Massachusetts Route 101

For the Route 101 that existed in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut during the 1920s and early 1930s, see U.S. Route 44.

Route 101
Map Route 101 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MassDOT
Length	22.55 mi (36.29 km)
Existed	c. 1939, 1954 (current alignment)–present
Major junctions
South end	Route 32 in Petersham
Major intersections	Route 2 / Route 2A in Templeton Route 68 / Route 140 in Gardner Route 12 in Ashburnham
North end	Route 119 in Ashburnham
Location
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
Counties	Worcester
Highway system
Massachusetts State Highway System Interstate US State
← Route 99 → Route 102

Route 101 is a 22.55-mile-long (36.29 km) north–south state highway in Massachusetts. Its southern terminus is at Route 32 in Petersham and its northern terminus is at Route 119 in Ashburnham. Along the way it intersects several major highways including Route 2 and Route 2A in Templeton and Route 12 in Ashburnham.

Route description

Southbound entering Gardner from Ashburnham

Northbound along Central Street in downtown Gardner

Route 101 begins in Petersham at Route 32, just north of the center of town. The route heads eastward, winding between two wildlife management areas and south of Queen Lake as it passes through Phillipston. In Templeton, the route joins Route 2A, passing concurrently with that route over Route 2 at Exit 83 (formerly 21) before splitting again.

From Templeton, Route 101 enters the city of Gardner, acting as one of the main streets through town. For two blocks west of Main Street, Route 101 runs concurrently with Route 68. The route crosses Route 140 before entering Ashburnham. In Ashburnham, Route 101 heads into the center of town, sharing a short concurrency along Route 12 before turning northward, passing by Winnekeag Lake and west of Ward Pond before ending at Route 119, three miles south of the New Hampshire state line and 300 yards east of the Ashby town line.

During the 1920s and early 1930s, Route 101 was a multi-state route through Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut, primarily along the highway now known as U.S. Route 44.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Worcester County.

Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Petersham	0.0	0.0	Route 32 – Petersham, Barre, Athol	Southern terminus
Templeton	7.7	12.4	Route 2A west – Athol, Greenfield	Western terminus of concurrency with Route 2A
	8.7	14.0	Route 2 – Fitchburg, Boston, Greenfield, North Adams	Exit 83 on Route 2; partial cloverleaf interchange
	9.4	15.1	Route 2A east	Eastern terminus of concurrency with Route 2A
Gardner	11.6	18.7	Route 68 north – Baldwinville	Western terminus of concurrency with Route 68
	11.8	19.0	Route 68 south to Route 2 – Hubbardston	Eastern terminus of concurrency with Route 68
	12.4	20.0	To Route 140 / Green Street – Winchendon, Keene, NH, Gardner District Court	Roundabout
	14.1	22.7	Route 140 to Route 2 – Winchendon, Westminster
Ashburnham	18.4	29.6	Route 12 – Winchendon, Fitchburg	Brief 300-foot (90 m) concurrency with Route 12
	22.6	36.4	Route 119 – Ashby, Townsend	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus