About Us FAQs

Programs and Policies:

Are campers and RV's allowed on the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Metropolitan Highway System (the Boston Extension and the Ted Williams and Sumner/Callahan Tunnels)?

Am I permitted to use the South Boston Bypass Road?

Can I park my car overnight at the park-n-ride lots?

How do I join the FAST LANE resident program?

Is there any discount for commuters on the Massachusetts Turnpike?

Service and Visitor Centers:

How far apart are the Turnpike service plazas?

Why does the visitor center in Charlton (eastbound) look like an old New England home?

What types of information are most commonly sought in the four visitor centers?

What are the most popular attractions in Massachusetts?

Turnpike Geography:

What happens to the Turnpike (Interstate 90) when it leaves Massachusetts?

Why do signs on the Turnpike in Becket say the next highest point is somewhere in South Dakota?

How many rivers does the MassPike pass over, and what are their names?

Where does the Appalachian Trail cross the MassPike?

How many miles long is the total Massachusetts Turnpike?

Contacts:

Who do I contact if I have a comment or complaint about the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority?


Programs and Policies:

Are campers and RV's allowed on the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Metropolitan Highway System (the Boston Extension and the Ted Williams and Sumner/Callahan Tunnels)?
Yes, campers and RV's are allowed; however, any vehicles carrying propane cannot travel on the Boston Extension (the Turnpike within Route 128) or through the tunnels.

For a comprehensive list of hazardous material, please visit the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety Web site and click on the Hazmat Table link in the left-hand column.

Am I permitted to use the South Boston Bypass Road?
Only commercial vehicles are authorized to use the Bypass Road.

Can I park my car overnight at the park-n-ride lots?
For the protection and safety of MassPike patron's vehicles, the MassPike requests you don't leave your vehicle overnight.

How do I join the FAST LANE resident program?
Get on-line information or call: 1-877-MASSPIKE (877-627-7745)

Is there any discount for commuters on the Massachusetts Turnpike?
The MassPike Commuter Carpool Program (3 or more riders per vehicle) offers commuters a great annual savings. For information call 1-877-MASSPIKE (877-627-7745).

Service and Visitor Centers:

How far apart are the Turnpike service plazas?
Eastbound from the New York border, service plazas are located in Lee (mile 9), Blandford (mile 29), Ludlow (mile 56), Charlton (mile 80), and Natick (mile 118).

Westbound, starting outside Boston, service plazas are located in Framingham (mile 114), Hopkinton (mile 105), Charlton (mile 84), Ludlow (mile 56), Blandford (mile 29) and Lee (mile 9).

The minimum distance between plazas is 15 miles (westbound between Framingham and Hopkinton); the maximum is 38 miles (eastbound between Charlton and Natick).

Why does the visitor center in Charlton (eastbound) look like an old New England home?
It is modeled after an original home built in Salem in 1684 for a tradesman, John Ward. The original Ward house is part of the Peabody/Essex Museum in Salem.

What types of information are most commonly sought in the four visitor centers?
The most frequently asked questions are for maps, directions (including specific street directions), accommodations and area attractions. A free lodging reservation service is available in the visitor centers.

What are the most popular attractions in Massachusetts?
The Freedom Trail, New England Aquarium and Science Museum in Boston; Old Sturbridge Village, Plymouth Plantation, beaches and whale watching in the summer; Salem (especially in the fall); the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield; the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge; and outlet malls.

Turnpike Geography:

What happens to the Turnpike (Interstate 90) when it leaves Massachusetts?
Upon crossing the New York border, Interstate 90 becomes part of the New York Thruway system. Interstate 90 runs across the northern United States, ending in Seattle. One person wrote us to say he loves to give directions to his mother's house in Idaho; "Take the MassPike, stay on I-90; in Butte, Montana, go south on I-15 and get off at Pocatello Creek Road."

Why do signs on the Turnpike in Becket say the next highest point is somewhere in South Dakota?
The signs at mile marker 20 inform motorists that they are traveling at an elevation of 1724 feet above sea level. There is no higher point on Interstate 90 until Oacoma, South Dakota, at 1729 feet above sea level.

How many rivers does the MassPike pass over, and what are their names?
The MassPike passes over 10 rivers:


Williams River in West Stockbridge, mile 2.5
Housatonic River in Lee, mile 10
Westfield River in Westfield, Russell and Montgomery, mile 36.2
Connecticut River in West Springfield, mile 46
Chicopee River in Chicopee, mile 58
Quaboag River in Palmer, miles 61.8 and 66
Blackstone River in Millbury, mile 93.6
Sudbury River in Framingham, miles 106.7 and 115
Charles River in Weston, mile 123
Muddy River in Boston, mile 132.5

Where does the Appalachian Trail cross the MassPike?
It crosses in Becket, at mile 14.7.

How many miles long is the total Massachusetts Turnpike?
One hundred and thirty-eight miles.

Contacts:

Who do I contact if I have a comment or complaint about the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority?
All patrons with comments or complaints should contact the Department of Commuter Services at 781-431-5087.

The Turnpike's Department of Commuter Services strives to establish a professional relationship with the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority's patrons in resolving and investigating their comments and complaints. All comments and complaints are recorded, investigated, and a conclusion is followed up with the patron. The Turnpike's priority is to provide 100% satisfaction to its patrons in regard to their comments, suggestions, and/or complaints.