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Regional Boards => Northeast => Topic started by: Mergingtraffic on January 02, 2014, 02:23:46 PM

Title: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Mergingtraffic on January 02, 2014, 02:23:46 PM
From the Hartford Courant:

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/courant-250/hc-pictures-connecticut-turnpike-i95-through-the-years-20131204,0,2448490.photogallery

CT was the first state to completely finish their portion of I-95. Good news, but now CT is dead last in congestion for I-95. :pan:


Also my alias on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98731835@N05/
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Brandon on January 02, 2014, 02:33:33 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on January 02, 2014, 02:23:46 PM
From the Hartford Courant:

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/courant-250/hc-pictures-connecticut-turnpike-i95-through-the-years-20131204,0,2448490.photogallery

CT was the first state to completely finish their portion of I-95. Good news, but now CT is dead last in congestion for I-95. :pan:

Of course, New Jersey and DC never actually finished theirs.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: KEVIN_224 on January 02, 2014, 02:39:25 PM
Awesome! I hope they do this picture gallery for I-84 and I-91 as well!  :clap:
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: PHLBOS on January 02, 2014, 02:39:39 PM
Quote from: Brandon on January 02, 2014, 02:33:33 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on January 02, 2014, 02:23:46 PM
From the Hartford Courant:

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/courant-250/hc-pictures-connecticut-turnpike-i95-through-the-years-20131204,0,2448490.photogallery

CT was the first state to completely finish their portion of I-95. Good news, but now CT is dead last in congestion for I-95. :pan:

Of course, New Jersey and DC never actually finished theirs.
Don't forget Massachusetts.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Mergingtraffic on January 02, 2014, 02:52:00 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 02, 2014, 02:39:25 PM
Awesome! I hope they do this picture gallery for I-84 and I-91 as well!  :clap:

I heard rumors there's a library at the CT DOT in Newington, which lots of documents and pictures.  I also hear the public can view it.  I forget where I heard it from but I would love to see the pictures from the 1950s-1980s that they have.  Anybody know if what I heard true?
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: KEVIN_224 on January 02, 2014, 03:39:32 PM
Gee...as many times as I've been by that place, I've never been in it. I know it sits on some ROW reserved for a cancelled highway project.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: dgolub on January 02, 2014, 07:04:14 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on January 02, 2014, 02:23:46 PM
CT was the first state to completely finish their portion of I-95. Good news, but now CT is dead last in congestion for I-95. :pan:

How about the section along the Cross Bronx Expressway in New York?  It's hard to beat that what it comes to congestion?
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Alps on January 02, 2014, 07:18:38 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on January 02, 2014, 02:23:46 PM
From the Hartford Courant:

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/courant-250/hc-pictures-connecticut-turnpike-i95-through-the-years-20131204,0,2448490.photogallery

CT was the first state to completely finish their portion of I-95. Good news, but now CT is dead last in congestion for I-95. :pan:


Also my alias on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/98731835@N05/
Image 6 makes me want to punch puppies.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: jp the roadgeek on January 02, 2014, 08:12:12 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 02, 2014, 03:39:32 PM
Gee...as many times as I've been by that place, I've never been in it. I know it sits on some ROW reserved for a cancelled highway project.

Yes. It sits on the junction of where I-291 would have met the Berlin Turnpike (US 5/CT 15).  As another throwback, interesting piece on this old WFSB (then WTIC) newscast from 1974.  Notice the sign for the Capitol Ave exit being the default exit for I-91 North from I-84 East when the I-484 tunnel was proposed (story starts at about the 3:20 mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGjK_NQQjWE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGjK_NQQjWE)
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: NE2 on January 02, 2014, 09:31:12 PM
Quote from: jp the roadgeek on January 02, 2014, 08:12:12 PM
Notice the sign for the Capitol Ave exit being the default exit for I-91 North from I-84 East when the I-484 tunnel was proposed (story starts at about the 3:20 mark)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGjK_NQQjWE (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGjK_NQQjWE)
Still signed after you take the exit, including these older signs (is that first assembly telling you to take I-91 in case of nuclear war?)
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.762845,-72.682457&spn=0.01298,0.028346&gl=us&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=41.762893,-72.682693&panoid=Rx_yDp91S1JrAFvcC_3fxQ&cbp=12,139.49,,1,-15.03
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.763694,-72.680697&spn=0.01298,0.028346&gl=us&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=41.76361,-72.680731&panoid=fO8dS-96TRSoDaJMNt2waA&cbp=12,40.84,,2,-3.23
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: KEVIN_224 on January 02, 2014, 09:31:53 PM
Yep! From the very last days of channel 3 and their WTIC-TV call letters. They'd become WFSB-TV that year when Post-Newsweek would buy the station from the Traveler's Insurance Corporation.

