Route 8A refers to two separate north–south state highways in western Massachusetts in the United States. Both sections are marked as "Route 8A" on guide signs and reassurance markers. In official documentation, MassHighway denotes one highway as 8A-U, and the other as 8A-L, for "upper" and "lower", respectively.

Route 8A marker
Route 8A
Map
Route information
Maintained by MassDOT
Length39.01 mi[1] (62.78 km)
Existedca. 1950–present
Route 8A-L
Length35.85 mi (57.69 km)
South end Route 8 / Route 9 in Dalton
Major intersections Route 9 in Windsor
Route 116 in Savoy and Plainfield
Route 2 in Charlemont
North end VT 8A in Whitingham, VT
Route 8A-U
Length3.17 mi[1] (5.10 km)
South end Route 8 in North Adams
North end Route 2 / Route 8 in North Adams
Location
CountryUnited States
StateMassachusetts
CountiesBerkshire, Hampshire, Franklin
Highway system
Route 8 Route 9

Unlike Route 2A and other suffixed Massachusetts state highways with multiple sections, both 8A-U and 8A-L bypass the same portion of Route 8, possibly causing confusion for travelers unfamiliar with the area.

Route 8A-L

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Route description

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Northbound entering Savoy

8A-L begins at the junction of Route 8 and Route 9 in Dalton. For its first 6.2 miles (10.0 km), Routes 8A & 9 are concurrent, leading into the town of Windsor. There, Route 8A turns northward, passing through part of the Windsor State Forest, before entering the town of Savoy. There, the route turns eastward, becoming concurrent with Route 116. It passes through the town center before crossing into Hampshire County and the town of Plainfield.

In Plainfield, Route 8A turns northward again, leaving Route 116 and entering the Dubuque State Forest and crossing into Franklin County and the town of Hawley. It passes through Hawley along winding roads before entering the town of Charlemont. The road turns eastward, running along the south banks of the Deerfield River for a mile before crossing the river to begin is third and final concurrency, this time with Route 2 along the Mohawk Trail. After just 0.6 miles (0.97 km), the route turns northward again, winding into the town of Heath. It passes through the villages of the Dell and North Hawley before finally ending at the Vermont state line, entering the town of Whitingham as Vermont Route 8A, which shortly links to Vermont Route 112.

 
Routes 8A & 116 in Savoy
 
Route 8A passes a dam along the Heath Brook in the Dell village of Heath

Major intersections

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CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
BerkshireDalton0.000.00  
 
Route 8 / Route 9 west – Pittsfield, Adams, Hinsdale, Becket
Southern terminus; southern end of Route 9 concurrency
Windsor6.209.98 
 
Route 9 east – Cummington, Northampton
Northern end of Route 9 concurrency
Savoy10.6017.06 
 
Route 116 north – Adams
Southern end of Route 116 concurrency
HampshirePlainfield16.326.2 
 
Route 116 south – Plainfield, Ashfield
Northern end of Route 116 concurrency
FranklinCharlemont25.841.5 
 
Route 2 west – North Adams
Southern end of Route 2 concurrency
26.442.5 
 
Route 2 east – Greenfield
Northern end of Route 2 concurrency
Heath35.8457.68 
 
 
 
VT 8A north to VT 112 – Jacksonville
Continuation into Vermont
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Route 8A-U

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Route description

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8A-U runs along former Route 8, entirely within the city of North Adams. It begins at a jughandle intersection with Route 8 south of town, briefly heading east before traveling north for 3.17 miles (5.10 km) It closely parallels its parent along this stretch, before entering the downtown area and ending at the Route 2/Route 8 concurrency.

Major intersections

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The entire route is in North Adams, Berkshire County.

mikmDestinationsNotes
0.000.00  Route 8 – Adams, Pittsfield, North AdamsSouthern terminus
3.175.10   Route 2 / Route 8 – Williamstown, Adams, Clarksburg, GreenfieldNorthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

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KML is from Wikidata