Route 85 begins in the town of Milford at Route 16, just west of the downtown area. It passes east of Milford Pond before meeting I-495 at Exit 20. From there, Route 85 heads northward into Hopkinton, passing the eastern side of Echo Lake. It intersects Route 135at the center of town, less than a quarter mile west of the start line of the Boston Marathon. It then passes through Hopkinton State Forest and past the Hopkinton Reservoir before entering the town of Southborough. In Southborough, Route 85 crosses under I-90 without junction; the nearest exit is in neighboring Framingham. It then meets Route 9, the second of the four major east-west routes out of Boston, in an elevated four-way cloverleaf intersection. It then crosses the Sudbury Reservoir before meeting Route 30 at the center of town. From there, Route 85 continues northward into Marlborough, meeting U.S. Route 20 in the downtown area. It then crosses the far western edge of the Fort Meadow Reservoir before crossing into Hudson. Shortly after entering Hudson, Route 85 meets Hudson Street, the super two connector road between Route 85 and the junction of I-290 and I-495 at I-495's Exit 25 and I-290's terminus, Exit 26. From there Route 85 heads north, crossing the Assabet River before meeting Route 62, passing concurrently with that route through Wood Square before Route 85 continues northward. After passing into Bolton, the route passes between Little Pond and West Pond before ending at Route 117, less than a half mile east of I-495's exit 27.
Route 85 Connector
MA 85 Connector is a road that goes from the eastern terminus of Interstate 290 to a wye with MA 85, away in Marlborough.
Future
Improvements to Route 85 in Hudson
In 2011 a $10.8 million project to reconstruct 7,700 feet from School Street/Park Street to the Marlborough City Line will begin. The project will consist of travel lanes and bike shoulders with concrete sidewalks throughout the project corridor. The Walmart Driveway will be reconstructed with bicycle accommodation, ADA compliance, and a new traffic signal. At the intersection of the Route 85 Connector and Technology Drive, the intersection will be reconstructed. A new northbound left turn lane will be constructed, new through lane constructed on Technology Drive, new through lane on Route 85 Connector and a new wire traffic signal. The section between Route 85 Connector and Broad Street will consist of four lanes with a raised concrete median. At the intersection of Broad Street, the existing signal will be replaced with a two-lane roundabout. The roadway will be widened to four lanes from Houghton Street to Broad Street. A new traffic signal will be installed at R.K Town Centre Drive with a new turn lane. A new traffic signal will be installed at Giasson Street. A new northbound left turn lane with a new traffic signal will be installed at Brigham Street. From Brigham Street to Park Street, the roadway will be cold planed and resurfaced with drainage, curbing, sidewalks and driveways included. At Park Street/School Street, a new traffic signal will be installed and a new southbound right turn lane will be constructed.
Hudson Route 85 Bridge
Beginning in 2013, MassDOT will replace the existing structurally deficientarch bridge with a new bridge. The estimated cost is $7 million. The project is funded as part of the Accelerated Bridge Program and will use an innovative construction. The new bridge will consist of new concrete reinforced abutments and a new concrete NEXT beam superstructure.
