You may or may not know that at 41,000 miles, Boston is the start line for America’s longest continuously running road, U.S. Route 20, which begins as Boston’s Route 2 and travels through 12 states to Newport, Oregon. It’s unlike Boston to have more than a couple long roads as the city grid began construction nearly 400 years ago, when traveling from modern day Southie to Beacon Hill was considered a “voyage.”
While Route 20 is the longest road in the country, there are a few streets in Boston that too “go the distance.” Commonwealth Avenue and Beacon Street are honorable mentions, but the longest street in Boston is actually Washington Street. Ring a bell?
Well, it might ring many, because the name is so popular, there are 6 different Washington Streets in Boston alone. However, the longest running street in Boston is Washington Street that begins in Downtown Boston. Before it was “Washington Street,” it was simply Orange Street. Eventually, in 1824, the street underwent a name change to honor George Washington. The nearly 60-mile-long route will take Bostonians South to the Rhode Island border.
Washington Street is considered to be one of the longest roads not just in Boston, but in the entire Commonwealth!