Connecticut News

[abqtraveler]

OK. I was wondering about that (Less so about Conn's I-291. It was originally supposed to be a loop.) But I-395 in Conn. and Mass. also qualifies for an even number by this logic and I-695 and I-895 are available (unless one of those was reserved for a cross-Sound bridge.)

Was I-395 originally just the number from the I-95/395 split to CT-695 in Danielson?  I ask because I don't know.

I-395 was originally CT/MA 52.  Route 52 was completed to I-290 in Auburn, MA circa 1977 & became I-395 circa 1983.

Due to the highway being in two states; a number had to be assigned that wasn't already used (CT 695) or was proposed to be used at the time (the I-895 proposal in MA & RI was just killed off a year earlier).

Since the road was to be a child to I-95 & all the even 3di numbers were still somewhat spoken for at the time; an odd 3-digit derivative of I-95 was selected.  Given that one end of the highway terminated near New London, one could argue that at least one end of I-395 was near a city.

Was the CT 695 spur ever a part of CT 52, or was that number only added once the road was extended north?

No.  The number was assigned to that short piece of then-CT Turnpike circa 1964.

So anyone know why I-395  wasn't signed as an extension of I-290?  Last time I was up that way, I recall that I-290's exit numbers are a continuatuion of I-395's in Massachusetts.

[Alps]

OK. I was wondering about that (Less so about Conn's I-291. It was originally supposed to be a loop.) But I-395 in Conn. and Mass. also qualifies for an even number by this logic and I-695 and I-895 are available (unless one of those was reserved for a cross-Sound bridge.)

Was I-395 originally just the number from the I-95/395 split to CT-695 in Danielson?  I ask because I don't know.

I-395 was originally CT/MA 52.  Route 52 was completed to I-290 in Auburn, MA circa 1977 & became I-395 circa 1983.

Due to the highway being in two states; a number had to be assigned that wasn't already used (CT 695) or was proposed to be used at the time (the I-895 proposal in MA & RI was just killed off a year earlier).

Since the road was to be a child to I-95 & all the even 3di numbers were still somewhat spoken for at the time; an odd 3-digit derivative of I-95 was selected.  Given that one end of the highway terminated near New London, one could argue that at least one end of I-395 was near a city.

Was the CT 695 spur ever a part of CT 52, or was that number only added once the road was extended north?

No.  The number was assigned to that short piece of then-CT Turnpike circa 1964.

So anyone know why I-395  wasn't signed as an extension of I-290?  Last time I was up that way, I recall that I-290's exit numbers are a continuatuion of I-395's in Massachusetts.

Because for a long time it was I-290 and CT-MA 52. So they just flat out converted 52 to 395 instead of trying to do anything fancy.

[kurumi]

OK. I was wondering about that (Less so about Conn's I-291. It was originally supposed to be a loop.) But I-395 in Conn. and Mass. also qualifies for an even number by this logic and I-695 and I-895 are available (unless one of those was reserved for a cross-Sound bridge.)

Was I-395 originally just the number from the I-95/395 split to CT-695 in Danielson?  I ask because I don't know.

I-395 was originally CT/MA 52.  Route 52 was completed to I-290 in Auburn, MA circa 1977 & became I-395 circa 1983.

Due to the highway being in two states; a number had to be assigned that wasn't already used (CT 695) or was proposed to be used at the time (the I-895 proposal in MA & RI was just killed off a year earlier).

Since the road was to be a child to I-95 & all the even 3di numbers were still somewhat spoken for at the time; an odd 3-digit derivative of I-95 was selected.  Given that one end of the highway terminated near New London, one could argue that at least one end of I-395 was near a city.

Was the CT 695 spur ever a part of CT 52, or was that number only added once the road was extended north?

No.  The number was assigned to that short piece of then-CT Turnpike circa 1964.

So anyone know why I-395  wasn't signed as an extension of I-290?  Last time I was up that way, I recall that I-290's exit numbers are a continuatuion of I-395's in Massachusetts.

Because for a long time it was I-290 and CT-MA 52. So they just flat out converted 52 to 395 instead of trying to do anything fancy.

I-290 appears to have been the original plan; up until about 2 weeks before the designation, people were calling it I-290: http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/i290.html

[jon daly]

^ Your site is one website that changed my life, but I don't recall seeing that page before. Does this explain some of the engineering on US-6 in and near Danielson?

[kurumi]

The full freeway interchange at US 6 and I-395 (using SR 695 for 2 movements) dates back to the 1950s, when the highway department was calling the freeway "relocated Route 12" -- long before the idea of creating an interstate there.

[Mergingtraffic]

Concrete on I-84 in Waterbury is also being repaved, just like I-691 in Southington, although it might've gotten lost in the exit renumbering obsession posts.

[RobbieL2415]

Concrete on I-84 in Waterbury is also being repaved, just like I-691 in Southington, although it might've gotten lost in the exit renumbering obsession posts.

So the last concrete segment is I-84 in Manchester. 😭

[shadyjay]

Also in concrete:
CT 9 in New Britain (Exits 25-29)
CT 25 in Trumbull

There's also about a very small section (200-500') of I-95 in eastern Norwalk that's still concrete.

[RobbieL2415]

Also in concrete:
CT 9 in New Britain (Exits 25-29)
CT 25 in Trumbull

There's also about a very small section (200-500') of I-95 in eastern Norwalk that's still concrete.

Should also note that the OG I-84 concrete in Hartford still exists, just paved over.

[abqtraveler]

Also in concrete:
CT 9 in New Britain (Exits 25-29)
CT 25 in Trumbull

There's also about a very small section (200-500') of I-95 in eastern Norwalk that's still concrete.

The remaining concrete sections on I-95 that I know of are on the southbound side in Westport. Each is a few hundred feet in length: one section is at the Hillspoint Road overpass; the other is at the Hales Road overpass. These sections were left as concrete because overlaying them with asphalt would reduce the overpass clearances such that most semis would no longer be able to fit.  At some point, both overpasses will eventually be replaced with bridges that will have higher clearances. When that happens, I suspect you'll see these two sections of concrete paved over with asphalt.

[Mergingtraffic]

The westbound lanes are now paved over, I'm assuming the EB lanes will be shortly:

The I-84 Waterbury concrete was in bad shape, but it's been untouched since the Exit 23 reconstruction of the late 1970s.  IDK why they didn't just diamond grind it?  Because you know the asphalt won't last 40 years.

I-95's SB concrete in Westport, CT:

[shadyjay]

The westbound lanes are now paved over, I'm assuming the EB lanes will be shortly:

The I-84 Waterbury concrete was in bad shape, but it's been untouched since the Exit 23 reconstruction of the late 1970s.  IDK why they didn't just diamond grind it?  Because you know the asphalt won't last 40 years.

I'm assuming the pullthrough on the bridge in the distance has had its "LANE ENDS MERGE LEFT" overlay removed, given that there's no longer a lane drop? 
(IIRC, this pullthrough was part of the state's spot overhead sign project from a few years ago, which changed it from EAST 84 with three down arrows to a modified pullthrough/lane ends).

[Mergingtraffic]

The westbound lanes are now paved over, I'm assuming the EB lanes will be shortly:

The I-84 Waterbury concrete was in bad shape, but it's been untouched since the Exit 23 reconstruction of the late 1970s.  IDK why they didn't just diamond grind it?  Because you know the asphalt won't last 40 years.

I'm assuming the pullthrough on the bridge in the distance has had its "LANE ENDS MERGE LEFT" overlay removed, given that there's no longer a lane drop? 
(IIRC, this pullthrough was part of the state's spot overhead sign project from a few years ago, which changed it from EAST 84 with three down arrows to a modified pullthrough/lane ends).

It's still there with the lane ends covered up without the third arrow.

[PHLBOS]

The westbound lanes are now paved over, I'm assuming the EB lanes will be shortly:

The I-84 Waterbury concrete was in bad shape, but it's been untouched since the Exit 23 reconstruction of the late 1970s.  IDK why they didn't just diamond grind it?  Because you know the asphalt won't last 40 years.

I'm assuming the pullthrough on the bridge in the distance has had its "LANE ENDS MERGE LEFT" overlay removed, given that there's no longer a lane drop? 
(IIRC, this pullthrough was part of the state's spot overhead sign project from a few years ago, which changed it from EAST 84 with three down arrows to a modified pullthrough/lane ends).

As of Oct. 26, when I last drove through there, the sign in its current form still remained.

[KEVIN_224]

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/State/Voters-approve-constitutional-lock-box-for-transportation-funds.html

https://ballotpedia.org/Connecticut_Amendment_1,_Transportation_Revenue_Lockbox_Amendment_(2018)

Thank goodness the voters said yes to this!

[Roadsguy]

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/State/Voters-approve-constitutional-lock-box-for-transportation-funds.html

https://ballotpedia.org/Connecticut_Amendment_1,_Transportation_Revenue_Lockbox_Amendment_(2018)

Thank goodness the voters said yes to this!

