Roads and Highways of the Pioneer Valley

US 5

US 5 Information: Southern terminus is at the CT border in Longmeadow, MA. The northern terminus is at the Vermont border in Bernardston, MA. 53 of US 5's 300 miles are in Massachusetts.

History/Facts: US 5 was the main north/south highway through the Connecticut River Valley. With the arrival of the interstates, 91 now carries most of what used to be US 5's traffic and 5 belongs to the locals. Like MA 57 and other routes, it has many roles, from freeway to commercial avenue to meandering mountain road. US 5 is cosigned for a short time on 91, as some of the old US 5 was destroyed during the construction of 91.

The modern US 5's alignment is only slightly different from its original one when US 5 was incorporated and NE 2 before it. Where I-91 currently follows the CT river in Springfield, US 5 used to roam. US 5 would come up through Longmeadow into Springfield, and then linking Columbus ave. and Main Street, until crossing the Memorial Bridge to West Springfield.

In the 1930s, this route started changing subtly in West Springfield. The first bypass ran from the North End Bridge up to East Elm Street, where it rejoined the old US 5 northward. This was built in 1938. The second bypass, which is from the E. Elm street ending of the first to Holyoke, was constructed in 1942. This is the current Riverdale Road that we know today. The final bypass was built in Agawam and West Springfield in the early 1950s, which ensued in the construction of the South End bridge, the Route 57 rotary, and the Route 5 connector. This final bypass connected the South End Bridge to the new Riverdale Road, and was limited access with traffic circle interchanges and US 5 tunnelling underneath the interchange.

The last bit of US 5 in Hampden county to be modified was an old S-curve in Holyoke. This S-curve was eliminated when the four lane road was built in the 70s, and part of the S-curve and railroad overpass still exist today.

A bypass of US 5 for Deerfield and surrounding towns was built in the early 50s, this bypass is now part of I-91.

For more information than you could possibly want about US 5, check out this report.

Photos: History and other stuff / Northbound / Southbound

Northbound: Hampden County, Hampshire County, Franklin County

This isn't actually on Route 5, but it's notable as one of the three cutout route shields I know of in the area.

This is tucked behind some brush in the access road to the South End Bridge, behind the barriers and brush. If you didn't stop to peruse the access road, you would have never known it was there. Who is Abe Leo Cohen, and why do we care that this overgrown tree area is known as Pynchon Point? Sadly, this area really isn't enjoyed or used by the public at all these days.

This is a very old sign - it's button copy and the "old" dark forest green color. Probably same age as the ones on exit 4 on the turnpike. That Big E sign could use some work, though.

This is when you join the US 5 "freeway" in West Springfield from Route 57.

There are no exit numbers on this bit of freeway (which is similar to other quasi-freeways in Massachusetts), and there's also the use of the old "next right" terms. This is the exit you'd take to get to the Big E, by the way.

A lot of the interchanges on this set of US 5 are traffic circles. Some you can see through, one you cannot.

Considering you're probably going at 65 MPH, it's hard to see this sign. Again, this leads you to a traffic circle, but this one's rather special.

Yup, there's a tunnel. It goes under the entire traffic circle. Very cool.

Technically the limited access fashion of US 5 ended once you got out of the tunnel. On the southbound side, there's at-grade driveways and intersections, and at the stoplight it becomes an average divided highway as you descend into Riverdale.

Here's a fun fact - I-91 and US 5 pass over or intersect each other over 30 times - tied for first amongst interstates. There's a lot of crazy 391 shields on US 5, too. Oh, and why the Exit sign? US 5 isn't limited access at this point. This interchange here is a creepy one, too - some kind of funky figure 8.

Pick your poison. Note the bold letters and button copy - these signs are fairly recent.

This is in northern W. Springfield after the pike interchange. Probably the newest sign on the entire stretch of road.

Holyoke. This looks to be about the same age as the sign on the US 202 page in Downtown Westfield. This is during US 5/US 202's short cosignage in Holyoke.

This is in downtown Northampton. The MA 10 sign is actually a New Jersey style circle on black square, but it's just so damned old that it's pretty much all gone except for the important part. The US 5 sign looks new, but says Mass. DPW, so it's no spring chicken either.

The following pics are courtesy of Arrow. Nearing the I-91 junction in north Noho.

Damon road intersection.

I-91 junction in north Noho.

US 5 shield with thin white border.

Leaving the pioneer valley indeed.

Entering Guilford, VT on US 5.

Old stamped steel State Highway signs in Vermont. Through Way Begins Here means the same thing as State Highway Begins in Vermont, or so I've been told.

Done? Head Southbound, check out other stuff, or Return home.