Route 181 is a north–south

state highway A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

starting at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 in Palmer, located in Hampden County. The route crosses the

Mass Pike The Massachusetts Turnpike (colloquially "Mass Pike" or "the Pike") is a toll highway in the US state of Massachusetts that is maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT). The turnpike begins at the New York state li ...

(

Interstate 90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...

), but does not intersect. The route crosses through the Bondsville section of Palmer, crossing into Hampshire County, where it enters

Belchertown Belchertown (previously known as Cold Spring and Belcher's Town) is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 15,350 at the 2020 census ...

. In Belchertown, Route 181 comes to an end at a junction with the

concurrent Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...

U.S. Route 202 (US 202) and Route 21.

Route description

Route 181 begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 (Wilbraham Street / North Main Street) in Palmer. The route proceeds north along Sykes Street, crossing through downtown Palmer. After Fletcher Street, Route 181 proceeds north under the Mass. Pike (I-90) and parallels the

Quaboag River The Quaboag River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 river in Massachusetts that heads at Quaboag Pond in Brookfield at an elevation of above sea level. ...

. Leaving downtown Palmer, the route crosses over some railroad tracks and the two-lane road makes a dart to the northwest before Bourne Street. After Bourne Street, Route 181 continues north on Sykes Street, crossing Main Street in the center of a commercial section. Route 181 continues north through Palmer, dropping the Sykes Street name, which becomes Palmer Street. After crossing the

Ware River The Ware River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed April 1, 2011 river in central Massachusetts. It has two forks, its West Branch, which begins in Hubbardston, Massac ...

, the route turns northeast and becomes South Main Street, turning north as it approaches Lilly Pond. At Pine Street, Route 181 crosses north through Bondsville, at the north end of Bondsville, the route leaves Hampden County for Hampshire County. Now in

, Route 181 turns west on Depot Street, At the junction with Franklin Street, the route turns northwest, crossing through rural sections of Belchertown, running along Franklin Street. Route 181 passes a local community of residences, serving as the main north–south street. Passing the Mill Valley Country Club, the route turns northwest at Cold Spring Road and becomes known as Mill Valley Road. After a northwestern stretch through the town of Belchertown, Route 181 enters downtown Belchertown, retaining the Mill Valley Road name until its junction with South Main Street, where it takes the latter as a moniker, proceeding northwest another block to US 202 and Route 21 (Maple Street).

Major intersections

References

External links

{{Authority control

181 Year 181 ( CLXXXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Aurelius and Burrus (or, less frequently, year 934 ''Ab urbe condit ...

Transportation in Hampden County, Massachusetts Transportation in Hampshire County, Massachusetts