Site Navigation Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont     Interstate 91 Southbound - Massachusetts Interstate 91 South Interstate 91 leaves the interchange with Interstate 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) and encounters the two-mile advance sign for junction Interstate 391 north (Exit 12). Interstate 391 travels opposite of Interstate 91, but serves Chicopee and the city center of Holyoke. Both of those communities lie east of the Connecticut River, and Interstate 91 does not span the waterway until after Exit 13 (junction U.S. 5). Photo taken 06/28/05. Next in line for travelers however is the Exit 13B/A "infinity" interchange with U.S. 5 (Riverdale Street). The interchange from above resembles the symbol for infinity, with symmetrical movements involving circular ramps. U.S. 5 meanwhile travels below the freeway along the four-lane surface arterial of Riverdale Street. Riverdale Street serves the nearby mall area of West Springfield. Photo taken 06/28/05. Truck interests to the Massachusetts 57 freeway spur to Agawam must use U.S. 5 (Riverdale Street) southbound from Exit 13B in lieu of Interstate 91 because of restrictions on the South End Bridge. The South End Bridge carries Massachusetts 57 across the Connecticut River from Interstate 91 Exit 3. Photo taken 06/28/05. One half mile north of the Exit 13B ramp departure to U.S. 5 (Riverdale Street) southbound. U.S. 5 travels 2.5 miles south to the West Springfield city center where the federal highway meets U.S. 20 (North End Bridge). Photo taken 06/28/05. Southbound at the Exit 13B off-ramp to U.S. 5 (Riverdale Street) south. Motorists departing here are greeted with shopping malls and other commercial establishments between Interstate 91 and the Elm Street split. Photo taken 06/28/05. A look at the Exit 13A sign bridge from the descending ramp of Exit 13B. Exit 13A loops underneath Interstate 91 to join the northbound off-ramp to U.S. 5 north. U.S. 5 continues a short distance to its interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike and the Elmwood section of Holyoke. Photo taken 06/28/05. Interstate 91 turns easterly from Exit 13 (U.S. 5) to span the Connecticut River. This is the only crossing of the river within Massachusetts, but not overall as the freeway again crosses the waterway near Warehouse Point, Connecticut. Photo taken 06/28/05. Interstate 91 continues south to within one-quarter mile of the directional off-ramp onto Interstate 391 north. The Connecticut River represents the Chicopee city line, and interests to the city center should use Interstate 391 north to Exit 2 (junction Massachusetts 116). Exit 1 of Interstate 391 is the southern terminus. Photo taken 06/28/05. Interstate 91 takes a 90 degree turn from the Connecticut River bridge southward into Springfield at junction Interstate 391 (Exit 12). Exit 12 joins the northbound freeway just south of the Center Street diamond interchange. Interstate 391 spurs 4.46 miles north to High Street in Holyoke. Photo taken 06/28/05. A somewhat unusual upcoming exits sign highlights the area hospitals of Springfield along Interstate 91 south at the merge with Interstate 391. This sign should be white on blue. Photo taken 06/28/05. Three lanes of Interstate 91 continue south toward the city of Springfield and junction U.S. 20 (West Street/North End Bridge). Exit 11 joins the federal highway via the adjacent Birnie Avenue. Birnie Avenue parallels the freeway south from Massachusetts 116 (Center Street) to Plainfield Street (U.S. 20 west/Massachusetts 20A east). Photo taken 06/28/05. Nearing the Exit 11 off-ramp to Birnie Avenue south for U.S. 20 west and Massachusetts 20A east. U.S. 20 follows West Street to the North End Bridge and West Springfield city center. The federal highway meets U.S. 5 (Riverdale Road) at a roundabout on the west banks of the Connecticut River. From there U.S. 20 continues to Westfield and Pittsfield. Photo taken 06/28/05. U.S. 20 eastbound joins Interstate 91 ever so briefly between Exits 12 and 11. U.S. 20 uses the freeway to dogleg southward onto Interstate 291 east for Page Boulevard and Ludlow as Massachusetts 20A follows the original U.S. 20 alignment along Carew Street to the north. Massachusetts 20A begins at the intersection of Birnie Avenue and Plainfield Street nearby, following Plainfield Street southeast to junction Massachusetts 116 (Main Street) at Carew Street. Photo taken 06/28/05. The "beauty" of a sequential-based exit numbering system is the omitting of numbers due to partial interchanges. Such is the case with Exits 10 and 9 along Interstate 91 southbound. Motorists are provided with a sign displaying "Next Exit 8" in case they wondered what happened to Exits 10 (Massachusetts 116 along I-91 north) and 9 (junction U.S. 20 west/Massachusetts 20A east on I-91 north). Exit 8 is just one mile south of Exit 11 and serves Interstate 291 & U.S. 20 east. Photo taken 06/28/05. For motorists joining Interstate 91 via Interstate 391 south, a second truck restriction sign advises commercial vehicles of the restrictions applied to the South End Bridge (Massachusetts 57). Massachusetts 57 comprises a freeway spur west to Agawam from Interstate 91 at Exit 3. However truckers must use Exit 7 to the Memorial Bridge and U.S. 5 south to make the connection to Massachusetts 57 west. Photo taken 06/28/05. An upcoming exits sign replaces the 0.50-mile sign for Interstate 291 & U.S. 20 (Exit 8) east on Interstate 91 south. The Chestnut Street off-ramp of Interstate 291 east (Exit 2A) or the Boland Way off-ramp (Exit 7) of Interstate 91 south serve the