km) along an east–west axis. The turnpike opened in 1957, and it was designated as part of the Interstate Highway System in 1959. It begins at the New York state line in West Stockbridge , linking with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway . The original western terminus of

16530-446: The structure of the council and the election of the mayor. The 9-member Council became 11, 6 at-large and 1 from each city district. The mayor is chosen by popular election, but must also run and win as an at-large councilor. Worcester's history of social progressivism includes a number of temperance and abolitionist movements. It was a leader in the women's suffrage movement: The first national convention advocating women's rights

16675-456: The suggestions of separate northbound/southbound I-495 exits and the extension of acceleration lanes through exit 111 (former exit 12) in Framingham. The project initially was estimated to cost between $ 296–413 million, and the design phase expected to be 25-percent complete by 2020. In July 2019, MassDOT announced that the state would be moving ahead with preferred design for overhaul of I-495/Mass Pike interchange consisting of

16820-469: The system. In the period following World War II , Boston had fallen into a deep period of stagnant growth. Its former maritime industries had closed as traffic in the harbor declined, the textile mills that had provided a large portion of the city's wealth had migrated out of the region seeking new locations that would allow them to maximize revenues, and property development had ground to a halt with virtually no new construction of any impact occurring since

16965-756: The terms of various board members to prevent Romney from removing Amorello. Under a plan to save state funds, the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) announced plans to close eleven of its branches in leased locations and move the operations into facilities owned by MassHighway and the MTA located in toll plazas, visitor centers, and offices. RMV branch closings were planned for Framingham, Lowell, North Attleborough, Cambridgeside Galleria Mall in Cambridge, New Bedford, Eastfield Mall in Springfield, Southbridge, Falmouth, Eastham, Beverly, and Boston. Also,

17110-414: The toll road. With the new deal in place, a not-guilty finding in the criminal case, and public relations pushback to the allegations of market tampering by the MTA, the bond measures were once again seen as a sound investment and investors quickly picked up the $ 175-million (equivalent to $ 1.38 billion in 2023 ) bond issuance. With the turnpike–Prudential agreement in place, Logue was able to petition

17255-513: The tolls collected in Western Massachusetts were financing the Big Dig in Boston; they were ultimately reinstated in October 2013. At the recommendation of former secretary of administration and finance Eric Kriss , who recommended that tolls be eliminated along the entire turnpike except for the tunnels leading to Logan International Airport, the MTA voted to remove all tolls west of Route 128 in Weston in October 2006. Members of

17400-400: The turnpike crosses over the Charles River . The first exit of the Boston Extension, exit 125, is an eastbound entrance and westbound exit at Route 16 in Newton. The turnpike enters Suffolk County in Boston before reaching the " Allston–Brighton tolls", depositing traffic toward the Boston neighborhoods of Allston and Brighton and the nearby city of Cambridge . This exit

17545-506: The turnpike through the land of the former CSX Transportation 's Beacon Park Yard , which is now owned by Harvard University , along with improvements to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 's Framingham/Worcester Line . The preliminary design plan called for the turnpike to be realigned at-grade and off the existing viaduct, and for the adjacent Soldiers Field Road to be partially realigned onto

17690-471: The turnpike to Route 146 and US 20 via the Route 20 Connector, which, in turn, facilitates movement between Worcester and Providence, Rhode Island ; construction began in 1996 and was opened in 1998 before being completed in 1999. Much of the air space (" air rights ") over the Boston Extension has been leased to third parties for commercial development. This concept was originally designed to "knit together communities" that were divided by

17835-476: The turnpike was "not part of the machinery of the government" and therefore not subject to Swift's decisions. Governor Mitt Romney , elected in 2002 during a fiscal crisis, ran on a political platform of streamlining state government and eliminating waste. Part of this was the elimination of the MTA. Romney wanted to fold the turnpike into the Massachusetts Highway Department (MassHighway),

17980-447: The turnpike was located at Route 102 in West Stockbridge before I-90 had been completed in New York state. The turnpike intersects with several Interstate Highways as it traverses the state, including I-91 in West Springfield ; I-291 in Chicopee ; I-84 in Sturbridge ; the junction of I-290 and I-395 in Auburn ; and I-495 in Hopkinton . The eastern terminus of the turnpike

