List of state routes in Connecticut

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The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) maintains a system of state highways to serve the predominant flow of traffic between towns within Connecticut, and to towns in surrounding states. State highways also include roads that provide access to federal and state facilities (Special Service Roads). The state highway system consists of roads indicated on the official ConnDOT map and highway log. As of January 1, 2005, the state highway system contains a total of 3,721 miles of roads (not including ramps and interchange connections), corresponding to approximately 20% of all roads in the state. All state highways are state-maintained except for several segments (totaling 4 miles) that are locally maintained. All interstate highways and U.S. highways in the state are part of the state highway system.

All state highways are given a number designation. Most state highways are assigned Route numbers (including U.S. highways and interstates). Route numbers are in the 1-399 range, with the exception of Interstates 684 and 691. State highways that are special service roads are assigned SSR numbers and are unsigned. SSR numbers are in the 400-499 range. Another set of unsigned state highways are called State Roads and are given SR numbers. These state roads are either feeder roads that interconnect state highways together, or long entry/exit ramps to freeways (often called connector roads). SR numbers are in the 500-999 range. Signposted state highways that are not U.S. highways or interstates are signed with the square Connecticut state highway shield.

History

1913 trunk line system

In 1900, the State Highway Department proposed a statewide system of trunk line routes. By 1913, the system consisted of 10 north-south highways and 4 east-west highways, including the lower Boston Post Road. The system convered roughly 1400 miles. The 14 trunk lines were numbered on paper but were never actually signposted.

New England Interstate Routes

The first public route numbering came with the advent of the New England Interstate Highways in 1922. This highway numbering system was used throughout New England and consisted of 32 routes. 9 of the routes passed through Connecticut. In this system, interstate routes would be numbered 1-99 and state routes numbered 100 and up. The New England Interstate route system was soon eclipsed by the national U.S. highway system.

U.S. Highways

In 1926, the U.S. highway system was implemented. U.S. Routes 1, 5, 6, and 7 were used as designations on several primary state highways, replacing New England routes 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. The other New England routes that were not re-designated as U.S. routes became ordinary state highways but kept their number designation, which are used even today (with some realignment).

1922-1931

The State Highway Department classified state roads as either State Highways (SH) or State Aid Roads (SA). These roads were given number designations -- 100-299 for primary routes and 300+ for secondary routes. Some state roads were signposted and some were not.

1932 renumbering

The state abandoned its old numbering system and renumbered almost all of their state highways in 1932. Most of the present route numbers were formed during this renumbering. The only route numbers that survived were U.S. Routes and a few state highway routes. Shortly after the renumbering, in 1935, two new U.S. Routes were commissioned: US 44 (taking over part of New England Route 17) and US 202.

Interstate highways

In 1958, Connecticut received approval for the route numbers of its three primary Interstate highways: I-84, I-91, and I-95. State highways with the same number designation as the Interstate highways were renumbered to avoid duplication of route numbers.

1963 renumbering

In 1963, the state passed the Road Reclassification Act to fix the by now fragmented state highway system. Many state highways had state maintenance gaps and several highway segments were even isolated from the rest of the system. State highways were classified into primary, secondary, and service roads. Primary routes were essentially left unchanged, while minor realignments, additions/deletions, and extensions occurred in many secondary routes. About 1/3 of all routes were changed to some degree by this renumbering. The current system of unsigned ("secret") routes, including the special service roads, was also created during this renumbering. The state highway system has not had any major changes since then.