Interstate 291 Massachusetts
Overview
Joining I-91 and Downtown with I-90 and the Mass Pike, Interstate 291 forms an urban loop through the city of Springfield. The freeway is six lanes wide east to Exit 4 / St. James Avenue and four lanes from there north into the city of Chicopee. The connection with the Massachusetts Turnpike is substandard with an at grade intersection joining the access road to I-90 from the freeway end at Burnett Road.
Massachusetts Department of Transportation (massDOT) project #606599 reconstructed the ramp (Exit 51) joining I-90 (Mass Pike) with I-291 and expanded the intersection with Burnett Road. Costing $8.373 million, the notice to proceed for work was issued on February 12, 2021.3
History
Initial plans for Interstate 291 got underway in 1953, with construction starting the following year. The freeway opened between Interstate 90 and U.S. 20 / Massachusetts Route 20A in 1957. Ensuing work on I-291 did not commence until 1967.1 The final section of I-291 built was a 2.1 mile long segment in Springfield at an estimated cost of $5 million in 1968.2 The last section was completed in 1970.1
The Massachusetts Department of Public Works suggested Route 91C for the proposed loop in Springfield to the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on April 10, 1958:
This route is a connector between Interstate Routes 90 and 91 in Springfield and is an urban route. The letter “C” was chosen to indicate that this location is a connector between two Interstate routes.
Route 91C was changed to Interstate 291 as part of the proposed numerology for urban areas on the Interstate System for Massachusetts approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on August 29, 1958.
Route Information
Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-291 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
Source: 2015-17 MassDOT Transportation Data Management System
Interstate 291 was originally projected for completion by late 1969 across the city of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Photo Guides
East End
/ Burnett Road – Chicopee, Massachusetts
East at
East at
West
West End
– Springfield, Massachusetts
West at
Amory and Liberty Streets span I-291/U.S. 20 one half mile ahead of their split at Interstate 91. Forthcoming Exit 2 B leaves with Exit 1 B for I-91 north and Dwight Street. Exit 2 A departs with Exit 1 A for I-91 south and Chestnut Street. U.S. 20 follows the I-91 ramp system north to Plainfield Street. 05/31/22
North at
South at
Sources:
- Springfield Expressway (I-291). BostonRoads.com.
- “4 Highway Projects in Making.” The North Adams Transcript (North Adams, MA), November 10, 1966.
- Information about project #606599. Massachusetts Department of Transportation (massDOT), project information page.
Page updated April 3, 2023.