State Route 8 and 9 in Connecticut
State Route 8 in Connecticut
SR-8 | |||
Get started | Bridgeport | ||
End | Robertsville | ||
Length | 67 mi | ||
Length | 108 km | ||
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State Route 8 or SR-8 is a state route in the US state of Connecticut. The road forms a north-south link in the west of the state and is largely a freeway. The route is 108 kilometers long.
- Topschoolsoflaw: State overview and brief history of Connecticut, including its geography and popular cities.
Travel directions
The highway begins in the greater city of Bridgeport, at Interstate 95. The road then runs 2×3 lanes northeast and is an alternate route from New York to Hartford via I-84 for I-95/I-91 or the Wilbur Cross Parkway. On the north side of Bridgeport, SR-25 exits toward Danbury, while SR-8 continues straight ahead north. The highway then narrows to 2×2 lanes and intersects with Merritt Parkway, the parallel highway from New York toward Hartford off I-95. Further north, the highway has 2×3 lanes again and passes through an urbanized area. One then crosses the Housatonic River and enters a slightly less densely built-up area, with a lot of forest and small suburbs. Further north, the road narrows again to 2×2 lanes. The highway joins the Naugatuck River here. This area is hilly with small rock walls. One then reaches the city of Waterbury, which has 108,000 inhabitants. Via a major interchange, one crosses Interstate 84, the highway from Scranton to Hartford. After Waterbury, the SR-8 continues its route through a hilly area with villages that have grown together from time to time. The last larger town is Torrington, after which in Winsted at US 44 the road becomes a regular main road to the border with Massachusetts.
- thembaprograms: Geography information of Connecticut, including animals and plants. Also covers brief history and major cities of the state.
History
The road existed as a toll road from 1801 to 1862. In 1959, the first section of the highway between Shelton and Seymour opened, which includes a 1951 Housatonic River bridge. The section through Waterbury opened to traffic in 1968, the section through Torrington followed in 1970 and the southernmost section into Bridgeport in 1972.
For a long time, however, there were two missing links. After 1970, the influence of anti-highway groups in politics increased, which almost completely brought the construction of new highways to a standstill. However, two parts were still missing between Bridgeport and Waterbury. The northern section between Seymour and Naugatuck was finally opened in 1982, followed by the southern section between Bridgeport and Seymour in 1983, completing the highway in its current form.
Opening history
From | Unpleasant | Length | Date |
Exit 13 Shelton | Exit 19 Seymour | 7 km | 00-00-1959 |
Exit 26 Naugatuck | Exit 29 Platts Mill Rd | 3 km | 00-00-1960 |
Exit 19 Ansonia | Exit 22 Seymour | 5 km | 00-00-1962 |
Exit 29 Platts Mill Rd | Exit 39 Thomaston | 20 km | 00-00-1968 |
Exit 42 Harwinton | Exit 47 Winsted | 18 km | 00-00-1970 |
Exit 1 I-95 Bridgeport | Exit 6 CT-25 Bridgeport | 7 km | 00-00-1972 |
Exit 22 Seymour | Exit 26 Naugatuck | 11 km | 00-00-1982 |
Exit 6 CT-25 Bridgeport | Exit 13 Shelton | 12 km | 00-00-1983 |
Traffic intensities
Every day, 81,000 to 102,000 vehicles drive into Bridgeport, then drop to 57,000 to 82,000 vehicles further towards Waterbury. The quietest point is north of Seymour with 42,000 vehicles. This rises to a maximum of 77,000 vehicles in Waterbury. 22,000 vehicles passed through Torrington. This drops to 11,000 vehicles at the end of the highway in Winsted.
State Route 9 in Connecticut
SR-9 | |||
Get started | Old Saybrook | ||
End | Hartford | ||
Length | 41 mi | ||
Length | 66 km | ||
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State Route 9 or SR-9 is a state route and freeway in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The highway connects the Hartford metropolitan area with the south coast of Connecticut. The route is 66 kilometers long.
Travel directions
The highway begins in Old Saybrook, a village off Interstate 95. The highway then runs through wooded and fairly sparsely populated area to the northwest, more or less parallel to the Connecticut River. This is one of the few areas in Connecticut that is not urbanized. After about 40 kilometers you pass through the first suburb of Hartford, Middletown. The highway will then still have 2×2 lanes. Not far after that, one crosses Interstate 91, the highway from New Haven to Hartford. It then enters the suburb of New Britain, after which 2×4 lanes are available. One crosses the SR-72, a short highway to I-84 towards Waterbury. Not far after, the SR-9 terminates at a partially disused stack node with Interstate 84.
History
Construction of the SR-9 as a highway began in the mid-1950s. In 1969, the section between I-95 and I-91 was completed. There were plans to run SR-9 north through Hartford, but these were called off during the Freeway Revolts. At the time, I-291 was intended as a three-quarter ring around Hartford, but was also largely canceled. The SR-9 was then rerouted via New Britain to the I-84 via the land available at the time. This results in a partially unused stack node with the I-84.
Traffic intensities
Every day, 30,000 vehicles travel on I-95 at Old Saybrook, then drop to 22,000 vehicles, then gradually rise again to a maximum of 67,000 vehicles in Middletown. The busiest point is for New Britain with 71,000 vehicles. The northernmost part has 40,000 vehicles.