Interstate 84 in Connecticut

Interstate 84 marker

Interstate 84
Route information
Maintained by ConnDOT
Length: 97.90 mi[1] (157.55 km)
Existed: 1969 – present
Major junctions
West end: I-84 near Brewster, NY
 
East end: I84 near Sturbridge, MA
Highway system
  • Routes in Connecticut
Route 83Route 85

Interstate 84 is an east–west Interstate highway across the state of Connecticut through Danbury, Waterbury, Hartford and Union.

Route description

I-84 (looking eastbound) just before becoming an elevated viaduct to cross downtown Waterbury

I-84 enters Danbury from the town of Southeast, New York, and is designated the Yankee Expressway for the next 62 miles (100 km). About 3.5 miles (5.6 km) to the east, US 7 joins from the south at exit 3 near Danbury Fair Mall as I-84 turns north. At the next exit, US 6 and 202 join to form a four-way concurrency for the next three miles (4.8 km) to exit 7, when US 7 and US 202 split off north towards New Milford. US 6 leaves the Interstate at the following exit, as I-84 climbs away from Danbury into the more rural towns of Bethel, and Brookfield.

US 6 rejoins I-84 at exit 10, and at exit 11, it turns to the northeast and descends to cross the Housatonic River on the Rochambeau Bridge, into New Haven County. After US 6 leaves once again at exit 15 in Southbury, I-84 proceeds through hilly terrain into Middlebury, becoming more of an urban freeway as it enters the city of Waterbury, where it intersects the Route 8 expressway and crosses the Naugatuck River on an elevated dual-decked viaduct known locally as The Mixmaster. After passing through Cheshire, I-84 intersects the western end of I-691 at the Cheshire–Southington town line, which is also the New Haven–Hartford county line.

I-84 turns more northerly for a stretch to exit 31 (Route 229), which provides access to Lake Compounce Amusement Park and ESPN World Headquarters. The freeway heads more northeasterly to Plainville, where it has a brief 0.5-mile (0.80 km) concurrency with Route 72 to the New Britain city line. From the Route 72 junction through Farmington, West Hartford, and into Hartford, I-84 has many left-hand exits and entrances and sharp curves, which were built for a planned network of freeways. In Farmington, US 6 joins I-84 once again at exit 38, and both meet the northern end of the Route 9 expressway at a half-used multi-level stack interchange that was originally planned to be part of the mostly-cancelled I-291 Hartford Beltway. I-84 and US 6 pass through West Hartford into Hartford (the largest city along the length of the eastern I-84) where they intersect I-91, just before US 44 briefly joins to cross the Connecticut River into East Hartford on the Bulkeley Bridge, which is the oldest bridge on the Interstate system.

After the bridge, US 44 leaves, the name of the highway changes to the Lieutenant Brian L. Aselton Memorial Highway, and I-84 meets the Route 2 expressway, which provides access to the southeastern suburbs of Hartford. As I-84 passes the northern end of the Route 15 expressway, it inherits the Wilbur Cross Highway name for the rest of its length. From 1968 until 1984, the I-84 designation ended here, and the highway became I-86 for the rest of its length, as I-84 was once planned to be built east toward Providence, Rhode Island. I-84 intersects one of the remnants of the abandoned project, I-384, as part of a three-mile (4.8 km) series of complex interchanges in Manchester including the end of the US 6 concurrency at exit 60, and a connection to the only built as originally planned portion of I-291 at exit 61.

Beyond Manchester, I-84 climbs steadily from the Connecticut River Valley and passes through the Tolland County towns of Vernon, Tolland, and Willington. After briefly entering the Windham County town of Ashford, it reenters Tolland County in the town of Union. After exit 74 (Route 171), I-84 crosses the Massachusetts state line. All lanes eventually enter into Sturbridge, but the westbound lanes pass briefly through the town of Holland before entering Sturbridge. Eight miles (13 km) later, I-84 reaches its eastern terminus at the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90).