Hopefully the next 100 pages will actually be full of things to talk about

[jp the roadgeek]

http://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/State/Voters-approve-constitutional-lock-box-for-transportation-funds.html

https://ballotpedia.org/Connecticut_Amendment_1,_Transportation_Revenue_Lockbox_Amendment_(2018)

Thank goodness the voters said yes to this!

Hopefully the next 100 pages will actually be full of things to talk about

The lockbox is a good idea, but I do have some concerns about it.  There are loopholes that could circumvent funds around  the lockbox.  For example, let's say a gas tax that is currently earmarked for the lockbox is repealed and replaced with a new gas tax.  However, the provision for the new tax could deem that the tax be earmarked for the general fund rather than the lockbox.  And with the same party now running rampant and having full control of everything, you could see shenanigans like this so that we're back to square one and the money is being used to put bike racks along the side of route 4 in Cornwall instead of fixing bridges. I'm hoping it's successful and that it goes to the right places, but I'm usually a little skeptical about what goes on in this state.

[Mergingtraffic]

New signs on the Merritt Pkwy, the usual merge signs and route markers.  They all look well designed, even the lowercase road overpass street name signs.  I see foundations for the US-7 signs near Exit 40B-A.  No extruded aluminum signs are up yet though.

One thing at the end of the Exit 40B ramp SB there are a pair of CT-7 trailblazers.  They're well designed sight wise except for the CT shield thing.

[jp the roadgeek]

Interesting article and report.  Has some interesting stats in there too:
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/CT-Do-Better-Exit-Left-500609102.html?

[kurumi]

Interesting article and report.  Has some interesting stats in there too:
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/CT-Do-Better-Exit-Left-500609102.html?

That was a pretty good segment, especially for TV news. I was surprised that apparently Connecticut has more ramps than Massachusetts overall (880 vs 810).

A rough count of distinct CT interchanges is about 400 to 420. I'd think the average number of ramps per interchange would be closer to 4 than 2 (880/420), but counting them all would take a while.

[zzyzx]

Interesting article and report.  Has some interesting stats in there too:
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/CT-Do-Better-Exit-Left-500609102.html?

I knew CT had a lot of left exits, but one of the highest in New England? (6.4%). I guess that shouldn't surprise me given the age of their highways and unbuilt freeways that were supposed to CONNECT to other highways but got CUT (emphasis intended).

What are the rates in another states--the report mentioned MA having 39 left exits, NH with 5, 2 in RI, and 0 in ME and VT.  I know PA has a bunch.  Anyone here have a list? I'm curious if CT is #1 in the nation.

[jon daly]

I dunno, but RI has a left entrance on I-295 North coming from RI-37. It's been part of my commute since the 1st of October,

[ipeters61]

Interesting article and report.  Has some interesting stats in there too:
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/CT-Do-Better-Exit-Left-500609102.html?

I knew CT had a lot of left exits, but one of the highest in New England? (6.4%). I guess that shouldn't surprise me given the age of their highways and unbuilt freeways that were supposed to CONNECT to other highways but got CUT (emphasis intended).

What are the rates in another states--the report mentioned MA having 39 left exits, NH with 5, 2 in RI, and 0 in ME and VT.  I know PA has a bunch.  Anyone here have a list? I'm curious if CT is #1 in the nation.

Delaware I can think of 6 (I-95 SB to I-295 NB, I-295 NB to US-13, I-495 SB to I-295 NB, DE-1 Exit 156 on both sides, DE-1 NB to I-95 NB), but I know there are a few left entrances too.  Bear in mind that we don't have that many expressways either!

I remember on my trips between PA and CT growing up, I always wondered why CT had a bunch of left exits.  Then I remembered one of my friends went on a rant about I-395's SB ramp to CT-32 SB (I think Exit 5 now?) and how left exits were bad design.  I had to reiterate to him several times that having it as a left exit meant one less bridge they had to build...at an expense that we are surely aware of!

[PHLBOS]

My first few times driving along I-84 in the Hartford area (where most of the left exits are along that westbound stretch) nearly 30 years ago took a tad getting used to.  Just when I would move into the left lane to pass a slower driver; I would have to quickly move back to the right or risk unintentionally exiting off the main road.

One item that the article did not mention is that there are currently plans to reconfigure the CT 15/Exit 29 ramp along I-91 northbound to a left-lane exit ramp as part of an overall I-91 reconstruction project in that area.  Such, when constructed/completed, would add one more to CT's already-high total.

[jon daly]

As a native Nutmegger, I was used to left exits. It didn't occur to me that left exits were an oddity.