Route 3 on the South Shore = worst highway ever (Boston, Quincy: house, living in)

[Flashpoint922]

Can we all agree, that perhaps besides the Central Artery/Expressway, Route 3 on the South Shore is one of the WORST highways of all time? There's ALWAYS delays on both sides near the lane drops, no matter what time of day or day it is. It should be 3 lanes on each side ALL THE WAY to the Cape, and there would be less delays. It's only because the stupid highway is 60 years old and NEVER BEEN UPDATED and it's the single way to get on the South Shore and the Cape that there is a problem. 2 lanes is just not enough! Why isn't it 3 lanes all the way through! This highway SUCKS!!!

[MikePRU]

I avoid it (and the Southeast Expressway) like the plague. However, I do have an aunt that lives in Hingham so when I visit her there's no avoiding RT3.

[CaseyB]

We take 495 to the Cape.

[charolastra00]

I just don't go to the Cape. Ever.

[Flashpoint922]

Living in Duxbury MA, I had to go to Acton, MA last week. It was going to take 1 hour 45 min to go through Rte. 3 N to 128 to Route 2 West (albeit lower mileage). I decided to take Rte. 3 S to 44 West in Plymouth to 495 North and go ALL THE WAY up to Acton the back way. I made it there in 1 hr, 15 min. Keep in mind it was 20 extra miles but I was able to go 80 mph the entire way with no traffic up 495.

Rte. 3 and the surrounding highways of Boston suck.

[Flashpoint922]

Originally Posted by CaseyB

We take 495 to the Cape.

Great idea. At least 495 is nice and open and multiple lanes the entire way.

[pennyone]

Left our home in Quincy this morning and arrived at the front door of our place in Eastham in 2hrs and 10 minutes using rt 3 and 6. The traffic was heavy but it was moving. Just put on some good music and make multiple stops for ice coffee.

[xo_kizzy_xo]

I use Rte. 3 daily. I generally don't run into traffic since my commute is a reverse.

The only time I do run into traffic is on summer weekends. Getting to family living in the Marshfield area is a horror show unless we take either 53 or 3A all the way down there. The northbound commute on late Sunday summer afternoons is also a horror show until the road widens at the Rte. 18 exit.

Somebody asked why it's never been widened from Hingham on. My immediate answer is, "There's no room. Where would they put the extra lanes? Even if they cut down the median strips and paved them over I still don't think there'd be enough room."

Haven't been to the Cape in years, btw.

[pennyone]

We have been leaving our house by 8:00 am heading toward the Cape on Saturday morning and there has not been any problems whatsoever. From Quincy all the way to Ptown took generally 2.5 hrs. Most of the slow traffic happens a bit before Sagamore, then around Orleans and then through Wellfleet. We seriously have had no problems whatsoever this summer.

[GeoffD]

I think the Southeast Expressway is the hands-down winner of worst road in the state for traffic congestion. Route 3 south of there isn't even close.