Site Navigation Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont     Interstate 91 Southbound - Meriden to New Haven Interstate 91 Southbound Interstate 91 & Connecticut 15 southbound kiss one another near the city of Meriden at Exit 17. Connecticut 15 follows the Berlin Turnpike south to Meriden where it takes over the Wilbur Cross Highway from Interstate 91. Exit 17 provides a connection to Connecticut 15 south and East Main Street through Meriden. Photo taken 06/26/05. A slip ramp provides the connection between Exit 17 and Connecticut 15's East Main Street off-ramp. East Main Street constitutes the original route of Connecticut 66 through downtown Meriden to the west. Photo taken 06/26/05. A second slip ramp allows travelers along Connecticut 15 southbound to make the jump onto Interstate 91 south for New Haven. Connecticut 15 travels along a parkway south to Wallingford and Hamden and west to Trumbell and Norwalk. The parkway aspect of the road means that commercial trucks are prohibited from using the road. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 67S leaves Connecticut 15 south for Interstate 91 at the split between the two highways. Connecticut 15 next meets Wallingford in six miles and Hamden in 11 miles. The state highway follows the Wilbur Cross Parkway southwest to the Merritt Parkway and its connection to the Hutchinson River Parkway in New York. Photo taken 06/26/05. A parting shot of the Interstate 91 and Connecticut 15 southbound split. A partial "Y" interchange separates the two freeways. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 91 continues another three miles south to junction Connecticut 68 (Barnes Road) at Exit 15. The east-west state highway joins the freeway with the Durham town center to the east and the town of Yalesville to the west. Photo taken 06/26/05. Drivers cross into the Wallingford town line ahead of the Exit 15 diamond interchange with Connecticut 68 (Barnes Road). Connecticut 68 overall travels 22.05 miles between Connecticut 68 in Durham and Connecticut 63 in Naugatuck. Exits 15, 14, and 13 serve the town of Wallingford. Photo taken 06/26/05. Southbound at the one-half mile overhead for junction Connecticut 68 (Exit 15). Connecticut 68 travels 5.3 miles east across the Middlesex County line to the Durham town center. Westward, the state highway meets U.S. 5 (North Colony Road) in just two miles in north Wallingford. Photo taken 06/26/05. Six lanes of Interstate 91 pass underneath Connecticut 68 (Barnes Road) at Exit 15. Connecticut 69 continues west from Wallingford five miles to Cheshire, seven miles to Yatesville, and ten miles to Prospect. Photo taken 06/26/05. Continuing south through Wallingford along Interstate 91. Durham Road passes over the pastoral freeway scene near the Exit 15 interchange. Photo taken 06/26/05. A southbound-only rest area lies between Exits 15 and 14 at Wallingford. The only northbound area lies north of Interstate 691. Photo taken 06/26/05. A split-diamond interchange joins Interstate 91 with Connecticut 150 (Woodhouse Avenue) via East Center Street at Exit 14. Connecticut 150 travels southeast out of the Wallingford town center to junction Connecticut 22 near Northford. Photo taken 06/26/05. East Center Street splits with Connecticut 150 three quarters of a mile west of Interstate 91. The surface road meets Interstate 91 at North and South Airline Roads, local service roads for the freeway, before continuing east to Northford, Scard, and Whirlwind Hill Roads, local roads serving the Trimountain State Park and Pistapaug Pond areas. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 91 southbound at the Exit 14 off-ramp to East Center Street and Connecticut 150. Connecticut 150 overall tallies 9.04 miles between its south end at Connecticut 22 near Northford and junction U.S. 5 near Meriden. Photo taken 06/26/05. Attached to the East Center Street overhead is a fog advisory sign warning motorists of the potential for sea fog from here southward to New Haven. A half-diamond interchange ahead will bring additional motorists onto Interstate 91 southbound from Connecticut 150 (Woodhouse Avenue). Photo taken 06/26/05. Next in line for southbound travelers is the tri-level stack interchange with the Wharton Brook Connector. The Connector provides direct access to U.S. 5 (South Colony Road) from Interstate 91 at south Wallingford. Photo taken 06/26/05. The Wharton Brook Connector, also designated unsigned Connecticut 702, provides a high speed connection to nearby U.S. 5. During the 1960s the connector was touted as part of an unconstructed freeway for Connecticut 42 between Connecticut 8 at Beaver Brook and Interstate 91 (and also Connecticut 17 to the east).1 Photo taken 06/26/05. Motorists departing Interstate 91 south for the Wharton Brook Connector west meet U.S. 5 near the North Haven town line. U.S. 5 travels south from the Wallingford town center four miles to North Haven. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 91 itself crosses the North Haven town line itself on the three mile drive between Exits 13 and 12. North Haven was founded on October 19, 1786, and is the home of the first ever brick found in North America with the discovery of clay on the west bank of the Quinnipiac River. Brickyards grew as an industry here into the 20th century, and today North Haven exists as a suburban community of New Haven. Photo taken 06/26/05. U.S. 5 and Interstate 91 cross paths for the third time in Connecticut at the Exit 12 partial-cloverleaf interchange at North Haven. The federal highway follows Washington Avenue between the Wallingford town line (South Colony Road) and Broadway at the North Haven town center. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 91 is known as the Century Division Memorial Highway, honoring the 100th Infantry Division of World War II, on the approach to New Haven. U.S. 5 meanwhile serves interests to Connecticut 22 (Clintonville Road) for Hampden (junction Connecticut 15) and Northford (junction Connecticut 17). Photo taken 06/26/05. Kinking westward toward the sun, Interstate 91 southbound splits with the Exit 12 off-ramp to U.S. 5 (Washington Avenue). U.S. 5 travels three quarters of a mile south to the junction with Connecticut 22 (Clintonville Road) and 103 (Maple Avenue). Connecticut 103 leads south 5.31 miles, parallel to Interstate 91, from U.S. 5 to Connecticut 80 (Foxon Road) in east New Haven. Photo taken 06/26/05. Connecticut 40 (Mt. Carmel Connector) joins Interstate 91 with Connecticut 10 (Whitney Avenue) and Hamden at Exit 10. The state highway consists of a freeway spur west to Hamden, with ramps to U.S. 5 (State Street) and a partial interchange at Whitney Avenue. Photo taken 06/26/05. The freeway passes over U.S. 5 (Broadway) one half mile north of the Exit 10 directional interchange. Connecticut 40 travels west from Interstate 91 and the connector roadway to Bailey Road. Bailey Road joins the freeway with Connecticut 103 (Maple Avenue) at North HAven. There is no access onto Bailey Road from Interstate 91 directly however. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 40 departs Interstate 91 southbound for the Mt. Carmel Connector westbound. Connecticut 40 travels just 3.08 miles between Interstate 91 and Connecticut 10, and Connecticut 10 heads north from New Haven and Hampden to Mt. Carmel, Chesire, and Southington to the west. The freeway itself was considered as a leg of a New Haven freeway bypass in its early planning during the 1940s. Completion of the route did not occur until the mid 1960s.3 Photo taken 06/26/05. Continuing south toward the Exit 9 partial-cloverleaf interchange with Montowese Avenue. Montowese Avenue travels east-west between Universal Drive and Cloudland Road. Photo taken 06/26/05. The Exit 9 off-ramp loops onto Universal Avenue just south of its intersection with Montowese Avenue. Montowese Avenue intersects Connecticut 103 (Quinnipiac Avenue) 0.4 miles east of Interstate 91. Photo taken 06/26/05. Four southbound lanes continue beyond the Exit 9 off-ramp toward downtown New Haven. Photo taken 06/26/05. Middletown Avenue intersects Interstate 91 at Exit 8, carrying Connecticut 17 and 80 to the freeway from the east and north. Connecticut 17 follows Middletown Avenue southwest from Northford. Connecticut 80 enters the scene from Foxon Boulevard and North Branford. Photo taken 06/26/05. As Interstate 91 continues south through New Haven, travelers destined for downtown are advised to take Exit 1 (Connecticut 34 / Richard C. Lee Connector west). Photo taken 06/26/05. Middletown Avenue continues west from the Exit 8 partial-cloverleaf interchange across the Quinnipiac River to Ferry Street and junction U.S. 5 (State Street). Photo taken 06/26/05. Southbound at the Exit 8 off-ramp to Middletown Avenue west, Connecticut 80 (Foxon Boulevard) east, and Connecticut 17 north. Use Connecticut 80 east to Quinnipiac Avenue south to Fairhaven East, Eastern Street south to East Haven, and Foxon Boulevard east to North Branford. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 91 continues west across the Quinnipiac River alongside Middletown Avenue to central New Haven. A half-diamond interchange joins the freeway with Middletown Avenue ahead of its intersection with Ferry Street. Photo taken 06/26/05. The Ferry Street off-ramp serves the Fair Haven community of New Haven. Ferry Street leads south from Middletown Avenue to Quinnipiac Avenue at Fair Haven East. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 7 leaves Interstate 91 southbound for Middletown Avenue and Ferry Street. Middletown Avenue otherwise ends at nearby U.S. 5 (State Street) and May Street. Ferry Street intersects Grand Avenue 0.7 miles to the south. Photo taken 06/26/05. A more direct ramp to U.S. 5 (State Street) bypasses the intersection of Middletown Avenue and State Street from Exit 6. U.S. 5 intertwines Interstate 91 briefly between Exits 6 and 5 (northbound) within the vicinity of Willow Street. