US 6 / Mid-Cape Highway

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

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
North - Plymouth, Boston (WB)	54.2	1B (55B)*	1B
East - Sagamore (EB)	54.8	55 (55C)*	1C
- 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
- Marston Mills, W. Barnstable	64.8	65	5
- 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
South - Dennisport, W. Harwich	77.2	78A (77A)*	9A
North - Dennis	77.2	78B (77B)*	9B
- Harwich, Brewster	81.3	82 (81)*	10
- Brewster, Chatham	83.8	85 (84)*	11
- Orleans, E. Brewster	88.3	89 (88)*	12
- 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:

Check out the US 6 in Mass. Photo Gallery

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© Robert H. Malme 2014-2020