The exit sign you refer to is today's Exit 48B, which is Capitol Avenue from I-84 East. I believe the flyover ramp that's after the tunnel opened in the fall of 1990 (I was first on it back on October 13, 1990).
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: D-Dey65 on January 03, 2014, 12:42:21 PM
They call this a complex interchange?
http://www.trbimg.com/img-529f8816/turbine/hc-pictures-connecticut-turnpike-i95-through-t-011/500/500x330

:confused:

It's just a diamond interchange with a connecting flyover.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Mergingtraffic on January 03, 2014, 02:49:41 PM
Briantroutman's post got me thinking.  Why did the CT Tpke have the yellow line on the right side of the road??

Quote from: briantroutman on January 02, 2014, 08:50:03 PM
The thread on the Connecticut Turnpike got me looking for old photos, and it was odd to see the "italics” on early Connecticut Turnpike signage (like this…)

(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2F1cpr3dX&hash=cb2f2c2dd666186abc2c88fc4251682d9d66ef8d)


Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 04:39:30 PM
Neato! That's the Byram River bridge, heading north into Greenwich from Port Chester, NY. It looks to be from the late 1960s or so. Any idea what that little "T-I-S" sign could've been for? (It's not the state line, since that would be behind the photographer.) Also, I'm almost certain there's a LGS for distances in the background (likely for Bridgeport and New Haven).
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: PHLBOS on January 03, 2014, 04:58:38 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 04:39:30 PMIt looks to be from the late 1960s or so.
Judging by the cars in the photo, it looks to be from the early 1960s... at the earliest.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 05:01:02 PM
Also, I see there's been no exit 1 from the beginning either, assuming "Exit 1" meant you were exiting the Connecticut Turnpike. Weird!
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: PHLBOS on January 03, 2014, 05:23:34 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 05:01:02 PM
Also, I see there's been no exit 1 from the beginning either, assuming "Exit 1" meant you were exiting the Connecticut Turnpike. Weird!
PTC did similar back when PA had sequential exit numbering and the PA Turnpike (I-76) had its western mainline toll plaza closer to the Ohio border; it was indeed listed as Exit 1.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Brandon on January 03, 2014, 05:30:31 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on January 03, 2014, 05:23:34 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 05:01:02 PM
Also, I see there's been no exit 1 from the beginning either, assuming "Exit 1" meant you were exiting the Connecticut Turnpike. Weird!
PTC did similar back when PA had sequential exit numbering and the PA Turnpike (I-76) had its western mainline toll plaza closer to the Ohio border; it was indeed listed as Exit 1.

Same with the Ohio Turnpike when it too had sequential exit numbering.  The first toll plaza was "Exit 1".
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 05:35:42 PM
Before the renumbering 10 years ago to mileage based exits on I-95/Maine Turnpike, the exits went Exit 1, 2, 3, 4, [TOLL PLAZA] 2, 3, etc. So glad they fixed that! (It's now 1, 2, 3, 7, [TOLL PLAZA] 19, 25, etc.) I'm guessing the York toll plaza was "Exit 1"?
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Alps on January 03, 2014, 06:05:45 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on January 03, 2014, 04:58:38 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 04:39:30 PMIt looks to be from the late 1960s or so.
Judging by the cars in the photo, it looks to be from the early 1960s.
Cars are going to lag the photo by a couple of years (:
Quote from: doofy103 on January 03, 2014, 02:49:41 PM
Briantroutman's post got me thinking.  Why did the CT Tpke have the yellow line on the right side of the road??

1960s were still pre-standardization of striping. Some states used only white, some used yellow in varying capacities. This is what the CT Tpk decided to do.
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 05:35:42 PM
Before the renumbering 10 years ago to mileage based exits on I-95/Maine Turnpike, the exits went Exit 1, 2, 3, 4, [TOLL PLAZA] 2, 3, etc. So glad they fixed that! (It's now 1, 2, 3, 7, [TOLL PLAZA] 19, 25, etc.) I'm guessing the York toll plaza was "Exit 1"?
Technically, NJ Turnpike's Exit 1 is the toll plaza at the southern end. The US 40, NJ 140, etc. ramps aren't numbered.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: cpzilliacus on January 04, 2014, 01:35:06 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on January 03, 2014, 04:58:38 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 04:39:30 PMIt looks to be from the late 1960s or so.
Judging by the cars in the photo, it looks to be from the early 1960s.