History

1970s route

Interstate 84
Location: East HartfordProvidence
Existed: 1968–1984

A highway connecting Hartford and Provenience was first brought up in 1944 as an upgrade to US 6 from Manchester to the Rhode Island state line.[2][3] The plan eventually adapted to a submission to the 1956 Interstate Highway Plan, but was declined. It was re-submitted in the 1968 plan, and was granted along with 1,500 other miles of Interstate.[4]

The highway was firstly designated as Interstate 82, but was changed shortly after to its well-known designation, Interstate 84.[4] In 1970 through 1973 the first segments of the highway started construction, the segment now designated as I-384, and the Willimantic Bypass.[2] When these isolated segments were completed, they were designated for the future Interstate, starkly different from today's signs. The signs remained on the Willimantic Bypass up to a decade after the cancellation of the project.[5]

The planned I-84 was going to also incorporate a cloverleaf intersection with I-295 in Johnston, Rhode Island, and use the under-construction Dennis J. Roberts Expressway and built Huntington Expressway to Providence before the project was shelved.[6] Briefly, there was an idea to use the southern/unused portion of the highway for Interstate 184, but was disapproved by the FHA.[7]

An environmental study by RIDOT was done in 1973, it was found the highway would cause heavy impact to Scituate Reservoir, the drinking supply for Providence.[8] After multiple other studies, Rhode Island ended up cancelling their segment of the highway in 1982, which ended up causing Connecticut to cut the segment to I-395 in Plainfield.[9] Without Rhode Island, the highway was fully canceled in 1983, and the mileage was returned for other projects.[10][11]

After the highway was canceled, the only inland route to Providence from Hartford was either US 44 or US 6. Many projects have since happened to improve the roads, mainly in Connecticut.[12][13] One major one was improving the "Suicide 6" area of US 6 between Bolton and Columbia.[14][15] Since the cancellation, other plans to have a freeway link between the two built segments have been proposed, including one in 2001, but was short lived, only lasting to 2003 before becoming dormant.[2][16]

Though the route was basically set in stone in Connecticut, many issues remained in Rhode Island, the biggest of which were major environmental concerns about how the freeway would affect the Scituate Reservoir, which is the main drinking water supply for Providence.

In the 1992 long-range transportation plan released by the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, a freeway has been added along the original route of Interstate 84 that will connect to the CT 695 freeway on the Rhode IslandConnecticut border.[17]

I-86 relation

Interstate 86
Location: East Hartford–Union (MA state line)
Length: 31.27 mi (50.32 km)
Existed: 1968–1984
History:
  • Re-designated as I-84 in 1984

The section of I-84 between East Hartford, Connecticut (at the present-day junction with Interstate 384) and Sturbridge, Massachusetts (Interstate 90) was for a time signed as Interstate 86 (unrelated to present-day Interstate 86 in New York and Pennsylvania). Signs stating "I-84 Ends, I-86 to Boston" (eastbound) and "I-86 Ends, I-84 to Hartford" (westbound) were posted where the change took place. Exit numbering on I-86 was that of the road's predecessor, Route 15, in a sequence beginning on New York's Hutchinson River Parkway. Exits were renumbered to correspond with the rest of I-84 in Connecticut when the road was redesignated in 1984. The present I-384 as well as the present US 6 bypass near Willimantic, both of which were a part of what was then I-84's planned easterly continuation, were also numbered I-84 prior to 1984 even though they lacked any direct connection to the rest of I-84 at that time. (One had to use Silver Lane in East Hartford to travel between the two stretches of the highway.) These two sections were re-numbered I-384 and Rte 6 when what was then I-86 was re-numbered I-84.[18]

Upgrades

Sections of I-84 in Connecticut were reconstructed and widened in the 1980s. Another section through Danbury was widened from 4 lanes to 6 lanes in 1985 and 1986. Widening of the highway through Danbury was funded by Union Carbide as part of building its world headquarters in Danbury.[19] From roughly 1976 to 1988 the former I-86 portion from East Hartford to the Massachusetts state line was completely rebuilt from a narrow 4-lane parkway to a much wider profile ranging from 6 lanes at the Massachusetts state line, expanding to 8 lanes in Vernon, to 12 lanes with HOV lanes in East Hartford. The original route, then known as Route 15, featured pit latrines at its pull offs or rest areas. As of 2014 planning is underway for the I-84 Hartford Project to replace and possibly redesign a two-mile stretch of mostly elevated highway in Hartford. On April 22, 2015, construction began on widening the highway from Exit 23 to Exit 25A in Waterbury from 4 lanes to 6 lanes.

A widening project along the congested stretch of I-84 through Waterbury and Cheshire, Connecticut has been beset by cost overruns, delays, and construction defects involving storm drains,[20] as state and federal officials have launched criminal investigations stemming from this project. This episode has waned local enthusiasm for a proposed $2 billion reconstruction of the Mixmaster interchange in downtown Waterbury.[21] Cost estimates for the Mixmaster replacement have increased to $3 billion.[22] CT Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has begun a lawsuit against the contractor and an engineering firm in response to threats from the U.S. DOT to withhold funds from the project.[23] On May 18, 2007, the Waterbury Republican-American reported this area had defective light poles,[24] while Governor M. Jodi Rell released an audit report of the construction disaster.[25] A number of DOT personnel were either fired or reprimanded following the scandal. Meanwhile the FBI and a federal grand jury are investigating the now-defunct construction company and the same DOT officials, which may eventually lead to criminal charges in the case.

Future

The I-84 Hartford Project is a ConnDOT project to address structural deficiencies within the I-84 corridor approximately between Flatbush Avenue (exit 45) and the I-91 interchange in Hartford, including a 3,200-foot (980 m) elevated section known as the Aetna Viaduct. Since it became apparent in the 1980s that this section of I-84 in Hartford was deteriorating, ConnDOT has considered how best to repair or reconstruct the corridor. Since that time, many inspections have been carried out and frequent repairs made to keep the highway safe and functioning.

In 2010, the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), the City of Hartford, and ConnDOT collaborated on a study of the corridor to begin the process of exploring reconstruction options. That study looked at several concepts, including the rebuilding of the viaduct "in-kind", as well as several reconstruction alternatives that would alter the configuration of the highway. The alternatives developed for that study were conceptual in nature—they did not look in depth at traffic, engineering feasibility, or environmental impact. However, the strong stakeholder input as part of that effort was helpful in leading to CTDOT's decision to initiate The I-84 Hartford Project, to build on the good work of that earlier study. The I-84 Hartford Project will be a full and comprehensive evaluation leading to a workable solution. The I-84 Hartford Project will examine the feasibility and assess the impact of a range of concepts. Following full examination of the impacts and benefits of feasible alternatives, and, in collaboration with stakeholders and the public, ConnDOT will make a final decision on how to reconstruct this section of the I-84 corridor.[26][27]