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 6 follows in quick succession from Exit 7 directly onto Willow Street west of U.S. 5 (State Street). Willow Street stems west from the State Street and Bleckley Avenue intersection to Whitney Avenue. Bleckley Street continues the street south of U.S. 5 to Grand Avenue and Chapel Street in Fair Haven. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 4 provides another opportunity for southbound drivers to access State Street (former U.S. 5) via the connection with Humphrey Street. Forthcoming exits serve Trumbull Street and Interstate 95. U.S. 5 meanwhile ends at the Exit 5 partial-interchange from Interstate 91 north. Photo taken 06/26/05. The New Haven skyline draws into view over the southwestern horizon as Interstate 91 passes over the State Street Bridge. Photo taken 06/26/05. The four southbound lanes of Interstate 91 prepare to partition for off-ramps to Interstate 95 north and south, and Connecticut 34 west. Meanwhile Exit 4 departs for Humphrey Street and parallel State Street. State Street originally carried U.S. 5 southward to junction U.S. 1 (Water Street / Union Avenue) at downtown New Haven. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interests to Tweed New Haven Regional Airport should use the northbound on-ramp to Interstate 95 and Connecticut 337 (Townsend Avenue) south. Photo taken 06/26/05. Southbound at the Exit 3 trumpet interchange with the Trumbell Street connector. High speed ramps carry travelers over State Street directly into the intersection of Trumbell and Orange Streets. Trumbell Street links State Street, Whitney Avenue, and Prospect Street north of the New Haven central business district. Photo taken 06/26/05. Traffic snarls as Interstate 91 approaches the infamous "Mixmaster Interchange" with Interstate 95. The underpowered interchange joins the freeways in conjunction with Connecticut 34 (Richard C. Lee Connector). Exit 2 meanwhile provides a partial interchange to Hamilton Street and Ives Place just east of the freeway. The two surface streets serve the Grand Avenue, Chapel Street, and East Street/Long Wharf Drive area along the industrial Quinnipiac waterfront. Photo taken 06/26/05. Trudging southward by the Exit 2 off-ramp to Hamilton Street and Ives Place east. Construction is underway to redo the interchange with Interstate 95 and to replace the "Q" Bridge over the Quinnipiac River, both sources of traffic congestion. I-95 New Haven Harbor Crossing Corridor Improvement Program details the project that includes a new signature bridge for New Haven, the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge. Construction will result in a new cable-stayed bridge for Interstate 95, and redesigned high-speed interchanges between Interstate 91, Interstate 95, and Connecticut 34. Work is scheduled to last until 2014. Photo taken 06/26/05. Two photos to show the Exit 1 sign bridge in context of the heavy traffic, Interstate 91 ends at a pair of directional "Y" interchanges with the Richard C. Lee Connector, Connecticut 34 west to York Street, and Interstate 95 (John C. Lodge Connecticut Turnpike). Connecticut 34 travels 24.37 miles west from Interstate 91 & 95 to near Interstate 84 at Newtown. The Connector exists as a freeway spur through downtown New Haven, with off-ramps into the central business district. The state highway continues west from the freeway along a pair of one-way streets to Dwight and Howe Streets, and along that couplet to Chapel and George Streets. The original plan was to continue the state highway along a freeway west to junction Connecticut 10 (Ella T. Grasso Boulevard), but community opposition ultimately thwarted the westward progress, curtailing it to a premature end ahead of the frontage road intersections with York Street. The Connector is named after former New Haven Mayor Richard C. Lee.4 Photos taken 06/26/05. The left-hand lane of Interstate 91 defaults onto the "Q" Bridge and Interstate 95 north to East Haven, New London, and Providence, Rhode Island. The rest of the travel lanes continue to the Exit 1 split for Connecticut 34 west to downtown and Interstate 95 south to West Haven, Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, and New York City. Interstate 95 follows the original Connecticut Turnpike along coastal Connecticut, an extremely busy six-lane freeway with numerous on and off-ramps. Photos taken 06/26/05. Interstate 91 draws to a close without an end sign. Instead traffic partitions to Interstate 95 just north of New Haven Harbor. Pictured here is the ramp to northbound, as it descends under the Interstate 91 northbound and Interstate 95 westbound mainlines. Photo taken 06/26/05. Sources: Connecticut Routes 40-44, Connecticut Roads @ Kurumi.com Town of North Haven, Connecticut | History. Connecticut Routes 40-44, Connecticut Roads @ Kurumi.com Connecticut Route 34, Connecticut Roads @ Kurumi.com Page Updated October 7, 2006.