Massachusetts Route 31

Route 31
Route information
Length:	58.80 mi[1] (94.63 km)
Major junctions
South end:	Connecticut border in Dudley
	US 20 in Charlton Route 9 in Spencer Route 2 in Fitchburg
North end:	NH Route 31 in Mason, NH
Highway system
Massachusetts State Highway Routes ← Route 30 Route 32 →

Route 31 is a state highway in the US State of Massachusetts.

Route description

It begins at the Connecticut border in Dudley, where a short (less than 50 yards (46 m) long) unnumbered local road changes to MA-31. Through Dudley and Charlton, it is known as Dresser Hill Road. Dresser Hill road winds over Dresser Hill, with several moderately steep grades and some tight corners.

In Charlton, it intersects U.S. Route 20 a few miles east of the US-20/Massachusetts Turnpike & I-84 interchange. This provides its only connection with an interstate highway. In Charlton, it is known as Masonic Home Road and Brookfield Road. It then passes Lambs Pond.

Route 31 then enters Spencer, where it parallels the Podunk Pike (Route 49) for several miles. As Charlton Road, it passes the Spencer State Forest. In the center of Spencer, it crosses Route 9. It then turns north towards Paxton; this stretch is scenic and hilly. Several warning signs are seen here for sharp corners warning of a maximum safe speed of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h).

After a couple long, sweeping corners through a forest of pine trees, Route 31 enters Paxton. Paxton Center School comes after a treed-in section. Before it enters the center of Paxton, it passes by the police station.

The intersections of MA-31, Route 122, and Route 56 comprise Paxton Center. MA-31 is variously known as West Street and Holden Street in Paxton; it runs east–west in this section. It passes over a hill past Richards Memorial Library, then uses Grove Street for approximately 1/4 mile.

In Holden, Route 31 passes Asnebumskit Pond and is bridged over Kendall Reservoir. After the intersection with Route 122A it passes Gale Free Public Library and heads north once again. The road heads into an increasingly rural area as the hills get steeper and longer.

31 then enters Princeton and begins climbing very steeply; it gains about three hundred feet in approximately half a mile. Entering the center of Princeton, it joins Rte. 62 and turns east to avoid going over Mount Wachusett. The mountain is instead connected by Mountain Road. After separating from Route 62, Rte. 31 joins Route 140 and becomes Fitchburg Road near Paradise Pond.

It passes through a portion of Leominster State Forest in Westminster before an interchange with a freeway segment of Route 2. After this interchange, Rte. 31 becomes a city street, having shared roadway with Route 2A and a wrong-way concurrency with Route 12. It then passes through downtown Fitchburg. As it leaves Fitchburg it is called Ashby State Road. In Ashby, it connects with Route 119 before reaching the New Hampshire state border, where it becomes NH-31.

The stretch of MA-31 from Paxton Center to Holden Center was named after the late Chief Robert John Mortell of the Paxton Police Department who was murdered in the line of duty in 1994 in the deeply wooded area bordering Route 31.

Junction List

Route 31 entering Spencer from Charlton.

Route 31 entering Paxton from Spencer.

County	Location	Milepost	Roads intersected	Notes
Worcester	Dudley	0.0	Dresser Hill Rd.	Route 31 begins at Connecticut state line.
	Charlton	9.3	U.S. Route 20	Westbound US 20 to I-90/I-84. Eastbound US 20 to I-90/I-395/I-290.
			I-90/Mass Pike	No access between I-90 and Route 31.
	Spencer	16.8	Route 9 East	Begin concurrency with Route 9.
		16.9	Route 9 West	End concurrency with Route 9.
	Paxton	25.3	Route 122 Route 56 South	Concurrency between Rtes. 56 & 122 ends. Begin concurrency with Rtes. 31 & 56.
		25.4	Route 56 North	End concurrency with Route 56.
	Holden	30.1	Route 122A
	Princeton	37.7	Route 62 West	Begin concurrency with Route 62.
		38.0	Route 62 East	End concurrency with Route 62.
		40.5	Route 140 South	Begin concurrency with Route 140.
		42.1	Route 140 North	End concurrency with Route 140.
	Fitchburg	45.8	Route 2	Route 2 Exit 28
		47.0	Route 2A West	Begin concurrency with Route 2A.
		48.1	Route 12 West	Begin triple concurrency with Routes 31/2A/12.
		48.9	Route 12 East	End triple concurrency with Routes 31/2A/12. Concurrency with Route 2A continues.
		47.0	Route 2A East	End concurrency with Route 2A.
Middlesex	Ashby	55.4	Route 119 West	Begin concurrency with Route 119.
		55.5	Route 119 East	End concurrency with Route 119.
		55.8	New Hampshire Route 31	Massachusetts Route 31 ends at state line. New Hampshire Route 31 begins at state line.

References

1. ^ Executive Office of Transportation, Office of Transportation Planning - 2006 Road Inventory

External links

• Mass. Rt. 31 endpoint photos