18125-513: The turnpike was opened in 2003. It was for the financial needs of the project that the "Metropolitan Highway System" was created with the turnpike east of Route 128; the Ted Williams, Sumner , and Callahan tunnels under Boston Harbor ; and I-93 from Southampton Street through the O'Neill Tunnel and the Zakim Bridge to the foot of the Tobin Bridge . Finances for the Western Turnpike and

18270-480: The turnpike. Adding to Callahan's numerous problems with those in opposition to the new roadway, the Prudential Life Insurance Company announced that it was in the process of acquiring the 32-acre (13 ha) Boston and Albany Tremont Street railyard for the purpose of constructing a brand new building and associated complex to house its Northeastern American operations at about the same time as

18415-502: The viaduct and river impact during construction, a new final design was announced, which keeps the turnpike and Soldiers Field Road at-grade. In the narrowest portion of the project, known as the "throat", the Charles River Bike Path will be put on a boardwalk over the river, and roadway shoulders will be narrowed by a collective four feet for a short length to avoid any permanent filling of the river. This significantly delayed

18560-755: The west side of Massachusetts Avenue and is expected to feature a 13-story citizenM hotel, a 20-story office tower (including the headquarters of CarGurus ), a reconstructed bus shelter, a public park, street-level retail, and a new entrance to the Hynes Convention Center station of the Green Line subway. The developer of Parcel 13, on the east side of Massachusetts Avenue along Boylston Street, submitted updated plans in February 2020, with 17 stories of condos, hotel, parking, and public space. An approved plan for Parcel 15 (known as 1000 Boylston Street)

18705-491: Was 67.7% White (including Hispanics), 13.0% Black or African American , 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 7.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 5.2% from Some Other Race, and 6.4% from Two or More Races. Hispanics and Latinos of any race made up 24.6% of the population (of whom nearly half were Puerto Rican). Non-Hispanic Whites were 48.93% of the population in 2020, down from 96.8% in 1970. In 2010, 19.7% of Worcester's population are below

18850-519: Was able to push his idea for the new authority through the State House with ease. The authority was formed in early 1952, and, by 1955, it had issued the required bonds needed to construct a 123-mile (198 km) highway from the New York–Massachusetts border to the recently completed Route 128 in Weston . Despite being completed in 1957, many within the commonwealth quickly realized that

18995-428: Was again abandoned during Queen Anne's War in 1702. Finally, in 1713, Worcester was permanently resettled for a third and final time by Jonas Rice . Named after the city of Worcester, England , the town was incorporated on June 14, 1722. On April 2, 1731, Worcester was chosen as the county seat of the newly founded Worcester County government. Between 1755 and 1758, future U.S. president John Adams worked as

19140-401: Was an eastbound exit and westbound entrance, and exit 15 was a westbound exit and eastbound entrance; prior to demolition, a mainline toll plaza existed for through traffic. Following the removal of the toll plazas, exit 15 was reconfigured into exit 15A (now exit 123A) for I-95 and Route 128, and exit 15B (now exit 123B) toward Route 30. At this junction,

19285-438: Was born outside the United States. A center of higher education, it is home to eight colleges and universities, including the College of the Holy Cross , Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and Clark University . Worcester has many 19th-century triple-decker houses, Victorian-era mills and related buildings , and lunch-car diners, such as Miss Worcester . Worcester is the principal city of Central Massachusetts , and

19430-550: Was canceled by the developer in August, 2019, with the dissolution resulting in a lawsuit. For decades, there has been discussion about a potential new interchange with Route 56 in Oxford . This new interchange would be located between exit 78 (old exit 9) in Sturbridge and exit 90 (old exit 10) in Auburn. Former Leicester selectman Thomas V. Brennan Jr. created the idea for this potential new exit in 1996, and he continued to advocate for

19575-564: Was classified as "exit 19". Compensating for the sparsity of eastbound entrances and westbound exits in Back Bay and Downtown Boston , a westbound U-turn ramp heading eastbound was opened in Allston in 2007; while unsigned with an exit number, it was recognized as exit 20A for administrative purposes. Past the tolls, the turnpike reduces to six lanes, heads through the campus of Boston University and passes Fenway Park before crossing over

