Connecticut Route 2

Route 2/32/82, Norwich

Interesting grade-separated intersection with routes 32 and 82 in Norwich.

58.03 miles; from State Street in Hartford to US 1 in Stonington. Route 2 overlaps Route 32 for 4 miles between Fitchville and downtown Norwich.

Route 2's profile:

Founders Bridge: 7 lane expressway (4 westbound)
East Hartford "Mixmaster" to Route 15: 6 lane expressway plus operational lanes
Route 15 to Route 3: 4 lane expressway
Between Routes 3 and 17: 6 lane expressway
Route 17 to Route 169 in Norwich (end of expressway): 4 lane expressway
Some 4-lane sections in Norwich
Route 12 to I-95: 2 lanes, with some operational lanes near Foxwoods casino
I-95 to Route 78: 4 lanes
Route 78 to US 1: 2 lanes

Route 2 follows the path of two 19th-century turnpikes: the Hartford and New London, dating from 1800, and the Colchester and Norwich, dating from 1805. These turnpikes collected tolls for about 50 years.

In the early 1900s, the state started taking over maintenance of major roads, and marked the Route 2 corridor with colored bands on poles: blue between East Hartford and Glastonbury, and yellow from there to Stonington. In March 1920, Connecticut awarded a $1.4 million contract to pave a 32-mile highway between Hartford and New London by way of Glastonbury and Colchester. The 18-foot wide concrete road eventually became parts of Route 2 and 85.

In 1922, what would later be Route 2 became part of NE-17, a 120-mile New England interstate route entering at North Canaan and ending at Stonington. There was also an NE-2 at the time, which was renumbered US 5 in 1926. In 1932, NE-17 was decommissioned and Route 2 was born.

Early Realignments

In the 1930s, Route 2 followed Main Street directly into the North Stonington town center. By 1943, a 2-lane bypass to the south had been built. Today, it looks like a natural part of the highway. The western end of this bypass meets Main Street where Mystic Road (old Route 119) also intersects.

East Hartford - Glastonbury Expressway

5-ramp CT 17 interchange In 1952, the East Hartford - Glastonbury Expressway ("EHG") opened; this survives today as Route 2 south to exit 7, and Route 17, to the freeway's end south of Hubbard Street. At that time, Route 2 exited the freeway going southeast at the 5-ramp New London Turnpike interchange (right). The original Expressway north end terminated at Main Street just south of Brewer Street in East Hartford.

Expressway plans

In the 1950s, shore traffic was turning Route 2 into a parking lot; before all parts of the Route 2 expressway were open, backups of 12 miles were not unknown.

In the mid-1950s, plans were in motion for a new expressway extending from Glastonbury to New London. The highway would also pass through Marlborough, Colchester, Salem, Montville, and Waterford, paralleling routes 2 and 85 in those towns. In December 1958 a detailed improvement proposal was presented to the state, and Route 2 to Colchester was constructed with only a few variations from the plan.

The existing EHG would be widened to six lanes between the planned Interstate 491 interchange (now Route 3) and House Street; at that point, a new Route 2 expressway would branch off to the southeast, just as it does today.

After leaving the EHG, the new expressway would widen its profile to 100 feet between roadway center lines, with separate vertical alignments as needed to follow the hilly terrain. At the "elbow" south of Neipsic Road where Route 2 turns south, provision would be made for an interchange with relocated Route 83. (The report doesn't say whether the new 83 would be an expressway as well).

The planned Route 2 would connect with the recently (late 1950s) constructed two-lane section in the Ten Curves area near the Glastonbury - Marlborough border. New eastbound lanes would be built, while the existing two-way road would be converted to westbound lanes.

In Marlborough is where the built Route 2 differed the most from the planned. The 1958 plan called for raising the westbound roadway above Route 66 and Johnson Road, while running the eastbound lanes below. The report claimed this treatment would be less expensive and allow better ramp design at Route 66 (then called US 6A). The built Route 2 underpasses both roads in both directions.

In Colchester, work was underway in 1958 on a new two-lane section of Route 2. The new expressway would again get new eastbound lanes while using the two-lane section for westbound travel. East of Route 16, the expressway would turn south (along today's Route 11) toward New London. Provision for a relocated Route 2 expressway to Norwich (to be built later) was included at Colchester.

In 1963, the state articulated plans for extending Route 2 beyond Norwich to the the shoreline at Stonington.

More plans in Colchester

The partial interchange at Route 11 was conceived in the early 1960s as a complete interchange, with only the left exit from Route 2 westbound deferred until traffic increased. In a 1960 local public hearing, the highway department said it expected to start construction on Route 2 in summer 1962, with most of Colchester's Route 2 open to traffic in 1964.

Building Route 2

In the late 1950s and 1960s, Route 2 was upgraded to a freeway in stages. "Super 2" sections of two-lane undivided road (but controlled access) were built between East Glastonbury and Marlborough, and Marlborough and Colchester. ("Super 2" is a nickname for any road built that way -- not an honorific for Route 2.) The westbound lanes in Colchester are older than the eastbound lands. These segments bypassed hazardous conditions on the old Route 2, and were built with an expansion to four lanes in mind: the primary limitation was funding.

Opening dates (some approximate) from west to east:

Founders Bridge: Dec. 23, 1957 (reconstructed 1999)
Mixmaster, East Hartford: Oct. 1965
Pitkin Street to Main Street (exit 5A): 1962
Main Street to Route 17: 1952
Route 17 to West Road, Marlborough: Oct. 15, 1964. Portions were only 2 lanes wide, though.
West Road to Route 66: 1966
Route 66 to South Main St (exit 15): 1964
South Main St to Prospect Hill Road (near exit 17), Colchester: 1959
Exit 17 to Route 354: May 25, 1967
Route 354 to Scott Hill Road (near Lebanon/Bozrah town line): 1971
Scott Hill Road to Route 32, Fitchville: Sept, 24, 1961
Route 32 to Route 169: 1959

"Loop 2"

In the early to mid 1970s, I remember North Main Street in Marlborough marked in a few locations (e.g. Park Road) as "Loop 2". This didn't last long and is not present today.

However, the incomplete interchange at Exit 12 prevented motorists from combining Loop 2 and the Route 2 expressway into an actual loop.

Plans East of Norwich

Route 2 proposal, Norwich, 1972

Proposed Route 2 expressway in Norwich, shown in 1972 official state highway map

Long-range plans in the 1960s called for the Route 2 freeway to be extended from Norwich to near the Rhode Island state line in Stonington. This would connect to other planned freeways in the area, including Route 2A and another following routes 117 and 164. This network of freeways was never built, but sharply increased tourist traffic in the area has revived plans for Route 2 and 2A multilane bypasses. (More on this follows.)

In 1969, Route 2 was proposed to continue east from its terminus at Route 169, then gradually veer southeast toward Stonington.

The 1972 state map shows a different plan (see figure): Route 2 would loop around Norwich to the west, starting east of I-395 and rejoin the existing Route 2 south of the city.

In 1967, a public hearing was held in Stonington for the relocation of Route 2 from I-95 to the state line. Between then and 1970, the state renumbered this proposal to Route 78, which was partially completed in 1979.

Improving Route 2

In 1975, the state's Suggested Improvements Program included a major widening of Route 2 from Main Street (exit 5A) to Route 94 (exit 8), echoing what was proposed in 1958 but never completed. The total cost was $6.6 million, and most of the work was projected to start after 1978. This was never done, but the opening of the Route 3 interchange led to the construction of auxiliary lanes (circa 1990) between Routes 3 and 17, making Route 2 six lanes in that area.

The 1975 program also called for revamping the outdated interchange and at-grade crossing at Fitchville; this was completed in July 2001. September 1, 1987 saw the opening of the long-awaited interchange with Route 3 in Glastonbury.

On Feb. 23, 1994, the on-ramp to westbound I-84 was shifted from a left entrance to a right entrance, on the Bulkeley Bridge approach.

Until July 2001, the interchange area at Route 32 at Fitchville, dating back to 1961, remained substandard, with thru traffic narrowing to single lanes, and an at-grade crossing with Yantic Lane. The state undertook a $25 million project to rebuild the interchange, removing the at-grade crossing, widening Route 2 to four lanes throughout, and moving the southbound 32 ramp to fly over and merge with Route 2 eastbound from the right. No direct ramp was provided from Route 2 east to Route 32 north.

