Roads and Highways of the Pioneer Valley

US 20

US 20 Information: Western terminus is at the NY State Border in Hancock, MA. The eastern terminus is at MA 2 in Kenmore Square, Boston. US 20 is the longest of US routes and 153 of its 3,365 miles are in Massachusetts.

History/Facts: US 20's alignment throughout MA used to be in the NE Interstate numbering, in that system it was NE 5. Its current corridor is generally surpassed by the MassPike, but it still serves lots of local traffic. US 20 is multiplexed briefly with I-91 in Springfield, and that multiplex branches off after a few hundred feet at the start of I-291, where US-20 is multiplexed through about 5 of its six miles of expressway. At exit 5, US 20 continues on as surface avenues and streets, continuing through major Springfield business areas and eventually into Wilbraham, Palmer, and beyond. From the I-291 exit to Boston Road is actually old MA 20A, it was given over to US 20 when the multiplex ended. 20 also used to go up Main Street, then State Street and the western part of Boston Road, but was moved over to 291 when it was built.

Photos: Eastbound / Westbound

Eastbound, The Berkshires/Westfield/W. Springfield/Springfield

This is Route 20 in Pittsfield as you approach the terminus of MA 9 (and where it joins US 7).

This is at the terminus of MA 9. Route 20 continues straight.

This is "Sign soup." The signs on the overhang are much older htan the ones on the post (note the usage of old route font). Now, Route 9 east is NOT on this road, and it's not on the next left either (although the next left will take you to route 9 east). Route 9's alignment in Pittsfield has undergone some changes recently as well. The small sign behind the US 7 north sign says "Berkshire Museum."

This is where US 20 joins US 7 for its trip to south county. Note the old MassPike guide sign.

I wonder where the sign is.

This is in Lenox. Wow, big signs. These are relatively new.

Even more big signs! Egads.

This is a turnaround near the Lenox House Country Shops. I had to think something was supposed to go here, but I wouldn't know.

This is at the beginning of MA 7A (old route 7) on Routes 7/20 in Lenox. The current 7/20 is a much higher capacity road than the old one, but traffic is still a problem. Sadly, the "Super 7" from Lee to Pittsfield will never be built, this is about as close as we get to high traffic capacity, folks.

Route 183's beginning/terminus is just ahead. One problem with this stretch of 7/20 in Lenox is that it's a high-speed road for all accounts and the at-grade intersections cause a lot of accidents due to speeding. Oh, for a bypass!

Warning signs for the split of US 7 and 20. If one continues on 20, it will go to Lee, Becket, and onwards to Westfield. Route 7 will take you to South county (Stockbridge, Great Barrington) and eventually on to Connecticut.

This is when Route 20 becomes a one-lane winding road for several miles until Lee is reached. This intersection is with US 7 North, which crosses to join 20W. The narrowing happens right after the stoplight, and many times it's a tight squeeze.

This is a gem. Found coming into route 20 at the T intersection about a mile or so before the turnpike. Mass DPW advertising and everything. Not going to guess on a date, but it's probably as old as any Mass DPW sign that has advertising.

Coming from Lloyd's Hill road, eastbound towards Westfield. This is four lanes, but the road salt hides that fairly well.

More coming in to Westfield.

You'll see this when you come in on Route 20 into the (reasonably settled) region of Westfield, just before downtown and joining 10/202. This signage is ancient, as you can see the laminate is peeling apart and the letters and paint are starting to peel.

I have no clue what happened here. About a week before this photo was taken, work crews were busy fixing this sign. I'm not sure what happened, but I'm gathering that the wooden sign is just getting very, very old (as you can see by the style) and in the recent high winds of Fall 2004 it just snapped right off. I'd rather have new signage, personally. Note that the Masspike guide marker is fairly recent. The logo changed from the green with black highlight pilgrim hat to the flat black hat sometime in the 90s, but there's still a lot of the old guide signs hanging around.

Just as you've gotten out of downtown, you now enter the Westfield shops. Grocery stores, auto dealers, the works. Much traffic here, folks, and it's not pretty.

This is nearing the bridge and junction with 187, whose northbound terminus is right here.

This is the approach to the new bridge right past the terminus of 187. The new bridge is opened now, and the old truss is completely gone. Sniff.

