Roads and Highways of the Pioneer Valley

MA 57

MA 57 Information: Western terminus is at MA 23 in Monterey, MA. The eastern terminus is at a rotary with US 5 in Agawam.

History/Facts: MA 57 wears many hats, from freeway in Agawam to a winding road in Southwick and beyond. The first freeway segment was built in the late 50s and finished in 1961, bringing the road to what was then US 5A and is now MA 159. A few years later in 1966 the road was completed to Mill Street. The second major segment (extending it to its current terminus at 187) was completed in 1995. Inbetween those 30 years, nothing was done to the road, it simply transformed from freeway into Mill street. The freeway has always been planned to be finished into Southwick since the 70s when the expansion plans started, but it's been held up by wetlands issues - there's a small pond directly in the way as well as some miscellaneous land people don't use for farms but is just there. Nobody knows when it will be extended it into Southwick, but considering this highway's construction troubles, I'm not counting on it. "Phase 2" of 57 would basically follow the relocated 57's trajectory until crossing into Southwick and ending at the existing 57 just after the Agawam/Southwick town line.

Photos: Eastbound / Westbound

Eastbound, Southwick/Agawam

When Route 187 meets 57 in Agawam, the two are cosigned for a small period of time - this is probably due to the incompletion of the Agawam freeway. Route 187 itself is an extension of CT 187 into Massachusetts.

These are Connecticut style route shields. Why they're here in Agawam, I'll never know. At least put them on the same pole?

This is entering the eastbound section of the 57 freeway. When the freeway stops being in limbo, it would go striaght on through this road, with this road most likely being an overpass. Note that US 5 has no shield, but 91 has a full interstate shield.

As you can see, this is the eastbound stub of the highway.

As you can see, this is merely an onramp to join the rest of the existing highway - the rest of the road just peters out into nothingness. There's even a "watch out for merging traffic" sign before any traffic actually joins the freeway! Talk about anticipation for a road that may never come.

The first exit eastbound is route 75.

This is important to know. Tidbit - if you're on a freeway in MA and it's about to terminate or merge into another one, you'll see these handy warning signs.

If you're heading to I-91 or US-5 south, you don't even have to bother with the upcoming traffic circle. You get special dispensation.

If you want to go to 91 and you don't hang in that leftmost lane, your goose is cooked - you'll either be dumped in US 5 or go around the circle to get back to 91. These signs are very, very old, but not so old as to be completely button copy. I'm wagering they date from the early 80s or late 70s as they're about the same vintage as the South End Bridge rotary signage.

If you do go into the circle, you've still got a chance to get back on to 91. Oldish signage.

Done? Head Westbound or Return home.