Could be.  That "crackerbox" GMC tractor on the other side of the Turnpike screams "1960's" (and it probably had a "screamin' Jimmy" 2-stroke Diesel engine under the cab), but they were built through most of the 1960's. 

Youtube of a nicely restored crackerbox (with "screamin' Jimmy" power): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xft8IlxfChs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xft8IlxfChs).
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: ixnay on January 04, 2014, 07:32:39 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on January 02, 2014, 02:39:39 PM
Quote from: Brandon on January 02, 2014, 02:33:33 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on January 02, 2014, 02:23:46 PM
From the Hartford Courant:

http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/courant-250/hc-pictures-connecticut-turnpike-i95-through-the-years-20131204,0,2448490.photogallery

CT was the first state to completely finish their portion of I-95. Good news, but now CT is dead last in congestion for I-95. :pan:

Of course, New Jersey and DC never actually finished theirs.
Don't forget Massachusetts.

D.C., MD, and MA gave in to the NIMBYS and rerouted 95.  So did NJ, but the Garden State is waiting for the PA Turnpike connection in Bucks Co. to be finished, to finish its part of 95.

ixnay
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: dgolub on January 05, 2014, 11:10:30 AM
Quote from: ixnay on January 04, 2014, 07:32:39 PM
D.C., MD, and MA gave in to the NIMBYS and rerouted 95.  So did NJ, but the Garden State is waiting for the PA Turnpike connection in Bucks Co. to be finished, to finish its part of 95.

Strictly speaking, they've extended I-95 down the turnpike and along the turnpike extension to end at the New Jersey-Pennsylvania border, where it becomes I-276.  However, the I-95 designation along the turnpike extension is unsigned.  It's the redesignation of a piece of I-276 as I-95 in Pennsylvania that will connect the two sections and close the gap, although there are portions of I-95 in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania that will get decommissioned and redesignated I-195.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: SignBridge on January 22, 2014, 06:51:21 PM
I like that old photo above of the Conn. Turnpike's original blue exit signs. The Northeast's toll roads each had their own unique sign system from the 1950's. Does anyone remember Conn's overhead exit direction signs with the long arrow pointing down/right?
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: NE2 on January 22, 2014, 06:58:40 PM
Quote from: SignBridge on January 22, 2014, 06:51:21 PM
Does anyone remember Conn's overhead exit direction signs with the long arrow pointing down/right?
There are several here: http://www.alpsroads.net/roads/ct/i-95/n1.html
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: SignBridge on January 22, 2014, 08:19:33 PM
Yep, that original Conn. Tpk. signing was actually pretty good. Clear and logical, especially that slanted lettering for the action info. Sort of primitive by today's MUTCD standards but it probably worked fine from 1958 to 1985 when the replacement program began.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: ctsignguy on January 22, 2014, 09:26:45 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 05:01:02 PM
Also, I see there's been no exit 1 from the beginning either, assuming "Exit 1" meant you were exiting the Connecticut Turnpike. Weird!

Actually, you assumed correctly. Exit 1 was westbound I-95 to New York City
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: PHLBOS on January 23, 2014, 09:11:23 AM
Quote from: Steve on January 03, 2014, 06:05:45 PM
Quote from: PHLBOS on January 03, 2014, 04:58:38 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 04:39:30 PMIt looks to be from the late 1960s or so.
Judging by the cars in the photo, it looks to be from the early 1960s... at the earliest.
Cars are going to lag the photo by a couple of years (:
True, but people were buying new cars more frequently back then (thereby increasing their presence on the roads).  It was a lot more common for people to trade in their cars for a new model every 2 to 3 years vs. every 5 to 7 years today.  Plus, cars changed their styling/appearance a lot more frequently back then; making it easier to identify the exact vintage.

Nonetheless, I have since modified my earlier post w/the appropriate quantifier (see above).  :)
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: ctsignguy on January 24, 2014, 08:45:27 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 04:39:30 PM
Neato! That's the Byram River bridge, heading north into Greenwich from Port Chester, NY. It looks to be from the late 1960s or so. Any idea what that little "T-I-S" sign could've been for? (It's not the state line, since that would be behind the photographer.) Also, I'm almost certain there's a LGS for distances in the background (likely for Bridgeport and New Haven).