This is as you are entering the bridge from 20E or 187.

I love the smell of fresh pavement in the morning. Most of these lines are gone now as they are only temporary and the snowplows pulled them up.

That's one of the "Large style" MA route signs we see occasionally. Since 10/202 are cosigned throughout Westfield, why didn't they just put the 10/202 signs on one pole and be done with it? Maybe the poles just weren't long enough for the big signs. Also, Union street (the street it's telling you to turn left to to get to 10/202) connects to 10/202 south as well as north, so I'm not sure why they just signed north (although 10/202N does go to the Pike, which is probably where most people are going... I see the logic, I just disagree).

This leads to the underbridge access road.

These lanes are nice and wide - much wider than the previous span. There will also be dedicated left turn lanes for east/westbound, so that traffic is not backed up for those that aren't going to 10/202 or 187. In 2005, they'll start working on the new 10/202 Great River Bridge, one of the biggest sources of traffic pileup on Elm street (10/202). Compared to how the Granville Road bridge went (it took them four years), the just under two year completion of this bridge is remarkably speedy.

That's a huge-ass 202 sign. It's also of the "extra wide" variety. Three digit US routes come in three varieties - General US route shield size with very narrow fonts, slightly wider sign with less narrow fonts, and extra-wide sign with normal width fonts. This is obviously the latter. It looks to be about four times (!) the size of the average route sign.

I guess somebody wanted to be a joker with this one. This isn't technically on Route 20, but it's in the Wal-Mart parking lot that's right on 20. That blue bag in that tree is still there in the spring, as this picture was taken sometime in October.

West Springfield. This is in the "High traffic enforcement area" inbetween Westfield and West Springfield.and all of the speed signs have these flags to "alert" drivers. Kinda funny - sort of gives it a speedway appearance.

This sign got cut off, but it says "High traffic enforcement area" - basically, it means watch out for cops. Strangely enough, I rarely ever see someone pulled over on this stretch of route 20.

This is 20W's narrowment as you approach downtown W. Springfield.

Seen at where Route 20 enters Elm Street.

I apologize for the glare. Route 20 turns off of Elm street at this point on to Main Street. Springfield is indeed 2 miles down the road (with rotaries and such in the way), and Agawam is indeed 3 miles the other way. Turn right here and you're a straight shot to the Big E. This section of 20 was recently repaved, but I'm not sure why this delaminating sign wasn't replaced.

This is where Route 20 leaves Elm street - this curve is dangerous, and rather confusing. Gotta love patchwork road placement.

The following three pics are from Arrow. The rotary is at about the 8 o'clock part, if you looked at it from above.

At the rotary, approaching from main street.

At the Rotary again.

We just ran over one of the many Connecticut river crossings. About a hundred feet down the road is the border with Springfield.

This is right at an intersection before one gets on the bridges to either continue on 20A or US20/291. These signs were made right before MassHighway changed to their new style of signage.

One of the few gantries over a non-freeway route. Route 20A officially starts and ends at this gantry.

This is on the small access road to 291. If you choose to go to 91 south or Columbus ave, bear right. There's weaving in this particular area, as people on another road also join this collector road and want to cut over to Columbus ave while you cut left to 291! To see more of US 20 as it runs on 291, continue to the 291 page. Else, this picks up where US 20 leaves 291.

Friendly's, a chain of ice cream parlors/restaurants, was established in Wilbraham on Route 20 many years ago - the first Friendly's restaurants started on Route 20 and expanded outwards since.

Courtesy Arrow. Page boulevard.

Route 20 in Springfield tends to be a very curvy road - and there's almost no space between you and adjoining cars. What a drag.

Intersection of Page and Berkshire.

Hey, a trailblaazer for the fastlane service center.

MA 20 error.

It got cut off by my mirror, but this is by far the biggest US 20 sign I've seen. It's much larger than the other "big" signs mentioned earlier.

On Boston Road/20E in Springfield. As you near Wilbraham, Route 21 terminates at US 20 via Parker road. 141 also does as well. It's a double elimination!

This is where 21 and 141 actually start on Parker Street's intersection with Boston Road. These roads could continue easily to the Bicentennial Highway intersection at Cooley Street, as Parker Street is basically a state highway quality road.