and MA 2/US 7

All from Michael Summa, the outer two from 1975 and the middle photo possibly from 1976. It's getting harder and harder to find a STATE HIGHWAY BEGINS embossed sign, though you'll see below it's still possible. The curved-bottom town line signs are also dying rapidly - any left are likely to have the Massachusetts font seen in the first photo.



The Sheffield Covered Bridge, looking east from US 7 and then walking across in that direction.


Now on the eastern bank looking west, with a shot of the bridge's sturdy underpinnings. You can tell it's old because it doesn't have a shiny paint job, height warning signs, or any other adornments. Actually, it dates back to 1854 and is the oldest covered bridge in the state (link is to my source), but was restored nearly 30 years ago to keep it from being lost to time.


Looking south and north at this 1920s (well, it could be a tiny bit newer, but not much) state highway maintenance sign. It's at a bridge every bit as old as the sign, where MA 41 leaves the US 7/MA 23 multiplex.


Just to the west along the short triplex, which looks like it was almost fated to be with MA 141 instead.


Once I found daylight, I photographed the bridge itself, facing south/west at the 41 intersection.

US 7 NB/US 20 WB at the northern end of regular MA 183, because there is no Business 183 in Lenox or anywhere else, courtesy Lou Corsaro.


Pittsfield has a fading US 7 problem. These are (or were, hopefully at this point) on Tyler St. WB, then turning onto North St. SB toward Columbus Ave.


What do you do with fading shields? You replace them! MA 9 EB begins multiplexed with US 7 NB, and this is where they split, so take the square from the 9 and the number from the 7, and this is what you get. It has been replaced with a proper representative.

Speaking of errors, I think this was at the end of the MA 8 connector on the north side of Pittsfield.


Looking west over Pontoosuc Lake at sunset.


Between MA 43 and MA 2, US 7 was used as the 43 detour. So if you combine the two and subtract some IQ, you can end up with US 43. What's funnier is that the brand-new MA 43 signs at the US 7 intersection have MA 7 shields. See my link below.


The southbound end of the multiplex. It looks a lot like the northbound end, as you'll see.

On the other side from the above photo.


The copper (at least, those still around are tarnished green) state seal has fallen out of the center of this date stamped into the Hemlock Brook bridge, US 7 NB/MA 2 EB west of Williamstown.


The retaining wall and brook (I wanted to say "walls and falls," but no rapids) east of the bridge.


I took this photo in 2001-2002, so I don't know what the side street is but I didn't see it in late 2006. The top LGS is unlike most in Massachusetts, while the bottom one is wooden, nonreflective, and probably around 40 years old from when Massachusetts still started making green signs instead of black-on-white.


Around the rotary at the north end of the multiplex. The first, nonstandard sign points down MA 2 East, while the next two are southbound/westbound.

Onto MA 2 alone

Into Connecticut on US 7
Into Vermont on US 7
Onto MA 7A
Onto MA 23 and 23/41
Onto MA 41 alone
To US 20
Onto MA 43
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