Not sure about the T-I-S, but that one little sign further down the road i think reads "BYRAM TOWN LINE".   On the western half of the Turnpike back in those years, they didn't have too many BBS (big blue signs) with town and distance. (I dont recall too many until you got past East Haven in either direction, and even then, there weren't many on the eastern half of the Turnpike)  That sign over the closest trailer is actually facing westbound traffic. 

If i recall correctly, typical signing practices back then had the start of each on-ramp with BBS with the legends like "New Haven and West", "Providence and East"  or "Westbound New Haven".  mounted on the post would be one or two white directional boards indicating the next town ad distance and one with the next large town and distance  (top board "Old Saybrook   5  --->" lower board  "New Haven    35   --->")
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: SignBridge on January 24, 2014, 09:17:24 PM
Yes, those old entrance ramp signs for the Conn. Tpk. used to read "Eastbound, New London" and "Westbound, New Haven", etc. Interesting that the Turnpike was originally signed as east/west, but today as I-95 it's signed north/south even though it actually runs east/west in Connecticut.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: connroadgeek on January 24, 2014, 09:23:24 PM
Quote from: SignBridge on January 24, 2014, 09:17:24 PM
Yes, those old entrance ramp signs for the Conn. Tpk. used to read "Eastbound, New London" and "Westbound, New Haven", etc. Interesting that the Turnpike was originally signed as east/west, but today as I-95 it's signed north/south even though it actually runs east/west in Connecticut.
I-95 runs SW to NE through Connecticut. One could make an argument either way I suppose. The east-west references are due to pictures of the state being shown as a square such that the south border runs strictly west to east.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: shadyjay on January 25, 2014, 06:24:13 AM
Entrance signage I remember saying between East Haven and Madison (the last original signage holdout, lasting until 1992) stated:
RHODE ISLAND AND EAST and NEW YORK AND WEST.  Signage at some onramps in East Haven I recall saying TURNPIKE EASTBOUND.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: ctsignguy on January 25, 2014, 12:47:01 PM
All those are correct for various spots on the Turnpike entrances.....the ones i DONT remember were the ones after I-95 jumped off and CONN 52 took over.....
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: KEVIN_224 on January 25, 2014, 01:01:17 PM
Why did I-395 ever get signed as CT Route 52 prior in the first place? Wasn't that road built with an interstate designation in mind the whole time?
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: ctsignguy on January 25, 2014, 01:24:29 PM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 25, 2014, 01:01:17 PM
Why did I-395 ever get signed as CT Route 52 prior in the first place? Wasn't that road built with an interstate designation in mind the whole time?

If i recall correctly, the Turnpike was designed before the Interstate system.  That part of the Turnpike, if i recall correctly, was supposed to be a re-aligned CONN 12 before it was tagged as CONN 52.

Kurumi, can you clarify this?
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: kurumi on January 25, 2014, 11:00:33 PM
True, the Turnpike (earlier called the Greenwich - Killingly Expressway) was conceived and designed before I-95. And today's I-395 was completed long before the idea of calling it an interstate was taken seriously. Here's a quick timeline (from http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/i395.html):

1958: Connecticut Turnpike opens. This is part of today's I-95 and I-395, and all of SR 695, leading from Greenwich to the RI state line. The portion of today's I-95 from I-395 to the RI state line via New London and Groton is not yet complete. For a few years, the roads are signed state route 95 for continuity: one of the few times a signed interstate and signed state route share the same number.

1962: Segment of expressway opens from Danielson (SR 695) to CT 101. This is part of today's I-395. At the time, it is not signed as any number, but internally it's considered part of Relocated Route 12.

1964: All of today's I-395 (built and unbuilt) gets a new designation: CT 52

1968: CT 52 is completed in Connecticut, to the Mass. state line (the designation continues north as MA 52).

1973: Massachusetts asks for interstate funding for Route 52

1982: Connecticut politician suggests renumbering CT 52 as an extension of I-290. (This would have created an "orphan" 3di where the parent route does not enter the state.)

1983: CT 52 is instead given the designation I-395.

