U.S. Route 7 in Massachusetts

U.S. Route 7
Map US 7 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MassDOT
Length	53.85 mi (86.66 km)
Major junctions
South end	US 7 at the Connecticut state line in Sheffield
Major intersections	Route 23 in Great Barrington Route 102 in Stockbridge US 20 from Lenox to Pittsfield Route 9 in Pittsfield Route 2 in Williamstown
North end	US 7 at the Vermont state line in Williamstown
Location
Country	United States
State	Massachusetts
Counties	Berkshire
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Massachusetts State Highway System Interstate US State
← Route 6A → Route 7A

U.S. Route 7 (US 7) in of Massachusetts is a 54-mile (87 km) section of the larger federal route extending from southern Connecticut to the northernmost part of Vermont. Within Massachusetts, the entire route in Massachusetts is within Berkshire County.

Route description

With a few exceptions, US 7 is mainly a two-lane rural road winding through the Berkshires, largely parallel to the Housatonic River. In Great Barrington, US 7 is briefly concurrent with Route 41 along Main Street, as well as with Route 183 on State Road. Further north, US 7 is concurrent with Route 102 along Main Street through the center of Stockbridge.

In the vicinity of Lenox, the route transitions to a two-lane expressway around the historic center of town. While on this bypass route, it meets US 20, which travels southeast to Lee and the Massachusetts Turnpike. The two routes continue north via the bypass as a four-lane expressway, while Route 7A travels along Kemble and Main streets via the original routing of the road. The three routes meet just north of the Lenox census-designated place boundary, with US 7/US 20 becoming a four-lane surface road until Pittsfield.

US 7 enters Pittsfield along South Street. At a signalized intersection with Housatonic Street, US 20 makes a left turn to continue west toward Albany. At Park Square, the route meets Route 9 near its western terminus, and the two routes share a two-block concurrency along East Street until US 7 makes a left turn to continue north.

US 7 leaves downtown Pittsfield as a two-lane surface arterial and continues as a rural highway with occasional three-lane stretches for climbing the grades along the Berkshires. It passes west of Mount Greylock before passing through Williamstown, connecting the Taconic Trail with the Mohawk Trail (Route 2). The road passes Williams College and crosses the Hoosic River one last time before entering Vermont.

History

Like Connecticut, Massachusetts planned an Interstate-grade freeway (proposed Interstate 89) in the US 7 corridor. The only portions of this plan to be completed were the short super-two freeway section from the Connecticut border to Sheffield, and the four-lane section south of Lenox, although land takings for additional freeway sections occurred. The highway was ultimately canceled due to environmental and community opposition.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Berkshire County.

Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Sheffield	0.000	0.000	US 7 south – Canaan	Continuation into Connecticut
	1.906	3.067	Housatonic River
	2.958	4.760	Route 7A south – Ashley Falls	Northern terminus of Route 7A (southern section)
Community of Great Barrington	10.481	16.868	Route 23 west / Route 41 south to Route 71 – South Egremont, Hillsdale, NY	Southern terminus of Route 23 / Route 41 concurrencies
	11.451	18.429	Route 41 north – West Stockbridge	Northern terminus of Route 41 concurrency
	11.451	18.429	Housatonic River
	11.944	19.222	Route 23 east / Route 183 south – Monterey, Springfield	Northern terminus of Route 23 concurrency; southern terminus of Route 183 concurrency
Town of Great Barrington	13.328	21.449	Route 183 north – Housatonic, Interlaken	Northern terminus of Route 183 concurrency
Stockbridge	17.806	28.656	Housatonic River
	18.049	29.047	Route 102 west – West Stockbridge	Southern terminus of Route 102 concurrency
	18.405	29.620	Route 102 east to US 20 / Mass Pike – Lee	Northern terminus of Route 102 concurrency
Town of Lenox	22.551	36.292	South end of expressway section
			Route 7A north – Historic Lenox	Southern terminus of Route 7A (northern section)
	23.415	37.683	US 20 east to I-90 / Mass Pike – Lee	Southern terminus of US 20 concurrency
Community of Lenox	23.713	38.162	Route 183 south / Walker Street – Historic Lenox, Tanglewood, Lenox Dale	Northern terminus of Route 183
	25.565	41.143	Route 7A south – Historic Lenox	Northern terminus of Route 7A (northern section)
			North end of expressway section
Pittsfield	30.814	49.590	US 20 west – Albany, NY	Northern terminus of US 20 concurrency
	31.004	49.896	Route 9 west to US 20 west	Southern terminus of Route 9 concurrency
	31.157	50.142	Route 9 east to Route 8 – Dalton, Northampton	Northern terminus of Route 9 concurrency
Town of Williamstown	47.205	75.969	Route 43 – Williamstown, Hancock, Stephentown, NY
	49.084	78.993	Route 2 west – Troy, NY	Southern terminus of Route 2 concurrency
Community of Williamstown	51.405	82.728	Route 2 east – North Adams	Northern terminus of Route 2 concurrency
Town of Williamstown	52.572	84.606	Hoosic River
	53.85	86.66	US 7 north – Pownal	Continuation into Vermont
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus