| Berlin Turnpike | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Maintained by ConnDOT | |
| Length: | 11.02 mi (17.73 km) |
| Existed: | 1909 – present |
| Major junctions | |
| South end: | US 5 / Route 15 in Meriden |
| Route 9 in Newington | |
| North end: | US 5 / Route 15 in Wethersfield |
| Highway system | |
The Berlin Turnpike is a 4-lane/6-lane divided arterial road carrying U.S. Route 5 and Route 15 through the towns of Berlin, Newington, and Wethersfield, Connecticut, United States. The road begins at the Meriden-Berlin town line. The official length of the Berlin Turnpike is 11.02 miles (17.74 km) but the northernmost 1.04 miles (1.67 km) does not carry US 5 or Route 15. The northernmost section runs partly along Route 314 for 0.66 miles (1.06 km), and then on State Road 543 for 0.38 miles (0.61 km) to the Hartford–Wethersfield town line, where it continues as a local road known as Maple Avenue.
Contents |
The Berlin Turnpike connects the Wilbur Cross Parkway with the Wilbur Cross Highway.
The main office of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) is located on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington on land originally purchased for Interstate 291, which was subsequently cancelled.
The road was originally part of the Hartford and New Haven Turnpike. The new road, and the new name, was officially dedicated between Hartford and Berlin on October 22, 1909.[1]
The Berlin Turnpike is a popular road for shopping in the greater Hartford area; many national and regional retail chains, including Target, Stew Leonard's, Best Buy and Sam's Club have outlets on the turnpike.
In 2011, a 525 page book entitled, "The Berlin Turnpike: A True Story of Human Trafficking in America," was written by author, Raymond Bechard. The book explains a federal trial that took place in Hartford, Connecticut during which it was revealed that two young women were "sold" from one man to another in a motel on the Berlin Turnpike. According to the book, there were over 1000 motel rooms on the Berlin Turnpike as of 2011. [2]
| Town | Mile | Junction | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meriden | US 5 / Route 15 south – Wallingford | Berlin Turnpike begins | |
| Berlin | Route 9 / Route 372 – East Berlin, Middletown, New Britain | Full interchange | |
| Worthington Ridge Road (SR 572) | |||
| Route 160 east – Rocky Hill | |||
| Newington | Route 173 north – West Hartford | ||
| Route 176 west – Newington | |||
| Route 287 east – Wethersfield | Begin multiplex | ||
| Route 287 west – Newington | End multiplex | ||
| Wethersfield | Route 175 – Newington, Wethersfield | ||
| US 5 / Route 15 north to I-91 – Hartford | |||
| Route 314 north (Berlin Turnpike) – Wethersfield To Maple Avenue |
Berlin Turnpike ends |
For many years, "Hot Rodders" of all types have converged on the Turnpike to "Run what you Brung", and have proved to be the bane of the local Law Enforement's existence. There have been numerous articles in local news outlets about the spate of Illegal street racing over the years that have detailed what has been transpiring on the Turnpike, and the various steps the local Law Enforcement was taking to curtail the issue. However, the long, straight roadway, which in some places has no access roads, has proven irresistible to some street racers.[3][4]