Unbuilt Highway of Connecticut

[AcE_Wolf_287]

I Wanted to make a page on the Unbuilt Highways of Ct, because i believe Ct has the Most unbuilt Freeways/Expressways in the Country

Like I-291, I-484, I-491, I-84/I-86 Mix up, CT 11 to New London

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1uLl-A0QkQS-4Ic-lcEXeRXZBp9ApHCLV&usp=sharing

[shadyjay]

Also add to that list:
I-284, Trout Brook Freeway, Flatbush Freeway

And that's just in the Greater Hartford area (and a lot more proposed on kurumi's site)

In SW Connecticut, you had US 7 South, US 7 North, CT 25, Sherwood Island Parkway, East Rock Freeway (southern CT 10), CT 34


Of all the unbuilt/unfinished roads, I-291 was unique in that a few pieces were built before the main highway was built, and ultimately cancelled.  Its southern terminus at I-91 in Rocky Hill just north of Exit 23 existed for many years until the 90s when a 4th lane was added and the unused overpasses removed.  To this day, the concrete pavement still exists where I-291 South would've met I-91 South.  And then of course the Stack on I-84, which sat unused until CT 9 was open in 1992. 

"Suicide Six" from Bolton to Columbia and CT 11 from Salem to Waterford/East Lyme have gotten the most attention in recent years as far as attempts to restart those projects.  Both are off the table, I believe.  Given traffic levels on CT 11, I say remove the whole thing.  It will ultimately reduce traffic on CT 85, since there won't be an exit off Route 2 to sign as "New London" via CT 11... that would get moved down to I-395 South in Norwich. 

US 7 North was partially built, but didn't quite reach where it was intended to in New Milford, instead acting as a bypass around Brookfield center.  It gives the highway a more suitable end, vs ending with a one way ramp on an abandoned bridge or at a rock wall.  The same can't be said of US 7 South in Norwalk.

[AcE_Wolf_287]

Also add to that list:
I-284, Trout Brook Freeway, Flatbush Freeway

And that's just in the Greater Hartford area (and a lot more proposed on kurumi's site)

In SW Connecticut, you had US 7 South, US 7 North, CT 25, Sherwood Island Parkway, East Rock Freeway (southern CT 10), CT 34


Of all the unbuilt/unfinished roads, I-291 was unique in that a few pieces were built before the main highway was built, and ultimately cancelled.  Its southern terminus at I-91 in Rocky Hill just north of Exit 23 existed for many years until the 90s when a 4th lane was added and the unused overpasses removed.  To this day, the concrete pavement still exists where I-291 South would've met I-91 South.  And then of course the Stack on I-84, which sat unused until CT 9 was open in 1992. 

"Suicide Six" from Bolton to Columbia and CT 11 from Salem to Waterford/East Lyme have gotten the most attention in recent years as far as attempts to restart those projects.  Both are off the table, I believe.  Given traffic levels on CT 11, I say remove the whole thing.  It will ultimately reduce traffic on CT 85, since there won't be an exit off Route 2 to sign as "New London" via CT 11... that would get moved down to I-395 South in Norwich. 

US 7 North was partially built, but didn't quite reach where it was intended to in New Milford, instead acting as a bypass around Brookfield center.  It gives the highway a more suitable end, vs ending with a one way ramp on an abandoned bridge or at a rock wall.  The same can't be said of US 7 South in Norwalk.

I usually go past Hartford once a year in July and I'm always wondering, why did the proposed so many highways in Hartford? There is stub ramps everywhere in the Hartford Metro, Governer Street, CT 3, I-384, I mean the Hartford Area would've looked like NYC but has like 5% the population of NYC

[kurumi]

If CT 11 had not been half built in 1972, no one would have been talking about an 11 freeway at all in 2000. But it's dead now anyway.

There are a lot of other proposed routes that are more sparsely covered than the Hartford area:
* CT 2 in Norwich
* The Groton - Griswold Expressway (117/164)
* CT 73 in Watertown (I've found basically nothing on that except dotted lines on regional planning maps)
* CT 110 expressway into New York (and a controversy about a planned interchange with US 7 freeway)
* US 6 east of I-395 was reported built on a 4-lane or expressway ROW, with plans to expand... but all that ever happened was that super 2 interchange with frontage roads

[jp the roadgeek]

A few more:

CT 8 north of Winsted up to the Mass Pike
CT 10 both north and south of I-84
CT 20 east of I-91 out to I-84 in the Vernon-Tolland area
The US 44 and CT 4 expressways west of Hartford
The CT 78 extension to I-95 (and even to I-395)
The numerous Long Island Sound crossings

I have some exit signs for CT 8 and CT 10 on my Flickr page.

