Maine State Route 121
Encyclopedia
State Route 121 is a 35.76-mile state highway
in southern Maine
. It begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 302 and Maine State Route 35
in Raymond
and ends in Auburn
. It is signed as a north-south highway, which accurately reflects its alignment from Raymond
to Oxford, but from there it runs almost due east (and slightly south) to its terminus in Auburn
.
. It proceeds northward, paralleling Route 85 to the west of Panther Pond until reaching its first intersection with Route 11 in Casco
. It continues north along the west side of Pleasant Lake and Thompson Lake before entering Oxford, where it turns to the east to meet Route 26 just south of the Oxford County Regional Airport. Route 121 briefly joins Route 26 in a wrong-way concurrency before splitting off southeast towards Mechanic Falls
(continually signed as "north"). Route 121 heads into the town center where it meets Route 11 for a second time at the southern terminus of Route 124. From here to its terminus in Auburn, Route 121 is co-signed with Route 11.
Routes 11 and 121 proceed out of town to the southeast (signed as "north"), meeting the southern terminus of Route 119 before entering Auburn and proceeding towards downtown on Minot Avenue. Officially, Route 121 ends at the intersection of Court Street, Union Street, and Minot Avenue. However, signage indicates the end of the route to be at the intersection of Minot Avenue and Washington Street, which carries U.S. Route 202, Route 4
, and Route 100. Route 11 turns to the north on Minot Avenue, joining the other routes in a quadplex towards downtown Auburn and Lewiston
.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in southern Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. It begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 302 and Maine State Route 35
Maine State Route 35
Maine State Route 35 runs the course of western Maine, from Bethel to Kennebunk. It passes through Oxford, Cumberland and York Counties. It is known in its lower sections for both its unusually windy course as well as its notoriously poor paving, as a result of winter frost heaves. Its northern...
in Raymond
Raymond, Maine
Raymond is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,299 at the 2000 census. It is a summer recreation area and is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
and ends in Auburn
Auburn, Maine
Auburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
. It is signed as a north-south highway, which accurately reflects its alignment from Raymond
Raymond, Maine
Raymond is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,299 at the 2000 census. It is a summer recreation area and is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area...
to Oxford, but from there it runs almost due east (and slightly south) to its terminus in Auburn
Auburn, Maine
Auburn is a city in and the county seat of Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 23,055 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included in the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan...
.
Route description
Route 121 begins in the south at an intersection with US-302 and Route 35, not far from the southern terminus of Route 85Maine State Route 85
State Route 85 is a short north-south state highway in southern Maine. It is a minor route connecting U.S. Route 302 and State Route 35 in Raymond to State Route 11 in Casco. Locally, it is known as "Webbs Mills Road," for it terminus is located in Webbs Mills Village, which is a small area in Casco...
. It proceeds northward, paralleling Route 85 to the west of Panther Pond until reaching its first intersection with Route 11 in Casco
Casco, Maine
Farmers found the surface of the town uneven, its hard and rocky soil "tolerably productive." Outlets of ponds, however, provided Casco with good sites for water powered mills. The town had four sawmills, four gristmills, a shook mill, a barrel stave mill, four shingle factories, a carriage factory...
. It continues north along the west side of Pleasant Lake and Thompson Lake before entering Oxford, where it turns to the east to meet Route 26 just south of the Oxford County Regional Airport. Route 121 briefly joins Route 26 in a wrong-way concurrency before splitting off southeast towards Mechanic Falls
Mechanic Falls, Maine
Mechanic Falls is a town in Androscoggin County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,138 at the 2000 census. It is included in both the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan statistical area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area.-History:It was originally...
(continually signed as "north"). Route 121 heads into the town center where it meets Route 11 for a second time at the southern terminus of Route 124. From here to its terminus in Auburn, Route 121 is co-signed with Route 11.
Routes 11 and 121 proceed out of town to the southeast (signed as "north"), meeting the southern terminus of Route 119 before entering Auburn and proceeding towards downtown on Minot Avenue. Officially, Route 121 ends at the intersection of Court Street, Union Street, and Minot Avenue. However, signage indicates the end of the route to be at the intersection of Minot Avenue and Washington Street, which carries U.S. Route 202, Route 4
Maine State Route 4
State Route 4 is part of Maine's system of numbered state highways, running from the New Hampshire border in South Berwick to Haines Landing on Mooselookmeguntic Lake in the town of Rangeley...
, and Route 100. Route 11 turns to the north on Minot Avenue, joining the other routes in a quadplex towards downtown Auburn and Lewiston
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
.