Springfield central business district. Photo taken 06/28/05. Interstate 91 partitions into a two-lane southbound mainline and two-lane off-ramp onto Interstate 291 & U.S. 20 east. U.S. 20 itself remains segregated from southbound Interstate 91, merging onto Interstate 291 independently to the right from West Street. U.S. 20 follows Interstate 291 east four miles to the East Springfield neighborhood of the city. Interstate 291 otherwise provides a freeway loop between downtown Springfield and the Massachusetts Turnpike near Chicopee Falls. Photo taken 06/28/05. The eastbound beginning of Interstate 291 east departs Interstate 91 south at Exit 8. U.S. 20 joins Interstate 291 from the adjacent on-ramp. Use Interstate 291 east for the McKnight and Bay and Athol Junction neighborhoods of Springfield. Photo taken 06/28/05. Merging onto Interstate 91 southbound from Interstate 291 westbound in downtown Springfield. A tri-level stack interchange joins the two freeways and U.S. 20 adjacent to Pynchon Park and the Connecticut River. Attached to the U.S. 20 westbound on-ramp to Interstate 91 north is an Exit 4 overhead for the National Basketball Hall of Fame. Photo taken 08/09/04. Interstate 291 westbound drivers merge onto Interstate 91 southbound ahead of the Exit 7 off-ramp to Columbus Avenue, Boland Way, and the Memorial Bridge to West Springfield. Columbus Avenue travels a one-way street-couplet alongside Interstate 91 from Boland Way south to junction U.S. 5 at the South End Bridge. Note the unusual "No Exit 6" sign posted over the Interstate 91 mainline. Photo taken 08/09/04. Exit 7 leaves Interstate 91 southbound for Columbus Avenue at Boland Way. The Memorial Bridge spans the Connecticut River between Downtown Springfield and the U.S. 5 & Massachusetts 146 (Memorial Avenue) traffic rotary. E. Columbus Avenue continues alongside Interstate 91 north from Boland Way to junction U.S. 20 & Massachusetts 20A (Plainfield Street) in the North End community. Photo taken 08/09/04. Interstate 91 hugs the east banks of the Connecticut River through the central business district of Springfield. Striking views are afforded to southbound drivers of the downtown skyline. Photo taken 08/09/04. The Exit 5 off-ramp onto W. Columbus Avenue at Broad Street was closed at the time of this photograph due to construction. The half-diamond interchange normally serves Broad Street and nearby Main Street in south Springfield. Exit 5 traffic was directed onto Exit 4 ahead for W. Columbus Avenue at Mill Street. Photo taken 08/09/04. Interstate 91 passes by the National Basketball Hall of Fame 0.75 miles north of the unstacked "X" interchange with U.S. 5 and the South End Bridge (Exit 4). U.S. 5 ties into the freeway briefly between Exits 2 and 5. The federal route branches west across the Connecticut River to junction Massachusetts 57 in the city of Agawam. Photo taken 08/09/04. Exit 4 leaves Interstate 91 south ahead of the merge with U.S. 5 at the South End Bridge. The off-ramp merges onto W. Columbus Avenue ahead of its intersection with Main Street. A u-turn ramp carries drivers onto E. Columbus Avenue north for Mill Street east to Belmont Avenue. Main Street loops north to intersect Mill Street one block east of Interstate 91. Photo taken 08/09/04. Southbound at the ramp departure of Exit 4 onto W. Columbus Avenue south for Mill Street east and Main Street north. Use Belmont Avenue east from Mill Street to junction Massachusetts 83 (Sumner Avenue) at The X in southeast Springfield. Massachusetts 83 travels east from Interstate 91 Exit 2 to East Longmeadow and Somers, Connecticut. Photo taken 08/09/04. W. Columbus Avenue splits into ramps for U.S. 5 (South End Bridge) north and Interstate 91 southbound at Exit 3. Exit 3 itself merges with the frontage street ahead of the directional interchange with U.S. 5. U.S. 5 crosses the river and turns north at junction Massachusetts 57. Massachusetts 57 spurs west as a freeway between the federal route and Massachusetts 187 in Agawam. U.S. 5 straddles the west banks of the Connecticut River from Agawam north to West Springfield and Holyoke. Photo taken 08/09/04. U.S. 5 southbound ties into Interstate 91 between the South End Bridge and a partial "Y" interchange at Exit 1. The federal highway departs the freeway for Columbus Avenue and Longmeadow Street southbound within Forest Park. U.S. 5 continues south from there to Longmeadow before crossing paths again with Interstate 91 at Exit 49 in Connecticut. Photo taken 08/09/04. A tri-level stack interchange joins Massachusetts 83 and E. Columbus Avenue with Interstate 91 and U.S. 5. There is no access to Massachusetts 83 northbound from Interstate 91 southbound however. A ramp does join the state route from South End Bridge though. Exit 1 otherwise departs Interstate 91 southbound for U.S. 5 (Columbus Avenue) here. Photo taken 08/09/04. Traffic from Massachusetts 83 north merges onto Interstate 91 south ahead of Connecticut state line. Pictured here is the final southbound reassurance shield for Interstate 91. Photo taken 08/09/04. A Massachusetts style overhead represents the first guide sign for the Exit 49 folded-cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 5 (Enfield Street) in Enfield, Connecticut. Interstate 91 crosses the state line one mile south of the Emerson Street over crossing in Longmeadow. Photo taken 08/09/04. Interstate 91 and U.S. 5 (Longmeadow Street) cross into Enfield, Connecticut ahead of their interchange at Exit 49. U.S. 5 travels to the west of Interstate 91 through Enfield between Exits 49 and 46. Photo taken 08/09/04. Page Updated September 23, 2006.