US 6 shield image from wikimedia US 6 / Mid-Cape Highway

35 Miles, From MA 3 at Sagamore Bridge to MA 28 in Orleans

Image of 1-mile advance sign for MA 149 exit with new milepost based exit number and green old exit number sign on left support post on US 6 East in Barnstable, December 2020

Exits renumbered from December 14 to 24, 2020

Interchange

Milepost

New Exit Number**

Old Exit Number

 Scusset Beach Rd - Sagamore Beach (WB)

54.4

1A (55A)*

1A

 MA 3 shield image from wikimedia North - Plymouth, Boston (WB)

54.2

1B (55B)*

1B

 MA 6A shield image from wikimedia East - Sagamore (EB)

54.8

55 (55C)*

1C

 MA 130 shield image from wikimedia - Sandwich, Mashpee

58.3

59 (58)*

2

 Quaker Meetinghouse Rd - E. Sandwich

60.2

61 (60)*

3

 Chase Rd - E. Sandwich, S. Sandwich

62.4

63 (62)*

4

 MA 149 shield image from wikimedia - Marston Mills, W. Barnstable

64.8

65

5

 MA 132 shield image from wikimedia - Barnstable, Hyannis

67.6

68

6

 Willow St - W. Yarmouth, Yarmouth Port

71.7

72

7

 Union St -  Yarmouth, Dennis

74.0

75 (74)*

8

 MA 134 shield image from wikimedia South - Dennisport, W. Harwich

77.2

78A (77A)*

9A

 MA 134 shield image from wikimedia North - Dennis

77.2

78B (77B)*

9B

 MA 124 shield image from wikimedia - Harwich, Brewster

81.3

82 (81)*

10

 MA 137 shield image from wikimedia - Brewster, Chatham

83.8

85 (84)*

11

 MA 6A shield image from wikimedia - Orleans, E. Brewster

88.3

89 (88)*

12

 MA 28 shield image from wikimedia - Orleans (Rotary)

90.3

(90)

(13)

This exit list contains both the new exit number and former exit number after MassDOT converted US 6 to the Geographic Reference or Milepost Exit Numbering system in December 2020. MassDOT started converting exit numbers in October 2020 starting with routes in the eastern and southern parts of the state. This project was first planned for 2016, but eventually postponed.

Check out photos of the Renumbered US 6 and other route exit signs.

*Numbers in ( ) listed for the postponed 2016 Renumbering Project.

**Cape Cod officials have again criticized the proposed US 6 exit numbers for being too 'arbitrary' since they count mileage from the RI state line and not a distance particular to Cape Cod (for details, see this article from the Cape Cod Times, 11/25/19). I sent MassDOT a comment about possible ways a compromise might be reached:

Has anyone thought of a compromise of assigning milepost based numbers, but using the Mid-Cape Highway miles instead of US 6? If the assigning of mileposts to a named highway would be difficult, perhaps you could create a new route to run concurrently with US 6 from Route 3 in Bourne to Route 28 in Orleans and use that highway's mileage for the exit numbers.

The MassDOT Response:

"MassDOT is considering these possible alternatives to using the US 6 mile marker numbers for the Mid-Cape Highway exits.  If either alternative were considered acceptable to Cape Cod officials, AASHTO and/or FHWA approval would be required before any changes could be made.  We also note that, if the Mid-Cape Highway were designated as a different route from US 6, it would likely begin at the Sagamore Bridge, and not run concurrently with the section of US 6 Scenic Highway between Route 25 and the bridge."

So it's possible the proposed exit numbers could be changed prior to the start of the renumbering project.

History behind US 6's role in postponing the 2016 planned exit renumbering project

A link to the initial article about the planned signage replacement, both the new numbers and the plans to use overhead signage, that sparked criticism by local Cape Cod officials, and resulted in the halting of the planned statewide exit number conversion project in 2016: From the Cape Cod Times, 2/24/16.

Based on this later article in the Cape Cod Times from 4/27/16, MassDOT relented to community opposition and announced it would not be renumbering the US 6 Exits to the Proposed Milepost Based Numbers. However, at a public meeting in Hyannis on July 18, 2016, officials said the exit tabs on the new exit signs will be made long enough for milepost based exits number to be placed on them some time in the future (see this July 29 Article in the Cape Cod Times for more details). Here's an example of one of the new exit signs to be put up in 2017. The lowest bidder for the project was announced on Feb. 7, 2017 as being Liddell Bros. of Halifax:

MassDOT sign plan for auxilary sign for Exit 2 on US 6 in Sandwich

Check out the US 6 in Mass. Photo Gallery

© Robert H. Malme 2014-2020