Re: Status of old US 44
SPUI
The limits and designation of Route 80 has not changed. The old Route 44
was originally planned to be designated as Route 44A. However, the Towns
of Carver and Plymouth are considering eliminating this designation in
favor of street names. Thank you for your inquiry and for utilizing our
feedback system.
Anyone know what signage says, both on the road and on intersecting
routes (58, 80 and 3)?
Michael Moroney
> From MassHighway:
Interesting. I kinda expected them to do something similar to what
happened when they rerouted US 202/NH 9 onto a new bypass around
Hillsborough, NH a couple of years ago. They extended a route (NH 149)
that ended at "old" 202/9 along the old route in one direction to
where it met US 202. The other direction, and old NH 9 past US 202,
became unnumbered. The equivalent here would be extending MA 80 along
old US 44 either to US 3 (more logical) or to where the new bypass meets
old 44.
Ron Newman
SPUI
> How did this come to be US 44, when it's nowhere near US 40?
It was designated in 1934, after most routes had already been assigned.
US 46 was assigned around the same time.
Michael Moroney
I read once that US routes in the 40s, 50s and 60s (except 'major' routes
like US 50) were largely 'leftovers', such as diagonals and little out
of place routes like US 44. Looking at the route log and I see this is
largely true. Even US 66's eastern part was diagonal.