Roads and Highways of the Pioneer Valley

US 202

US 202 Information: South terminus is at the CT state border in Southwick MA/Granby CT. North terminus is at the NH State line in Winchendon, MA. 79 miles of the 627 miles of US 202 are in MA.

History/Facts: US 202 was mapped in the 1930s, and has remained on the same route since (barring minor realignments).

Photos: Northbound / Southbound

Southbound: Pioneer Valley

This is what you see when you get out of exit 3 on the Masspike. Note the extra-wide US 202.

This is one of the two cut-out US route signs I know of in this area. Why it's not a standard shield, I don't know.

What's even more sad is that it happens AGAIN a few hundred feet down the road.

Bah! We can't get anything right here.

This is an oldie.

This one doesn't even have route shields. This was one of the older styles of MA signage. This sign probably dates back to the 70s with its being made of wood laminate and all. The sign to the dam and lake is newer, though. I also wonder why Russell is bolder than Pittsfield (maybe because it's the next town over, who knows).

This is at the downtown rotary in Westfield. It lies, though - the direction it's sending you to 10/202 is not actually 10/202 - it's Western Ave. If you turn there, you'll have to turn left in about 75 feet to take a road that joins into 10/202. If you go "straight" as opposed to turning left here, you'll still be on 10/202 for about another quarter of a mile, at which point 10/202 turns westward for another half a mile, and then turns south to continue its generally southern course.

If you went left like the sign said, you'll see this sign very quickly - get in the left turn lane ASAP.

If you take the left here, all you do is go straight and voila, you've magically rejoined 10/202 with no more effort. Notice that we actually have US routes signed as such in these signs near the rotary - I believe they've been replaced within the past few years.

This sign really isn't on 10/202, but its sheer awesomeness can't be ignored. It's on Mill St. near Noble Hospital in Westfield. You can't see it in this zoom, but in the full res image you can clearly see what appears to be old "Traffic Signals Ahead" embossing underneath what's painted on this sign.

Now this is a real golden oldie. The whole sign is one embossed piece of metal, and the back is rusted to all get out. They probably haven't replaced it because they can't get it off the damn pole! :) Yes, that is a button copy "Slow" on the sign. Any guesses on the age? I'm figuring the 50s.

There's a lot of mis-signage of US 202 as MA 202. By the way, what's up with our control cities, MassHighway? First it's New Haven (which is true, to a degree), then Farmington, then Danbury! Let's get our signange in order.

Southwick. This is where Route 57 shares roads with US 202/MA 10 for a short time before continuing on to Granville. Once agian, we see the infamous MA 202 mis-signage.

Triple route assignments are not uncommon in MA (I think there is a quadruple assignment somewhere around Boston, but don't quote me on that). As you can see, with all the space left on that pole, they forgot directional signs. These signs are ancient (Mass DPW, the precursor to today's MassHighway, was responsible for them), and most old signage in towns lacks directions.

This turnoff is to go to Congamond, a place boaters love to head to in the Southwick area. We're about 2 miles away from the CT border here.

While this is technically true, someone must have a US 202 sign on their wall.

There's several of these "Leaving/Entering Pioneer Valley" signs on major roads. I've seen one on US 20 in Huntington, and I'm sure there's one over in the Palmer/Sturbridge/Greenfield areas too.

The other side of this sign is the Southwick, MA sign you saw on the front page.

This sign was put up when Rowland was governor, and subsequently tacked over when he was impeached. The "We're full of surprises" bit is new to me, though. My uncle lives down in this area, and I don't recall seeing that bit before, even when they changed the governor's name.

Done? Head Northbound or Return home.