U.S. Route 7 in Massachusetts

U.S. Route 7 (US 7) in of Massachusetts is a 54 mi section of the larger federal route extending from southern Connecticut to the northernmost part of Vermont. 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 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 road 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 portion of this plan to be completed was the four-lane expressway section south of Lenox, although land takings for additional freeway sections occurred. The highway was ultimately canceled due to environmental and community opposition.