So why 52 and not 12? I didn't see an explicit reason. I believe this is the earliest example of the state using a new number for a relocated version of an older route, instead of moving the older number. Let's look at the other situations where the state had to make a similar decision for numbering freeway upgrades:
* CT 2, Hartford to Norwich: freeway takes the number. Most of old Route 2 becomes unsigned "secret routes", some of which were deleted after a few years.
* CT 2, Stonington: to avoid motorist confusion, CT/RI come up with a new number for the CT 2 freeway in that area: Route 78
* CT 8: freeway takes the number.
* CT 9: freeway takes the number (and strays pretty far from the original alignment). Old segments of 9 become 99, 9A, 154, etc.
* CT 10, Hamden: becomes CT 40
* CT 12, north of Norwich: becomes CT 52 instead, in 1964.
* CT 72: freeway takes the number
* CT 85, Colchester to New London: becomes CT 11 instead, in 1971. Stated reason: avoid confusion and avoid changing existing signs

My guess? As in the 85 example, the old route 12 remained important enough to be signed (instead of bypassed and made secret or turned over to the towns), meaning a relocation of that designation would be more disruptive than something like CT 2, where there really isn't a signed route along the old one for any length.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Brandon on January 25, 2014, 11:28:33 PM
Quote from: SignBridge on January 24, 2014, 09:17:24 PM
Yes, those old entrance ramp signs for the Conn. Tpk. used to read "Eastbound, New London" and "Westbound, New Haven", etc. Interesting that the Turnpike was originally signed as east/west, but today as I-95 it's signed north/south even though it actually runs east/west in Connecticut.

It's not unlike the routing of I-94 in Illinois in that regard.  The Calumet, Ryan, Kennedy, and Edens Expressways, and the I-94 section of the Tri-State Tollway all run north-south.  In fact, the Tri-State was signed for north-south until a few years ago.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Alps on January 26, 2014, 12:45:21 AM
Quote from: kurumi on January 25, 2014, 11:00:33 PM

* CT 10, Hamden: becomes CT 40
One bone to pick - Pretty sure the CT 10 freeway was intended to follow 10 down to 95, and actually be where 40 ended.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: cpzilliacus on January 26, 2014, 10:20:39 PM
Quote from: SignBridge on January 24, 2014, 09:17:24 PM
Yes, those old entrance ramp signs for the Conn. Tpk. used to read "Eastbound, New London" and "Westbound, New Haven", etc. Interesting that the Turnpike was originally signed as east/west, but today as I-95 it's signed north/south even though it actually runs east/west in Connecticut.

In the 1970's, I recall at least some sign panels entering/approaching the Connecticut Turnpike reading something like "Connecticut Turnpike East" along with an MUTCD-compliant "North I-95" and "Connecticut Turnpike West" and "I-95 South."

That may be what the signs read coming south on I-91 in New Haven.

I have not driven on this road much (and only this past summer did I drive I-95 in Connecticut north (east?) of New Haven).
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: kurumi on January 27, 2014, 01:07:23 AM
Quote from: Steve on January 26, 2014, 12:45:21 AM
Quote from: kurumi on January 25, 2014, 11:00:33 PM

* CT 10, Hamden: becomes CT 40
One bone to pick - Pretty sure the CT 10 freeway was intended to follow 10 down to 95, and actually be where 40 ended.

That was one of the proposals. (To further muddy the picture, circa 1970 the state planned to sign part of Boulevard in New Haven as Route 40; Route 10 would have connected to I-91. The Boulevard stretch, including a new bridge over the Metro North railway, is now signed as Route 10.)
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: doogie1303 on February 02, 2014, 10:34:15 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on January 26, 2014, 10:20:39 PM
Quote from: SignBridge on January 24, 2014, 09:17:24 PM
Yes, those old entrance ramp signs for the Conn. Tpk. used to read "Eastbound, New London" and "Westbound, New Haven", etc. Interesting that the Turnpike was originally signed as east/west, but today as I-95 it's signed north/south even though it actually runs east/west in Connecticut.

In the 1970's, I recall at least some sign panels entering/approaching the Connecticut Turnpike reading something like "Connecticut Turnpike East" along with an MUTCD-compliant "North I-95" and "Connecticut Turnpike West" and "I-95 South."

That may be what the signs read coming south on I-91 in New Haven.

I have not driven on this road much (and only this past summer did I drive I-95 in Connecticut north (east?) of New Haven).


I think that would have been acceptable, it's the same analogy as two different routes sharing the same road (example: US 1 North and RI 138 East). If you think of the Conn Tpke as one road and I-95 as the other, then it makes perfect sense.

