Connecticut Route 17

Route 17 marker
Route 17
Map
Route information
Maintained by CTDOT
Length36.33 mi (58.47 km)
Existed1948–present
Major junctions
South endMiddletown Avenue in New Haven
Major intersections
North end Route 2 in Glastonbury
Location
CountryUnited States
StateConnecticut
CountiesNew Haven, Middlesex, Hartford
Highway system
  • Connecticut State Highway System
Route 16 Route 19

Route 17 is a primary north–south state route beginning in New Haven, through Middletown, and ending in Glastonbury, with a length of 36.33 miles (58.47 km).

Route description

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Route 17 officially begins about 0.1 miles (0.16 km) west of its interchange with Interstate 91 (at Exit 8). Route 80 begins at the interchange and continues eastward while Route 17 turns northward. Route 17 is a four-lane surface road, becoming 2 lanes as it passes through North Haven, Northford (where it briefly overlaps with Route 22), and Durham. In Middletown it becomes a four-lane freeway for 0.6 miles (0.97 km) leading to an interchange with the Route 9 freeway. Route 17 duplexes with Route 9 for about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) on a four-lane expressway from Exit 13 to Exit 16, where Route 17 exits and shortly thereafter begins a 3.0 miles (4.8 km) concurrency with Route 66 as it crosses the Connecticut River from Middletown into Portland. on the Arrigoni Bridge. Just after the bridge, it spawns a 3.02-mile-long (4.86 km) alternate, Route 17A, which leads to the center of town. Routes 17 and 66 become a four-lane surface road for the rest of the concurrency, where Route 17 turns north and becomes a two-lane surface road. After meeting the northern end of Route 17A, it enters Glastonbury, passing through the South Glastonbury Historic District and gradually becoming more suburban. Route 17 briefly becomes a two-lane freeway, before becoming a four-lane freeway for the last 1.4 miles (2.3 km), which ultimately merges into Route 2 West at Exit 7.[1]

The southern surface section from New Haven to Middletown is also known as George Washington Memorial Highway. The 0.6-mile (0.97 km) freeway section from South Main Street to Route 9 in Middletown is known as the Catholic War Veterans Memorial Highway. A 1.4-mile (2.3 km) section in Durham, from the junction with Route 77 to just north of the junction with Route 68, is a designated state scenic road.[1]

History

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The road between New Haven and Middletown via Durham was one of the routes used by the Boston Post Road in colonial times. In 1813, the road became a private turnpike known as the Middletown, Durham and New Haven Turnpike. The turnpike corporation was dissolved in the late 19th century. By 1922, Connecticut had numbered roads that were maintained by the state, which included all of modern Route 17. The roads were designated as Highway 114 from New Haven to Durham; part of Highway 112 from Durham to Middletown; and Highway 104 from Middletown to Glastonbury.[2][3]

In the 1932 state highway renumbering, the road from New Haven to Glastonbury became part of the newly established Route 15. At that time, Route 15 used all of modern Route 17, then continued north along Main Street in East Hartford, then northeast via modern Route 30, Route 190, and Route 171 to the Massachusetts state line. In 1948, the Route 15 designation was reassigned to the Merritt Parkway, Wilbur Cross Parkway, Berlin Turnpike, and Wilbur Cross Highway. The old Route 15 south of Glastonbury was renumbered to Route 17.[3]

Junction list

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Exit numbers are currently unnumbered, but will receive mile-based exit numbers starting in 2021 as part of ongoing sign replacement projects.

CountyLocationmikmOld exitNew exitDestinationsNotes
New HavenNew Haven0.140.23 I-91 – New Haven, HartfordSouthern terminus; exit 2B on I-91
0.210.34
Route 80 east – Foxon
North Haven1.702.74 Route 103 – North Haven, East Haven
Northford6.98–
7.04
11.23–
11.33
Route 22 – North Haven, North Branford
MiddlesexDurham14.9824.11
Route 77 south – North Guilford, Guilford
15.1424.37
Route 79 south – Madison
16.0025.75
Route 68 west – Wallingford
16.5826.68
Route 147 north – Middlefield, Meriden
Middletown19.9532.11
Route 155 east – Middletown, Higganum
Southern end of limited-access section
21AMain Street ExtensionSigned as exit 21 southbound
21.9735.361321B (NB)
23A (SB)

Route 9 south – Old Saybrook
No southbound entrance; southern terminus of Route 9 overlap
22.3335.941423BDeKoven Drive – Harbor AreaSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
22.5736.321523C

To Route 66 west – Middletown, Meriden
At-grade intersection; access via SSR 545; signed as exit 23 northbound
22.9736.971624
Route 9 north – New Britain
At-grade intersection; northern terminus of Route 9 overlap
Northern end of limited-access section
23.1437.24
Route 66 west – Middletown
Southern terminus of Route 66 overlap
Connecticut River23.7038.14Arrigoni Bridge
Portland24.1738.90
Route 17A north (Main Street)
26.1242.04
Route 66 east – Cobalt, Colchester, Willimantic
Northern terminus of Route 66 overlap
28.1545.30
Route 17A south (Main Street)
HartfordGlastonbury32.6352.51
Route 160 west – Rocky Hill
Via Rocky Hill–Glastonbury ferry (April 1–November 30)
Southern end of freeway section
34Hubbard StreetSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
35New London Turnpike – Glastonbury Center, East GlastonburySigned as exits 35 (west) and 36 (east) southbound
36.4158.60
Route 2 west – Hartford
Northern terminus; exit 5 on Route 2
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Route 17A

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Route 17A marker
Route 17A
LocationPortland
Length3.02 mi (4.86 km)

Route 17A is an alternate route running for 3.02 miles (4.86 km) from Route 17 and 66, through Portland center, and back to Route 17. It serves as the Main Street of the town. The original Route 17 (then Route 15) used the 17A alignment. The main route bypassed the town center by 1940 and Main Street became Route 15A. When Route 15 was relocated and the route through Portland became Route 17, Route 15A was also renumbered to 17A.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Staff (2011). Connecticut State Highway Log (PDF) (Report). Connecticut Department of Transportation. pp. 93–6. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 5, 2015. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
  2. ^ Wood, F.J. (1919). The Turnpikes of New England. Boston: Marshall Jones. OCLC 1600049.[page needed]
  3. ^ a b Kurumi. "CT Route 17". Connecticut Road. Self-published. Retrieved September 3, 2012.
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