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Some Springfield geography


 Suppose you happen to be in Springfield, Mass., driving west on Sumner in a pouring rain. You want to get to route 291 heading east. Why? Well, let us never mind that. 

You see Forest Park Ave. on your right. Should you turn there? Probably not. Drive a little further on Sumner.

But if you do turn right on Forest Part Ave., not all is lost. Follow it. It will lead you to Fort Pleasant Ave. Take a slight right there (the only alternative will be a hard left -- to be avoided.) 

Fort Pleasant will lead you shortly to the corner of Pine and Belmont. Take a slight left onto Belmont. In time you'll come to State Street on your right. You are now deep downtown.  Take that right. You'll pass Federal Street.  (DO NOT take Federal Street.) Soon after Federal, you will see a sign for St. James Street. Take THAT one.  That will lead you to route 291. 

Well ... so will lots of other routes. Let's examine one utterly at random. Suppose you took Federal Street. That will bring you to Taylor Street, and a large parking lot and convenience store attached to a Dunkin Donuts. (or just Dunkin as I think they call it now.)  Do not go in there and ask for directions. Nobody knows anything there. Just turn off of Taylor toward the left (downhill, and away from Dunkin'), stay to the right, and look for the signage to the highway.

You'll be all right. 

Enough purely hypothetical ramblings for today.

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