Interstate 384 Connecticut

Overview

Interstate 384 is suburban freeway branching east from I-84 at the East Hartford/Manchester city line. Bypassing the Manchester city center to the south, I-384 extends into rural areas of Bolton, where it connects with U.S. 6 and U.S. 44 ahead of their separation to Willimantic and Putnam respectively.

Interstate 384 expands to eight overall lanes west from the parclo interchange (Exit 3) with Route 83 in Manchester to I-84 in East Hartford. 05/31/22

History

Interstate 384 was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on May 23, 1984 as a redesignation for I-84 between I-86 in East Hartford and U.S. 6/44 in Bolton Notch. I-86 was previously established in 1971 along what is now I-84 from East Hartford to Sturbridge, Massachusetts. I-84 was relocated then onto both the freeway taking U.S. 6 around Manchester and U.S. 6 along the Willimantic bypass further east. These two disconnected highways were part of the Interstate 84 proposal to join Hartford with Providence.¹

Environmental concerns with constructing a freeway over Scituate Reservoir in Rhode Island resulted in the cancellation of I-84 in 1982. Connecticut subsequently dropped I-84 from plans by 1984.²

With the exception of the link between Silver Lane and I-84, the Manchester bypass was completed in 1971. The interchange with I-84 and adjacent Interstate 291 was built during a reconstruction project. The initial ramp opened with Interstate 384 in October 1986.¹

Route Information

East End – Bolton, CT
West End – East Hartford, CT
Mileage – 8.20
Cities – Hartford, Manchester
Junctions –

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-384 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Source: State of Connecticut Department of Transportation 2015 Traffic Volumes State Maintained Highway Network (Traffic Log)

Photo Guides

Interstate 384 Connecticut

East End – Bolton, Connecticut

East at

The last exit along Interstate 384 east is the half diamond interchange with Route 85 (Bolton Center Road). 05/30/22

Interstate 384 converges with U.S. 6/44 eastbound at a wye interchange 0.6 miles beyond Route 85 in Bolton. 05/30/22

U.S. 6/44 proceed east from the end of Interstate 384 through Bolton Notch to split at a second wye interchange. 05/30/22

U.S. 6 (Hopriver Road) shifts southward 10.8 miles to the Willamantic bypass freeway. 05/30/22

U.S. 44 continues east 7.4 miles to Mansfield Depot and 31.4 miles to the Quinebaug River in Putnam. 05/30/22

West at

U.S. 6/44 combine ahead of a wye interchange with the beginning of Interstate 384 westbound near the Hartford County line. U.S. 6/44 continue into Manchester while I-384 bypasses the town center to the south en route to East Hartford. 05/30/22

West End – East Hartford, Connecticut

West at

The directional T interchange at the west end of Interstate 384 includes a lengthy distributor roadway leading onto both I-84 east to Tolland and I-291 west across the Bissell Bridge to Windsor. 05/31/22

Interstate 384 curves north through the diamond interchange (Exit 1) with Silver Lane / Spencer Street just ahead of I-84. 05/31/22

Interstate 384 defaults onto I-84 west into the town of East Hartford. I-84 continues across the Buckeley Bridge into the capital city. 05/31/22

East at

Eastbound I-84/U.S. 6 expand to six overall lanes with the advent of traffic from Connecticut Route 15 and the Charter Oak Bridge. 05/31/22

I-84/U.S. 6 advance east 1.25 miles from the Simmons Road overpass to the separation with Interstate 384 at Exit 59. 05/31/22

The HOV-2 lane along I-84 eastbound diverges from the mainline ahead of the fully-Y interchange (Exit 59) with Interstate 384. The carpool lane proceeds east to a left exit for I-384. 05/31/22

Forbes Street spans I-84/U.S. 6 one quarter mile ahead of Interstate 384 at the Manchester Town line. I-384 connects with the Manchester Town Center via interchanges with Spencer Street, Keeney Street, Route 83 (Main Street) and Spring Street. 05/31/22

Interstate 384 comprises the first leg of the most direct route between the capital cities of Hartford and Providence, Rhode Island. The freeway ends at U.S. 6/44 in Bolton, with U.S. 6 continuing east from there to Willimantic and Danielson. 05/31/22

West at

A collector distributor roadway (Exit 62) separates from Interstate 84 (Wilbur Cross Highway) westbound ahead of Buckland Street. The roadway extends southwest to ramps for I-384 west and U.S. 44 at Exit 60 before returning to I-84 ahead of East Hartford. 05/31/22

Exit 61 follows for I-291 west to Windsor and I-91 north to Bradley International Airport (BDL) and Springfield, Massachusetts. Exit 59 combines with the ramp from the c/d roadway beyond Buckland Street to Interstate 384 east. 05/31/22

Ramps link I-291 with I-384 independent of the Interstate 84 mainline between Exit 61 and 59. 05/31/22

The distributor roadway from Exit 59 travels alongside I-84 west below U.S. 6/44 (Middle Turnpike) to Interstate 384 east at Spencer Street and Silver Lane on the East Hartford/Manchester town line. 05/31/22

West East at

The ramp joining the east end of Interstate 291 with I-84 west ties into the c/d roadway for Exits 62 and 60. 05/30/22

Traffic headed to I-384 from I-291 east and I-84 west via Exit 59 combines within the exchange at U.S. 44 (Middle Turnpike). The two lane roadway proceeds through a pair of tunnels below the I-84 and I-384 mainlines. 05/30/22

The entrance ramp to Interstate 384 east from I-84 west and I-291 partitions with a slip ramp for Silver Lane west and Spencer Street east before joining the freeway mainline. 05/30/22

Sources:

Connecticut I-384. Connecticut Roads (Scott Oglesby).
From Hartford to Providence. Connecticut Roads (Scott Oglesby).

Page updated June 8, 2022.