Exit list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmExitDestinationsNotes
ConnecticutNew York line0.00–
0.06
0.00–
0.097
I-84 west Newburgh, Scranton, PA, White Plains, New York CityContinuation into New York
1Saw Mill RoadEastbound exit and westbound entrance each extend into New York
FairfieldDanbury0.78–
1.36
1.26–
2.19
2 US 6 / US 202 (Mill Plain Road) / Old Ridgebury Road Ridgebury, Mill PlainAccess to Connecticut Welcome Center eastbound; signed as exits 2A (Old Ridgebury) and 2B (US 6 / US 202) westbound; former exit 1
3.24–
3.70
5.21–
5.95
3 US 7 south Danbury Airport, NorwalkSouthern end of US 7 overlap
3.766.054 US 6 / US 202 west (Lake Avenue)Western end of US 6/US 202 overlap
5.278.485 Route 39 / Route 53 to Route 37 Downtown Danbury, Bethel, New FairfieldNo guide cities westbound
5.849.406 Route 37 New Fairfield, DanburyWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
7.34–
7.77
11.81–
12.50
7 US 7 north / US 202 east Brookfield, New MilfordNorthern/Eastern end of US 7/US 202 overlap
DanburyBethel line8.17–
8.79
13.15–
14.15
8 US 6 east (Newtown Road / Route 911) BethelEastern end of US 6 overlap
Newtown11.4418.419 Route 25 Hawleyville, Brookfield, Newtown
15.1224.3310 US 6 west Newtown, Sandy HookWestern end of US 6 overlap
16.14–
16.64
25.97–
26.78
11 Route 34 east to Route 25 Derby, New Haven, BridgeportAccess via SSR 490
Housatonic River18.4829.74Rochambeau Bridge
New HavenSouthbury18.7430.1613River Road SouthburyEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
20.2132.5214 Route 172 / Georges Hill Road South Britain, Southbury
22.0035.4115 US 6 east / Route 67 Southbury, Oxford, WoodburyEastern end of US 6 overlap
24.8039.9116 Route 188 Middlebury, Southford
MiddleburyWaterbury line29.81
30.48
47.97
49.05
17 Route 63 Watertown, Naugatuck
Route 63 / Route 64 west Middlebury, Woodbury, Watertown
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance only
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance only
Waterbury31.35–
31.65
50.45–
50.94
18Chase Parkway (Route 845) Waterbury
West Main Street / Highland Avenue Waterbury
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance only
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance only
32.0251.5319 Route 8 south Naugatuck, BridgeportThe Mixmaster
20 Route 8 north Torrington
32.45–
32.76
52.22–
52.72
21Meadow Street / Bank Street
32.60
33.56
52.46
54.01
22Baldwin Street Downtown Waterbury
Union Street Downtown Waterbury
Signed eastbound for Baldwin Street, westbound for Union Street
33.02–
34.21
53.14–
55.06
23 Route 69 (Hamilton Avenue) Wolcott, ProspectEastbound access to Route 69 split via separate exits on c/d road; northbound access via Washington Street
34.36–
35.62
55.30–
57.32
24Harpers Ferry RoadClosed April 22, 2015; was westbound exit only
25Harpers Ferry Road
East Main Street / Scott Road
Eastbound exit only
No eastbound exit
36.7359.1125AAustin Road Waterbury, Prospect
Cheshire38.1261.3526 Route 70 Cheshire, Prospect
40.04–
41.04
64.44–
66.05
27 I-691 east Cheshire, MeridenExits 1–2 on I-691
HartfordSouthington40.6865.4728 Route 322 Marion, Milldale, Wolcott
41.8967.4229 Route 10 MilldaleWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only via SR 597
42.5268.4330West Main Street / Marion Avenue Downtown Southington, Plantsville
44.3471.3631 Route 229 (West Street) Bristol, Southington, Plantsville
46.2374.4032 Route 10 (Queen Street) Southington, Plainville
Plainville48.9878.8333 Route 72 west BristolEastbound left exit and westbound entrance only; Route 72 exit 4
49.4179.5234 Route 372 / Crooked Street (Route 536) PlainvilleNo westbound exit
49.4879.6333 Route 72 west BristolWestern end of Route 72 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound left entrance
New Britain50.00–
50.61
80.47–
81.45
35 Route 72 east to Route 9 New Britain, MiddletownEastern end of Route 72 overlap; left exits
50.65–
51.19
81.51–
82.38
36Slater Road New BritainLeft exit eastbound
Farmington53.2485.6837 To US 6 west / Fienemann Road New Britain, Farmington
54.0486.9738 US 6 west BristolWestern end of US 6 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance only
54.3587.4739 Route 4 West Hartford, FarmingtonAccess via Route 508; left exit and entrance eastbound
54.99–
56.00
88.50–
90.12
