Route 131 is a state highway in the U.S. states of Massachusetts and Connecticut. It serves the southwestern portion of the Worcester metropolitan area. It begins at Route 12 in the North Grosvenor Dale section of the town of Thompson in Connecticut and ends at U.S. Route 20 in the center of Sturbridge in Massachusetts. Route description Route 131 begins at U.S. Route 20 in Sturbridge, just west of where that route meets Interstate 84, and just south of I-84's terminus with Interstate 90. After crossing under I-84, Route 131 meets the former northern end of Route 15, which was a continuation of Connecticut Route 15. Route 131 continues southeastward into Southbridge, where it crosses the Quinebaug River. In downtown Southbridge, Route 131 meets the northern end of Route 198 before becoming concurrent with Route 169 for half a mile, south of the Southbridge Industrial Park and the old American Optical Company plant. After leaving its concurrency with Route 169, Route 131 makes a quick right and left turn as it crosses the Quinebaug once more, before heading into the town of Dudley. The route heads southeastward through the West Dudley section of town, crossing the Quinebaug once more before crossing the Connecticut state line into the Quinebaug section of Thompson. Once in Quinebaug, Route 131 intersects Route 197 before continuing towards North Grosvenordale, passing Walker Road, which continues into Massachusetts as Massachusetts Route 31. Route 131 continues southeastward until finally ending at Route 12 next to the French River. History In October 1803, the Thompson Turnpike Company was chartered to improve and maintain the highway between the Rhode Island state line in West Glocester to the Massachusetts line in Quinebaug. The toll road was established as part of a direct route from Providence to Springfield. At the Rhode Island line, the road continued east as the West Glocester Turnpike (modern U.S. Route 44). At the Massachusetts line, the road did not continue as a turnpike, and the route to Springfield was over public roads. The Thompson Turnpike used Elmwood Hill Road, Quaddick Road, Thompson Hill Road, Buckley Hill Road, and Quinebaug Road. It went through the village of Quaddick, Thompson center, North Grosvenor Dale, and Quinebaug. In 1923, the southern New England states began numbering their main highways, most of which had, by the time, been under state control. Massachusetts had numbered the continuation of the Thompson Turnpike as