What doesn't make as much sense is where the Conn Tpke and I-95 split, the Conn Tpke heads due North (now I-395) towards MA and I-95 heads East to RI. So the Eastward marked road heads north and the Northbound road heads East.  :confused:
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Pete from Boston on February 03, 2014, 04:44:38 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on January 26, 2014, 10:20:39 PM
Quote from: SignBridge on January 24, 2014, 09:17:24 PM
Yes, those old entrance ramp signs for the Conn. Tpk. used to read "Eastbound, New London" and "Westbound, New Haven", etc. Interesting that the Turnpike was originally signed as east/west, but today as I-95 it's signed north/south even though it actually runs east/west in Connecticut.

In the 1970's, I recall at least some sign panels entering/approaching the Connecticut Turnpike reading something like "Connecticut Turnpike East" along with an MUTCD-compliant "North I-95" and "Connecticut Turnpike West" and "I-95 South."

That may be what the signs read coming south on I-91 in New Haven.

I have not driven on this road much (and only this past summer did I drive I-95 in Connecticut north (east?) of New Haven).

The parallel US 1 is signed east-west in places (someplace in Norwalk comes to mind), even though I don't think it's by any official sanction.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Alps on February 03, 2014, 07:01:13 PM
Quote from: Pete from Boston on February 03, 2014, 04:44:38 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on January 26, 2014, 10:20:39 PM
Quote from: SignBridge on January 24, 2014, 09:17:24 PM
Yes, those old entrance ramp signs for the Conn. Tpk. used to read "Eastbound, New London" and "Westbound, New Haven", etc. Interesting that the Turnpike was originally signed as east/west, but today as I-95 it's signed north/south even though it actually runs east/west in Connecticut.

In the 1970's, I recall at least some sign panels entering/approaching the Connecticut Turnpike reading something like "Connecticut Turnpike East" along with an MUTCD-compliant "North I-95" and "Connecticut Turnpike West" and "I-95 South."

That may be what the signs read coming south on I-91 in New Haven.

I have not driven on this road much (and only this past summer did I drive I-95 in Connecticut north (east?) of New Haven).

The parallel US 1 is signed east-west in places (someplace in Norwalk comes to mind), even though I don't think it's by any official sanction.

US 1 is signed north-south for its entire length. Anything signed east-west is a remnant from former practices, when such was indeed official. They replaced most signs west of New Haven in one shot about a decade ago, then most signs east of there a couple of years after, but obviously they missed a few spots.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: ctsignguy on February 05, 2014, 08:50:26 AM
Quote from: KEVIN_224 on January 03, 2014, 04:39:30 PM
Neato! That's the Byram River bridge, heading north into Greenwich from Port Chester, NY. It looks to be from the late 1960s or so. Any idea what that little "T-I-S" sign could've been for? (It's not the state line, since that would be behind the photographer.) Also, I'm almost certain there's a LGS for distances in the background (likely for Bridgeport and New Haven).

Got the answer for you from the legendary Mike Summa regarding the T-I-S signs...

"Hi, John---I was looking at the AAR forum earlier today when I read about the mystery of the small "T-1-S" sign in the photo. If you notice the wires going from the light pole to the right, they are headed for a small transformer station along the Turnpike right of way for the illumination system. Thus the sign indicates the location of the transformer station ( T- ) , the first one ( -1- ), located on the south side of the roadway, ( -S ).  When I first noticed those I could figure out what they meant, having traveled on the turnpike so often as a kid.  The numbers increased eastbound, and an "-N" meant on the north side of the roadway. So anyone else who wonders what those signs were for you can pass along the info."
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: KEVIN_224 on February 05, 2014, 04:59:39 PM
Thanks for the info! I don't think I was on that part of I-95 myself until about 1990 or so.
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Mergingtraffic on February 06, 2014, 05:27:25 PM
I saw on the "Connecticut Turnpike" Wikipedia page, that there allegedly is an old tpke trailblazer on Center St in Southport, CT.  I would assume this is incorrect....or is it?
Title: Re: Throwback Thursday I-95 CT Tpke through the years
Post by: Alps on February 12, 2014, 08:29:45 PM
Quote from: doofy103 on February 06, 2014, 05:27:25 PM
I saw on the "Connecticut Turnpike" Wikipedia page, that there allegedly is an old tpke trailblazer on Center St in Southport, CT.  I would assume this is incorrect....or is it?
GSV shows nothing on the road or at any intersection.