39A Route 9 south Newington, New BritainExit 31 on Route 9; no eastbound access from exit 39
West Hartford56.2790.5640 Route 71 / Ridgewood Road West Hartford, New Britain, Corbins Corner
57.2392.1041 Route 173 (South Main Street) West Hartford, Newington, Elmwood
58.0593.4242Trout Brook Drive ElmwoodWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
57.95–
58.40
93.26–
93.99
43Park Road West Hartford CenterAccess via Route 501
59.1795.2244Caya Avenue / Kane Street / Prospect Avenue / Oakwood Avenue West Hartford
Hartford59.9396.4545Flatbush AvenueWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only via Route 504
60.45–
60.79
97.28–
97.83
46Sisson Avenue / West BoulevardAccess via Route 503
61.0498.2347Sigourney StreetWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
61.38–
61.77
98.78–
99.41
48Asylum Street / Capitol AvenueSigned as exits 48A (Asylum St.) and 48B (Capitol Ave.) eastbound; Capitol Avenue not signed westbound
61.9999.7649Chapel Street / High Street / Ann Ucello StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
62.0499.8450Main StreetEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
62.1399.9951 I-91 north SpringfieldEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
62.51100.6052 I-91 south New HavenEastbound exit and westbound entrance only
62.60100.7450 US 44 west (Main Street) to I-91 southWestern end of US 44 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance only
62.63100.7951 I-91 north SpringfieldWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only
Connecticut River62.58–
62.82
100.71–
101.10
Bulkeley Bridge
East Hartford62.95101.3153 US 44 east (Connecticut Boulevard) / East River Drive East HartfordEastern end of US 44 overlap; no westbound exit
63.37101.9854 Route 2 west Downtown HartfordWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only; western end of westbound HOV lanes
63.18–
63.49
101.68–
102.18
55 Route 2 east Glastonbury, Norwich, New London
63.37–
63.63
101.98–
102.40
56Governor Street Downtown East HartfordAccess via Route 500
US 5 (Main Street)Westbound entrance only
Restricted Lanes – Buses and 2 person car poolsEastbound right exit only; western end of eastbound HOV lanes
64.84104.3557 Route 15 south to I-91 south Charter Oak Bridge, Wethersfield, Newington, New York CityWestbound exit and eastbound entrance only; northern end of Route 15
64.64–
65.21
104.03–
104.95
Silver LaneHOV access only; westbound exit and eastbound entrance
58Roberts Street (Route 518) / Silver Lane (Route 502) / Burnside Avenue
66.43–
68.61
106.91–
110.42
59 I-384 east / Silver Lane / Spencer Street ProvidenceSigned as I-384 only eastbound
I-384 eastHOV access only; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
Manchester68.05109.5260 US 6 east / US 44 (Middle Turnpike West) / Burnside Avenue Manchester, East HartfordEastern end of US 6 overlap; westbound exit shares a ramp with exit 62
68.17–
69.03
109.71–
111.09
61 I-291 west South Windsor, Windsor
69.84112.4062Buckland StreetHOV exit to Buckland Street eastbound
Buckland StreetHOV access only; exit not signed; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
71.60115.2363 Route 30 / Route 83 South Windsor, Manchester
TollandVernon73.00117.4864 Route 30 / Route 83 south Vernon Business District, Rockville, TalcottvilleEastbound exit shares a ramp with exit 64
Route 30 / Route 83 – Vernon Center, RockvilleHOV access only; eastbound exit and westbound entrance
73.27117.92Eastern end of HOV lanes
73.00–
73.93
117.48–
118.98
65 Route 30 north – Vernon CenterEastbound exit is shared with exit 64
74.80120.3866Tunnel Road Vernon, Bolton
77.28124.3767 Route 31 Rockville, Coventry
Tolland81.06130.4568 Route 195 Tolland, Mansfield, StorrsAccess to the University of Connecticut
83.99135.1769 Route 74 to US 44 Willington, Tolland, Rockville, Putnam
Willington85.58137.7370 Route 32 Stafford Springs, Willington, Mansfield, Willimantic
87.79141.2871 Route 320 south (Ruby Road) Willington
WindhamTolland
county line
AshfordUnion line92.05148.1472 Route 89 Stafford Springs, Westford, Ashford
TollandUnion93.41150.3373 Route 190 Union, Stafford Springs
97.38156.7274 Route 171 / Holland Road Union, Holland, MA
97.90157.55 I84 east BostonContinuation into Massachusetts
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Auxiliary routes

