Interstate 95 in Connecticut

Interstate 95 in Connecticut. It is the primary highway for through traffic along the Long Island Sound coastline of the New England region, traversing the entire state from southwest to northeast. As a critical segment of the national Interstate Highway System, it connects major population centers like Stamford, Bridgeport, New Haven, and New London. The route is infamous for heavy congestion, particularly in Fairfield County, and has undergone significant reconstruction projects, including the massive New Haven Harbor Crossing corridor.

Route description

From the New York state line in Greenwich, I-95 heads northeast, closely following the shore of the Long Island Sound. It passes through the densely populated Gold Coast, serving the financial hubs of Stamford and Greenwich. The highway crosses the Housatonic River into Milford via the Stratford-Milford Snyder Bridge and skirts the port city of Bridgeport. Through New Haven, it intersects with the major cross-state artery Interstate 91 and utilizes the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge to cross the Quinnipiac River. Continuing east, it passes the Naval Submarine Base in Groton before turning inland near the Mystic River to cross into Rhode Island.

History

The routing of I-95 largely replaced the older U.S. Route 1, known as the Boston Post Road, and the parallel Connecticut Turnpike, which was authorized by the Connecticut General Assembly in the 1950s. The highway's construction, overseen by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, was completed in stages, with the final section opening in 1966. A landmark project was the replacement of the Mianus River Bridge, which collapsed in 1983, leading to nationwide changes in bridge inspection protocols. The massive, decades-long I-95 New Haven Harbor Crossing improvement project, which included the new Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, was completed in 2016 under the administration of Governor Dannel Malloy.

Exit list

The exit numbering sequence runs from 2 at the New York border to 93 at the Rhode Island line, with major junctions including Exit 27 for I-84 in Danbury, Exit 48 for Interstate 91 and the Wilbur Cross Parkway in New Haven, and Exit 88 for I-395 in Waterford. Notable exits serve Yale University (Exit 47), the Foxwoods Resort Casino (Exit 92), and the Mystic Seaport museum (Exit 90). The entire route is patrolled by the Connecticut State Police.

Major intersections

At the southwestern terminus, I-95 continues from I-95 in New York at the Byram River. Its most significant inland junction is with I-84 in Danbury, providing a key link to Hartford and New York State. The critical interchange with Interstate 91 in New Haven connects traffic to Springfield and Canada. Further east, the intersection with I-395 in Waterford provides the main route toward Worcester and Boston. The highway terminates at the Rhode Island state line, where it continues as I-95 toward Providence.

Auxiliary routes

Connecticut has two three-digit auxiliary Interstates associated with I-95. I-195 is a short spur providing access from I-95 to the University of Connecticut campus at Avery Point in Groton. I-395, while primarily a north-south route, begins at a junction with I-95 in Waterford and serves as a major connector to Norwich and the Massachusetts Turnpike. The state also maintains several unsigned state routes, like Route 695, which function as connectors between I-95 and local streets.

Category:Interstate 95 Category:Transportation in Connecticut