[AcE_Wolf_287]

If CT 11 had not been half built in 1972, no one would have been talking about an 11 freeway at all in 2000. But it's dead now anyway.

There are a lot of other proposed routes that are more sparsely covered than the Hartford area:
* CT 2 in Norwich
* The Groton - Griswold Expressway (117/164)
* CT 73 in Watertown (I've found basically nothing on that except dotted lines on regional planning maps)
* CT 110 expressway into New York (and a controversy about a planned interchange with US 7 freeway)
* US 6 east of I-395 was reported built on a 4-lane or expressway ROW, with plans to expand... but all that ever happened was that super 2 interchange with frontage roads

i've heard CTDOT wanted to upgrade CT 2? is that true?

[Alps]

If CT 11 had not been half built in 1972, no one would have been talking about an 11 freeway at all in 2000. But it's dead now anyway.

There are a lot of other proposed routes that are more sparsely covered than the Hartford area:
* CT 2 in Norwich
* The Groton - Griswold Expressway (117/164)
* CT 73 in Watertown (I've found basically nothing on that except dotted lines on regional planning maps)
* CT 110 expressway into New York (and a controversy about a planned interchange with US 7 freeway)
* US 6 east of I-395 was reported built on a 4-lane or expressway ROW, with plans to expand... but all that ever happened was that super 2 interchange with frontage roads

i've heard CTDOT wanted to upgrade CT 2? is that true?

It's in the above list?

[Mergingtraffic]

Also add to that list:
I-284, Trout Brook Freeway, Flatbush Freeway

And that's just in the Greater Hartford area (and a lot more proposed on kurumi's site)

In SW Connecticut, you had US 7 South, US 7 North, CT 25, Sherwood Island Parkway, East Rock Freeway (southern CT 10), CT 34


Of all the unbuilt/unfinished roads, I-291 was unique in that a few pieces were built before the main highway was built, and ultimately cancelled.  Its southern terminus at I-91 in Rocky Hill just north of Exit 23 existed for many years until the 90s when a 4th lane was added and the unused overpasses removed.  To this day, the concrete pavement still exists where I-291 South would've met I-91 South.  And then of course the Stack on I-84, which sat unused until CT 9 was open in 1992. 

I just walked by I-291 in Farmington recently. Of course if this part was open, the original concrete would've been paved over 1000 times already.

[shadyjay]

I usually go past Hartford once a year in July and I'm always wondering, why did the proposed so many highways in Hartford? There is stub ramps everywhere in the Hartford Metro, Governer Street, CT 3, I-384, I mean the Hartford Area would've looked like NYC but has like 5% the population of NYC

And today, well, pre-March 2020 (and hopefully again), we suffer from some of those expressways not being built. I-84 through Hartford wasn't meant to carry thru traffic from points west to points north.  That's why it took so long to get the 84E->91N flyover built.  Prior to 1990, that direct connection didn't exist.  I-291 was supposed to serve that purpose.  And the Trout Brook Freeway and Sisson Ave Freeway could've helped route traffic as well.  I-484 if built would've taken that 84EB to 91 SB traffic and moved it just south of downtown. 

I wished I-291 from Farmington to Windsor had been built, and same with I-86/I-491 from Glastonbury to Manchester, as those two routes would've really helped distribute traffic and given some more alternative routes around the city. 

[abqtraveler]

A few more:

CT 8 north of Winsted up to the Mass Pike
CT 10 both north and south of I-84
CT 20 east of I-91 out to I-84 in the Vernon-Tolland area
The US 44 and CT 4 expressways west of Hartford
The CT 78 extension to I-95 (and even to I-395)
The numerous Long Island Sound crossings

I have some exit signs for CT 8 and CT 10 on my Flickr page.

CT-40, which I recall from earlier readings was envisiond as a loop around New Haven to connect I-91 and I-95.