Interstate City Type Notes
Interstate 384 Manchester Spur
Interstate 484 Hartford Bypass route Unfinished and decommissioned. Partially exists as the Conlin–Whitehead Highway
Interstate 684 Greenwich Bypass route This route extends for 1.4 miles (2.25 km) in Connecticut, with all interchanges in New York; originally designated as I-87

References

  1. 1 2 Roadway Inventory Section (December 31, 2014). "Highway Log: Connecticut State Numbered Routes and Roads" (PDF). Connecticut Department of Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 26, 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Oglesby, Scott. "From Hartford to Providence". www.kurumi.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  3. "Road Plan Urged for Connecticut; Highway Department Favors $400,000,000 Long-Range System of Expressways". The New York Times. March 31, 1953. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Dennis J Roberts Expressway (US 6)". www.bostonroads.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  5. Oglesby, Scott. "Connecticut I-384". www.kurumi.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  6. I-84 Extension from I-295 to the Connecticut State Line: Environmental Impact Statement. 1972.
  7. "Huntington Expressway (RI 10 and US 6)". www.bostonroads.com. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  8. "677 F.2d 259". law.resource.org. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  9. Wald, Matthew L. (October 16, 1979). "Goldschmidt Says I‐84 to Proceed In Connecticut, but He Is Doubted". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  10. I-84, Section 2 Corridor Location Between Windham and Rhode Island State Line: Environmental Impact Statement. 1976.
  11. I-84, Section 1, Corridor Location Between Manchester and Columbia: Environmental Impact Statement. 1976.
  12. US-6 Improvements, Killingly, CT to Johnston, RI: Environmental Impact Statement. 1985.
  13. "Army Corps Considers Route 6". Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  14. "Report: Connecticut Has Nation's Deadliest Rural Roads". Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  15. "Getting Ready To Start Route 6 Project". Hartford Courant. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  16. "MTR 258, Third Time as Farce: ConnDOT Tries Again for Twice-rejected Road -". www.tstc.org. Retrieved November 16, 2016.
  17. Anderson, Steve. "Dennis J Robers Expressway (US 6)". BostonRoads.com.
  18. Oglesby, Scott. "Connecticut I-86". www.kurumi.com. Retrieved November 15, 2016.
  19. "Do You Remember?". Danbury News-Times. September 4, 2005.
  20. http://www.boston.com/news/local/connecticut/articles/2006/10/01/report_i_84_project_plagued_by_defective_drainage_system/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. "Interchange Construction Planned: For 2021". Hartford, CT: WFSB-TV. September 25, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  22. "Topic Galleries". Hartford Courant. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  23. Cooper, Chris (May 28, 2007). "Governor Rell: I-84 Consultant Releases Final Audit Report" (Press release). Office of the Governor. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  24. Hyman, Dylan (September 8, 2016). "I-84 Hartford viaduct project moving forward". New Haven, CT: WTNH-TV. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  25. "DOT: No Tunnel For New I-84 In Hartford". Hartford Courant. Retrieved September 11, 2016.

Route map: Google

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Interstate 84
Previous state:
New York
Connecticut Next state:
Massachusetts
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