Although West Springfield had a right and legal claim to Interstate 91, Massachusetts highway officials relented to Springfield's intense pressure when confronted with a technicality: a short, existing section of US 5 through West Springfield that was built in 1952-53 failed to meet Interstate design standards. Thus the plans for I-91 in West Springfield were shelved, and moved to the east bank of the river in Springfield, where an elevated highway was designed (as opposed to the planned ground-grade highway in West Springfield.)