CT Turnpike/I-84 connection

[CapeCodder]

Mods, feel free to move this to Fictional if necessary

Had 84 been built across Connecticut, how would the turnpike have tied into 84 and how would it have been numbered?

[Beeper1]

Had I-84 to Providence been built, it would have met the turnpike in the Plainfield/Killingly area, just north of the Plainfield service plazas, where I-395 splits from the original Turnpike (unsigned Route 695).

I believe that last east-west segment of the turnpike from I-395 to the state line was going to be incorporated into I-84.

[Rothman]

Informed responses based upon history = not fictional

Whackadoodle ideas about a five-level-stack allowing for a new "I-884" spur to Pawtucket = fictional.

[MikeTheActuary]

Whackadoodle ideas about a five-level-stack allowing for a new "I-884" spur to Pawtucket = fictional.

Please.

If we're going for fictional, then at least have I-884 go to Quahog. 

[roadman65]

I'm surprised that I-195 in RI and MA wasn't going to be it. It would have been nice for the original I-84 to go almost to the Cape like I-195 does.

[Rothman]

Although the intense local opposition was what killed it, I also think it's fun that an on-paper logical connection between two seemingly major cities then stunned engineers by people just never wanting to go to either city in reality.  Had there actually been a need, it would have been steamrolled through, especially nowadays with compensation being tied with eminent domain.

[CapeCodder]

Whackadoodle ideas about a five-level-stack allowing for a new "I-884" spur to Pawtucket = fictional.

Please.

If we're going for fictional, then at least have I-884 go to Quahog. 

The Mayor Adam West Memorial Turnpike

[The Ghostbuster]

I think the canceled Hartford-Providence Interstate should have retained its original Interstate 82 designation. I think the Interstate 84-to-Interstate 86-back-to-Interstate 84 conversions were unnecessary. My only regret is that they were unable to find a way to at least connect Interstate 384 with the US 6 Willimantic Bypass.

[jp the roadgeek]

I think the canceled Hartford-Providence Interstate should have retained its original Interstate 82 designation. I think the Interstate 84-to-Interstate 86-back-to-Interstate 84 conversions were unnecessary. My only regret is that they were unable to find a way to at least connect Interstate 384 with the US 6 Willimantic Bypass.

I would've loved to see I-384 extended and the CT 66 expressway built out and have an I-82 from the I-84/I-691 junction through Providence out to MA 3 at the Sagamore Bridge (using the US 6 expressway in RI, I-195, and part of MA 25).  And yes, it would utilize SR 695.  You'd have a direct route between Hartford and Providence (84/384/82) and a southern bypass of Hartford for long distance traffic.

[sharkyfour]

Although the intense local opposition was what killed it, I also think it's fun that an on-paper logical connection between two seemingly major cities then stunned engineers by people just never wanting to go to either city in reality.  Had there actually been a need, it would have been steamrolled through, especially nowadays with compensation being tied with eminent domain.

Those of us in Windham/Willimantic who understand economics disagree.  There is a vital need for this link.  The fact that we got left off the Interstate Highway system, especially when we used to be where all the NYC-BOS railroad links met, has decimated our town economically.  All of the other "cities" along this corridor still retained some connection to the interstate system, but we're stuck with ~12 miles of two-lane highway in any given direction to access an interstate.  With that barrier, no businesses want to locate here.

[roadman65]

Connecticut is an oddball. They are a state that could use high speed roads badly as most numbered routes are posted at lower speed limits.  US 7, for example, has a 40 mph speed except for its short freeway segments.

 I would figure that locals would want the planned US 7 freeway built to avoid the 40 mph zone on the present route making drives longer then needed.  Considering people's egos inflate these days and want to drive fast along with some wanting loud by tampering with the exhaust and some liking the dark tinted windows to hide behind, there must be plenty of people driving fast and ignoring speed limits to create safety concerns and red light running.

No they want all roads to be local and the few freeways they do have to be the only highways they have to be highways.  Basically all numbered routes in CT are numbers applied to town streets.

[Rothman]

Although the intense local opposition was what killed it, I also think it's fun that an on-paper logical connection between two seemingly major cities then stunned engineers by people just never wanting to go to either city in reality.  Had there actually been a need, it would have been steamrolled through, especially nowadays with compensation being tied with eminent domain.

Those of us in Windham/Willimantic who understand economics disagree.  There is a vital need for this link.  The fact that we got left off the Interstate Highway system, especially when we used to be where all the NYC-BOS railroad links met, has decimated our town economically.  All of the other "cities" along this corridor still retained some connection to the interstate system, but we're stuck with ~12 miles of two-lane highway in any given direction to access an interstate.  With that barrier, no businesses want to locate here.

And thus the strength of the political pull of Windham/Willimantic is revealed and exposed for what it is.

[Mergingtraffic]

I drove US-6 today between I-384 and RI. The part between the US-6 Bypass and I-384 is awful. Not one passing zone.

