Connecticut Roads (original) (raw)

Welcome to Connecticut Roads.

This is the place for information on every numbered highway – living, extinct, or proposed – in Connecticut. If you're short on time, just type the route number in the box and press Find:

Links to all parts of this site are further down the page. Below are some highlights and ideas of where to start. Also see updates to this section of the site.

Renowned and Notorious Roads

Driving I-84 or I-95 can be an ordeal. But Route 2 and Route 9 can take you to vacation spots. And the Merritt Parkway and Route 169 are known nationwide for their scenery.

Canceled Highways

Connecticut has no shortage of these. In the Hartford area, try I-291, I-84 to Providence, or I-484 (the Bushnell Park Connector).

In New Haven, see Route 34, the East Rock Connector, or the Ring Road.

Did you know that at one point Route 10 was to be a freeway? Route 32, too. And even Route 83.

Controversial Routes

Try Route 2A in Preston; US 6 to Willimantic; the "Super 7" (US 7) from Norwalk to Danbury; or Route 11.

Maps

Some online maps help illustrate I-691, I-84 to Providence, the Hartford area, and the city of Newington.

I also have a retrospective of Connecticut's official highway maps.

Obscure, hidden and forgotten

In the early 1960s, Connecticut reorganized its highway system and changed about 1/3 of all its routes; that's why older maps look a bit odd. In the early 1930s, the state changed nearly everything.

For specific routes, try Route 105 in Fairfield County; or Route 130 in Kent; I-82 in eastern Connecticut; or a driving trip along the original Route 8.

If you'd like to walk along an abandoned Connecticut highway, see Abandoned Highways.

Route Numbering

State routes are numbered between 2 and 999; however, those above 399 are "Secret" routes, maintained by the state but not signposted. Connecticut does not allow a state route with the same number as a US or Interstate route.

The highest signed route is 372; the highest secret route, 921. (The highest route number ever used appears to be SR 1001, for the Wilbur Cross Highway, in 1940).

More info, complete lists: Signed Routes Secret routes

Short History

Connecticut started numbering its highways around 1922, predating the US route system's inauguration in 1926. The route numbers in the 1920s were almost completely different from those today.

In response to changing laws for federal highway aid, the state in 1932 renumbered most of its highways, creating many routes (such as 67, 58, and 87) you would recognize today. Throughout the 1930s, 40s and 50s there were scattered changes. Along with the signed routes was a system of unposted "secret" routes, with administrative numbers reaching the 900s (and beyond).

In 1961 the state decided to re-examine its highway system, and reclassified hundreds of miles of roads. Some state routes were deleted (turned over to the town), some created, and many renumbered. Most signed routes above 220 are a product of this reclassification. The state's secret routes were renumbered into a geographically grouped system; for example, routes in Eastern Connecticut were numbered in the 600s.

Recent highway projects completed in Connecticut include:

The Future

The days of new freeways are over; the ambitious plans of the 1960s are dead. No new freeway construction is likely to happen.

Links are below; hope you have fun at Connecticut Roads!

Lists and Indexes

In Depth - Highways

In Depth - Interchanges

In Depth - Bridges

History

Maps

Other stuff

Guest Columnists

Geeky stuff

For offsite links, see the Connecticut Roads Directory.

This is just for fun

Though I get much of my information from official sources, this is not an official State of Connecticut site. The DOT site is www.ct.gov/dot/. I'm just here to share information and maybe entertain. I do value accuracy, though. If you spot a mistake, or have something to add, my e-mail address is on every page. Thanks!