Massachusetts Route 213

Massachusetts Route 213

Route 213 is a short 3½ mile state highway in Massachusetts. It connects Interstate 93 with Interstate 495 in Methuen, Massachusetts, just south of the New Hampshire border. It is a four-lane, controlled access highway along its entire length. Route 213 is also known locally as The Loop, due to its semicircular routing between I-93 and I-495. Route 213 is famous for allowing a traveler to cross the entire breadth of the city of Methuen in 120 seconds. The highway is a northern bypass of Route 113, which serves the downtown area, and derives its own number from it.

Signs for Route 213 on both I-93 and I-495 designate Route 213 as "LOOP CONNECTOR" (in all caps). The LOOP CONNECTOR signs were added when The Wilder Companies redeveloped the former Methuen Mall into a new shopping center known as The Loop.

According to MassDOT, Route 213 carries approximately 45,000 vehicles per day.