19720-480: Was constructed to allow future expansion of the roadway, with most bridges over the highway built with the eight-lane roadway in mind, so few bridges had to be rebuilt when it was widened in the late 1960s. When designing the Central Artery/Tunnel Project (CA/T Project; Big Dig ) in the 1970s and 1980s, the horror stories regarding urban renewal projects such as the construction of the old viaduct in

19865-533: Was held in Worcester on October 23–24, 1850. Two of the nation's most radical abolitionists, Abby Kelley Foster and her husband Stephen S. Foster, adopted Worcester as their home, as did Thomas Wentworth Higginson , the editor of The Atlantic Monthly and Emily Dickinson 's avuncular correspondent, and Unitarian minister Rev. Edward Everett Hale . The area was already home to Lucy Stone , Eli Thayer , and Samuel May Jr . They were joined in their political activities by networks of related Quaker families such as

20010-414: Was inaugurated in January 2007, but this did not occur. In 2008, Patrick announced a similar plan to remove most tolls west of I-95 , but this also did not occur before his term ended in January 2015. State law requires tolls to be removed west of Route 128 when its debt is paid and the road is in "good condition", but MassDOT plans to continue tolls after the bonds are paid off in January 2017, because

20155-468: Was inhabited by members of the Nipmuc tribe at the time of European contact. The native people called the region Quinsigamond and built a settlement on Pakachoag Hill in Auburn . In 1673, English settlers John Eliot and Daniel Gookin led an expedition to Quinsigamond to establish a new Christian Indian praying town and identify a new location for an English settlement. On July 13, 1674, Gookin obtained

20300-551: Was maintained by the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA) until the department was replaced by the Highway Division of MassDOT in 2009. The implementation and removal of tolls in some stretches of the turnpike have been controversial; travel between most, but not all, exits requires payment. The Fast Lane electronic toll collection system was introduced alongside cash payment in 1998; it was later folded into

20445-503: Was not reversed until the 1990s, when higher education, medicine, biotechnology , and new immigrants started making their mark. The population has grown by 28% since 1980, reaching its all-time high in the 2020 census and effecting urban renewal . Modern Worcester is known for its diversity and large immigrant population, with significant communities of Vietnamese , Brazilians , Albanians , Puerto Ricans , Ghanaians , Dominicans , and others. Twenty-two percent of Worcester's population

20590-554: Was one of the founders of the John Birch Society . Massachusetts Turnpike The Massachusetts Turnpike (colloquially the " Mass Pike " or " the Pike ") is a controlled-access toll highway in the US state of Massachusetts that is maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). It is concurrent with the entirety of Interstate 90 ( I-90 ) within

20735-514: Was originally at I-95 in Weston , it has been extended several times: to Allston in 1964, to the Central Artery (designated as I-93 , US Route 1 (US 1), and Route 3 ) in Downtown Boston in 1965, and to East Boston as a route to Logan International Airport in 2003 as part of the " Big Dig " megaproject. There are two auxiliary Interstate Highways in Massachusetts for I-90, those being I-190 and I-290 . The turnpike

20880-427: Was sworn in as the new chair of the MTA by Romney. On November 27, 2006, departing Attorney-General Thomas Reilly ( Democrat ) announced the state would launch a civil suit over the collapse of the ceiling in the Ted Williams Tunnel. The commonwealth sought to recover over $ 150 million (equivalent to $ 218 million in 2023 ) from project manager Bechtel / Parsons Brinckerhoff , builder Modern Continental , and

21025-728: Was the mainline West Stockbridge toll plaza, designed for toll collection from inbound traffic from New York; it existed shortly after exit 3, an eastbound-only entrance and westbound-only exit in Massachusetts. The turnpike crosses the Williams River later in West Stockbridge and passes over the Housatonic River in Lee. The 30-mile (48 km) gap between exit 10 to US 20 in Lee and exit 41 to US 202 and Route 10 in Westfield (the first in Hampden County )

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