CT-190 between I-91 and the Connecticut River was envisioned to be a major freeway across the northern part of the state.

[RobbieL2415]

-CT 83 freeway running from CT 2 in Glastonbury to I-84 in Vernon to the planned CT 20 freeway in Somers.

-Beltways have been proposed around New Haven and Norwich/New London.

-The Berlin Turnpike was planned to be completely grade separated.

-CT 66 freeway from I-691 to CT 9/17 in Middletown.

-CT 17 freeway from the split at CT 2 to New Haven.

-CT 9 freeway extension from the Berlin Turnpike to the stub ramps on I-84 at Flatbush and Sisson Aves., to the current CT 189 freeway stub in Bloomfield and possibly as far as MA 57, Southwick.

-Possible CT 82 freeway from CT 9 to CT 11 or CT 2.

More recently:

-Proposed realignment of I-84 south of Downtown Hartford, mostly via multiplexing with I-91 and CT 15.


-CT 71 or 175 freeway from I-291 (now CT 9) across Newington to the vic. of I-84, Flatbush Ave.

Extended CT 72 freeway to CT 8.

[DJStephens]

Of all the unbuilt/unfinished roads, I-291 was unique in that a few pieces were built before the main highway was built, and ultimately cancelled.  Its southern terminus at I-91 in Rocky Hill just north of Exit 23 existed for many years until the 90s when a 4th lane was added and the unused overpasses removed.  To this day, the concrete pavement still exists where I-291 South would've met I-91 South.  And then of course the Stack on I-84, which sat unused until CT 9 was open in 1992. 

I just walked by I-291 in Farmington recently. Of course if this part was open, the original concrete would've been paved over 1000 times already.


[/quote]

So that vantage point is from the N, looking directly S at the late sixties Stack?   Of a four lane I-291 mainline?  Did not realize that much of a stub had been constructed northward from the Stack.   Do remember it in the seventies/eighties, before much of the concrete pavement on I-84 in the general area had been paved over.   Also remember Dad, driving, always referring to it as a "political blunder" at that time.   His viewpoint was similar to many others at the time, they simply believed that transit was the answer to all transportation issues.   And expensive heavy rail also, instead of envisioning flexible buses that could have used the new roads.  There were many other potentially useful projects at that time, in New England that simply ran into opposition that could not be overcome, because they waited to long to begin, or were simply too expensive for the time. 

[Rothman]

I usually go past Hartford once a year in July and I'm always wondering, why did the proposed so many highways in Hartford? There is stub ramps everywhere in the Hartford Metro, Governer Street, CT 3, I-384, I mean the Hartford Area would've looked like NYC but has like 5% the population of NYC

And today, well, pre-March 2020 (and hopefully again), we suffer from some of those expressways not being built. I-84 through Hartford wasn't meant to carry thru traffic from points west to points north.  That's why it took so long to get the 84E->91N flyover built.  Prior to 1990, that direct connection didn't exist.  I-291 was supposed to serve that purpose.  And the Trout Brook Freeway and Sisson Ave Freeway could've helped route traffic as well.  I-484 if built would've taken that 84EB to 91 SB traffic and moved it just south of downtown. 

The flyover was blocked by G. Fox., which made that at-grade connection totally miserable as traffic backed up onto I-84 frequently.  It was a great day when the flyover opened.

[KEVIN_224]

The above pic looks to be from South Road, looking north towards "The Stack" in Farmington.

[Conn. Roads]

I grew up in Plainville, so the Route 72 blunder was the most noticeable item for me. As a kid, we lived a few blocks away from 72. They all ready had the bridges up over Routes 10, and 372. At the time they revised some local streets, and also built the bridge over the rail yard. I still remember the sounds of all the equipment working, and the pile drivers. Now 40 years later, they finally finished the half assed extension into Bristol. It has at grade intersections, but at least all traffic is not dumped off at the Plainville town line.

It makes me wonder if the extension to Thomaston would be all that necessary today. The need to travel to Waterbury is reduced, since the industry and jobs there are gone. West bound traffic can easily enough go down Middle Street, Route 69 through Wolcott, or even through Terryville.

[DJStephens]

The above pic looks to be from South Road, looking north towards "The Stack" in Farmington.

If one were looking N, wouldn't one be on the now opened section of state route 9?

