Massachusetts Route 121

Route 121
Route information
Length:	5.4 mi[1][2] (8.7 km) Rhode Island: 1.0 mi Massachusetts: 4.4 mi
Existed:	1960s – present
Major junctions
South end:	Route 114 in Cumberland, RI
North end:	Route 1A in Wrentham, MA
Location
Counties:	RI: Providence, MA: Norfolk
Highway system
← Route 120 Route 122 → ← Route 120 Route 122 → ← Route 10 Route 12 → ← Route 10 Route 12 → ← Route 138A Route 146 → ← Route 141 Route 143 →

Route 121 is a numbered State Highway running 1.0 mile (1.6 km) in Rhode Island and 4.4 miles (7.1 km) in Massachusetts. It is part of the route connecting the city of Woonsocket (via Route 114) with the town of Wrentham.

Route description

• Cumberland, Rhode Island: 1.0 mile (1.6 km); Route 114 to Massachusetts State line
  • Wrentham Road
• Wrentham, Massachusetts: 4.4 miles (7.1 km); Rhode Island state line to Route 1A
  • Cumberland Road, West Street

Route 121 goes through a rural part of northeast Cumberland.

History

The route from Woonsocket to Wrentham was assigned as Route 142 in the early 1920s when the New England states began numbering their state highways. Route 142 ran for about 11 miles (18 km) between Route 122 and current Route 1A (then designated as U.S. Route 1).^[3] It used present-day Route 114 from Route 122 in Woonsocket and Cumberland, then along present-day Route 121 to Wrentham.

Around 1933, the entire route (in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts) was renumbered as Route 11 and its northern end extended into Dedham along old Route 1 (current Route 1A) when Route 1 was realigned.^[4] Route 11 was later cut back to its original length after a few years when Route 1A was designated in the area.

In the mid-1960s, the southern end of the route was truncated by about 5.4 miles (8.7 km) to its current southern terminus at the intersection of Pine Swamp Road and Diamond Hill Road in Cumberland. This was due to the westward extension of the Route 114 designation into the city of Woonsocket.^[5] At the same time, the route was renumbered to Route 121.

Major intersections

State	County	Location	mi[1][2]	km	Destinations	Notes
Rhode Island	Providence	Cumberland	0.0	0.0	Route 114 (Pine Swamp Road)	Southern terminus
RI–MA border			1.0 0.0	1.6 0.0	Rhode Island–Massachusetts state line
Massachusetts	Norfolk	Wrentham	3.6	5.8	I‑495	No access between Route 121 and I-495.
			4.4	7.1	Route 1A – Wrentham, Norwood, Plainville	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former

References

1. Google (December 30, 2013). "Route 121 in Rhode Island" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
2. Google (December 30, 2013). "Route 121 in Massachusetts" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
3. ALA Greenbook, 1930 edition, Scarborough Motor Guide Co.
4. neilbert.com MA Route 11
5. Shawn De Cesari's Rhode Island Route Log

Route map: Bing / Google