When I go through there I'm doing interstate driving, I want to go a long distance and when the speed limit is actually posted at 50mph, very few people actually go 50. They go 45. It tends to be local cars that go slower.

My other thing I notice, the part of US-6 in Danielson, has a grade separated interchange with a side street (Westcott Rd) (it even has frontage roads!) and seems wide enough for 4-lanes. Why isn't it striped that way? The pavement is there. I'm guessing that would've been part of I-84, had it been built?

It seems CT DOT is more focused on safety than traffic flow. Of course, I'm not against safety, but not at the expense of traffic flow.

But then, Rhode Island reduced US-6 to two-lanes from 4 and lowered the speed limit to 45.

States like GA, SC or even NY have higher speeds on 2-lane roads and have better flow movements. (NY depending on the area lol)

[shadyjay]

What RIDOT did to US 6 east of the state line is disgusting, but I know why they did it.  It is a safer road, for sure, as the old setup had no shoulders and high speed traffic.  It used to be a quick road to drive from the RI US 6 Bypass around Scituate to the state line, with no traffic lights.  Now there's like 3 or 4.  At least they did keep some of the truck lanes.

I don't think that limited access section of US 6 directly east of I-395 was to be part of I-84.  I-84 would have crossed the turnpike near Exit 35 and the service areas.  I wonder what sort of interchange would have gone in there. 

[kurumi]

What RIDOT did to US 6 east of the state line is disgusting, but I know why they did it.  It is a safer road, for sure, as the old setup had no shoulders and high speed traffic.  It used to be a quick road to drive from the RI US 6 Bypass around Scituate to the state line, with no traffic lights.  Now there's like 3 or 4.  At least they did keep some of the truck lanes.

I don't think that limited access section of US 6 directly east of I-395 was to be part of I-84.  I-84 would have crossed the turnpike near Exit 35 and the service areas.  I wonder what sort of interchange would have gone in there. 

I haven't found a primary source for the US 6 work east of I-395; only a reference in another article alluding to US 6 being built as 2 lanes, but with accommodations for future 4-laning.

South Frontage Road, Halls Hill Road, and Dark Lantern Hill Road are part of the original (1940s and earlier) US 6.

(Also, everything I've seen for I-84 would have used SR 695 (most likely IMO) or a new alignment to the south.)

[Henry]

I think the canceled Hartford-Providence Interstate should have retained its original Interstate 82 designation. I think the Interstate 84-to-Interstate 86-back-to-Interstate 84 conversions were unnecessary. My only regret is that they were unable to find a way to at least connect Interstate 384 with the US 6 Willimantic Bypass.

Not only that, they also had to deal with the Scituate Reservoir further east. US 6 would've been the path of least resistance there, but then it would need that pesky, awkward angle just to connect to the existing piece of freeway leading into Providence. And I agree, it should've stayed I-82, because I-86 was totally unnecessary for a short 63-mile drive between East Hartford and Sturbridge (I-384 would've been better off used in those days before switching off with the cancelled extension).

[IMGoph]

What RIDOT did to US 6 east of the state line is disgusting, but I know why they did it.  It is a safer road, for sure, as the old setup had no shoulders and high speed traffic.  It used to be a quick road to drive from the RI US 6 Bypass around Scituate to the state line, with no traffic lights.  Now there's like 3 or 4.  At least they did keep some of the truck lanes.

I don't think that limited access section of US 6 directly east of I-395 was to be part of I-84.  I-84 would have crossed the turnpike near Exit 35 and the service areas.  I wonder what sort of interchange would have gone in there. 

It is disgusting for a road to be safer?

[shadyjay]

What RIDOT did to US 6 east of the state line is disgusting, but I know why they did it.  It is a safer road, for sure, as the old setup had no shoulders and high speed traffic.  It used to be a quick road to drive from the RI US 6 Bypass around Scituate to the state line, with no traffic lights.  Now there's like 3 or 4.  At least they did keep some of the truck lanes.

I don't think that limited access section of US 6 directly east of I-395 was to be part of I-84.  I-84 would have crossed the turnpike near Exit 35 and the service areas.  I wonder what sort of interchange would have gone in there. 

It is disgusting for a road to be safer?

Okay, probably a wrong choice of word there.  I understand the purpose of road diets and making roads safer and such, but a cross-state route like Route 6 reduced to one lane each way is something CTDOT would've done.  The adult in me understands why they reduced it, "widened" the painted median, added shoulders, and reduced the speed.  The roadgeek in me would've like to have seen the 4 lanes kept, shoulders added, and perhaps a median barrier and the occasional u-turn jughandle added. 

[Ted$8roadFan]

Even widening US-6 in its entirety from Bolton to Danielson is a bridge too far (no pun intended) for Connecticut. I-84 was cancelled over 40 years ago. Making safety improvements is the least the state can do.