[shadyjay]

The above pic looks to be from South Road, looking north towards "The Stack" in Farmington.

If one were looking N, wouldn't one be on the now opened section of state route 9?

What we're looking at, north from south Road, is the unopened mainline of I-291.  CT 9 doesn't use any of the unbuilt mainline of the Stack... only the ramps to/from the south.  If you look at Google Maps satellite image, you can see unopened I-291 passes beneath the South Road overpass.  However, the CT 9 North to I-84 connection passes over South Road.  It would be out of view to the extreme right of the photo linked above.

It would've been a short distance south of the South Road "crossing" where the ramps to I-84 would have left the I-291 mainline. 

This Google image street view is taken from the CT 9 North to I-84 roadway, looking west.  The low road is South Road and the overpass is crossing unopened I-291, and the I-84 to CT 9 South connection at the far west end.  A light pole is slightly visible on what is now CT 9 South.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.7232146,-72.770776,3a,75y,296.36h,69.55t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sZ24FIIDZ11PNRmhavUkqqA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DZ24FIIDZ11PNRmhavUkqqA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D119.17891%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192

[DJStephens]

Okay, thanks got it.  South Road is a local street, that is partially "contained" by the built, but not used stack interchange of 84 and 291.  Well until '92.  The long approach ramps in this type of directional interchange mean that the ramps leave the main lines a good distance from the core itself.  Never stomped around in the woods in and around that stack, it must have been a magnet for kids and teenagers.  Was not from that area, but east/central Mass, about fifty to a hundred miles to the NE.  Thanks for the clarifications.   

[KEVIN_224]

You get onto South Road from CT Route 71, which is right by WestFarms Mall on the West Hartford/Farmington town line (hence the mall's name). Once past the mall access, you'll eventually drive over the very end of CT Route 9, near the split below for I-84/US 6. You'd still be south of "the stack".

[kernals12]

Some context is needed here: in the 60s, Connecticut was planning for 5 million residents by 2000 as New York City's growth spilled out further and further afield. They didn't anticipate that instead of moving to Connecticut, New Yorkers would choose to move to Florida, so growth stalled after 1970. That made these highways superfluous.

[abqtraveler]

Some context is needed here: in the 60s, Connecticut was planning for 5 million residents by 2000 as New York City's growth spilled out further and further afield. They didn't anticipate that instead of moving to Connecticut, New Yorkers would choose to move to Florida, so growth stalled after 1970. That made these highways superfluous.

The proliferation of air conditioning starting in the '50s and '60s made the Sun Belt a lot more attractive to northerners, and so the mass migration to the South and Southwest began, and it continues unabated today. Decades of progressive policies and exorbitant taxes decimated the local economy and accelerated the mass exodus from the Northeast from the late '80s onward.

[Alps]

Okay, thanks got it.  South Road is a local street, that is partially "contained" by the built, but not used stack interchange of 84 and 291.  Well until '92.  The long approach ramps in this type of directional interchange mean that the ramps leave the main lines a good distance from the core itself.  Never stomped around in the woods in and around that stack, it must have been a magnet for kids and teenagers.  Was not from that area, but east/central Mass, about fifty to a hundred miles to the NE.  Thanks for the clarifications.   

Not a huge magnet since it's kinda far out there and relatively visible, but I wasn't the first to explore.

[kernals12]

You missed a few. After carefully looking through nycroads.com, I made this map
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1dvItEz5Q_8-guwSiwv2G_HW1baAT7_bp&usp=sharing

I would've loved that Route 32 expressway when I was going to and from UCONN on the weekends, those 2 lane roads are scary and I once got a flat tire hitting a torn up curb. And if they had built 84 to Providence, I could've skipped tolls on the Pike!

I'd also like to understand the logic of having so many north south routes. They wanted 7, 10, and 8 to be freeways all the way from the Sound to the Massachusetts border.

[relaxok]

* CT 73 in Watertown (I've found basically nothing on that except dotted lines on regional planning maps)

That's fascinating - such a sparse and static town.  Where would it have been and what purpose did it serve? 

[jp the roadgeek]

That CT 10 line...I know it was supposed to duplex with I-84 between Exits 29-33 (future 41-49A), but the line you drew would pass within half a block of my house and right through a church complex.  It would pretty much destroy the linear trail I walk on every day