On July 4, 2001 (a good month for the highway), the project to widen Route 2 to four lanes between I-95 and Route 78 was completed. This was done to relieve congestion between those two highways, in place of an abandoned plan to connect 95 and 78 directly.

Drive the old Route 2

For "secret route" mavens the SR numbers are included for any state-maintained but unsignposted routes. Be aware that there won't be signs with these numbers. These directions take you eastbound, from East Hartford to Stonington.

Most of the former Route 2 between East Hartford and Norwich survives as local streets. Start southbound on Main Street (SR 517) in East Hartford at Silver Lane; continue into Glastonbury to Hebron Avenue. The three-way intersection there was formerly four-way, with the New London Turnpike leaving southeast through what is now a town green.

Instead of tearing up the grass, turn left on Hebron Avenue, then right on the rerouted New London Turnpike. You'll pass under Route 17, where Route 2 used to join the Turnpike between 1953 and 1964. In East Glastonbury, New London Turnpike (old SR 582) dead-ends where the freeway bisects the road; you'll need to cross on Wassuc Road and rejoin old Route 2 on Tollgate Road (old SR 582A). Where Tollgate dead ends, you can see the original aligment and some fragments of pavement. However, this area is closed to the public for a rifle range.

Backtrack to the Route 2 entrance on Wassuc Road; there's no other way to continue into Marlborough. Get off at Exit 12, and continue straight on Main Street (old SR 583), formerly known as the New London Turnpike.

From this point, Old Route 2 continues without interruptions to Bozrah. You'll pass through the center of Marlborough, cut through a corner of Hebron, and enter Colchester. After a junction with Route 2, the old Route 2 becomes Hartford Road (SR 615), then soon merges with Route 85 south as you approach the town center.

About a mile south of Route 16, turn left onto Norwich Avenue (SR 616), as Route 2 used to. This eventually becomes Fitchville Road (SR 608) as you approach Norwich. At Fitchville, the Route 2 expressway blocks your way, so you'll need to get on it temporarily and exit at Route 32. Turn left; this road becomes West Town Street (SR 642), taking you into Norwichtown, and ending at the Route 2/32/169 intersection.

Route 2 continues as a surface road through Norwich to US 1 in Stonington. There are two old alignments I know of: one is Milltown Road, a short street paralleling Route 2 to the north, 0.2 mile after crossing from Ledyard into North Stonington. In the 1978 highway log, this street is called "Old Rt. 2". The other is Main Street in North Stonington, which Route 2 followed until a bypass was built slightly south around 1940.

Casino traffic

Two of the world's three largest casinos opened in southeastern Connecticut in the 1990s: Foxwoods in Ledyard and Mohegan Sun in Montville. Area traffic is exceeding the capacity of two-lane highways such as routes 2 and 164.

For several years, the state has planned transportation and transit improvements in the area. A study floated circa 1994 considered installing toll booths on Routes 2 and 2A to finance improvements, but this appears to have run aground. The Pequots are paying for some planned improvements to Route 2, including widening to four lanes between Routes 164 and 214 (about $15 million). Smaller projects falling out from casino traffic include improvements to the Route 117/214 intersection in Ledyard.

In 1996, a fast-track upgrade to Route 2A was done: widening the "Super 2" road to four lanes and adding an interchange for the Mohegan Sun casino.

In 1997, ConnDot retained Vanasse Hangen Brustlin to study the growing traffic in the area. VHB recommended the following alternatives for further study:

a Route 2A northern by-pass
a Route 2 widening and by-pass
transit along Route 2 / New England Central rail line
a Route 164 upgrade (to a uniform cross section).

Route 2/2A/32 TIP

In April 1999, the state issued the Route 2/2A/32 Transportation Improvement Study. The several alternatives shown include four-lane limited-access bypasses for Route 2A and Route 2, but they're not freeways and may not have any access between their endpoints. I'll describe three alternatives in detail.

Alternative A: Do Nothing

Alternative A, No-Action, assumes no further construction by ConnDOT aside from what has already been approved in the area. These actions are:

Widening Route 2 to 4 lanes between I-95 and Route 78 in Stonington
Widening Route 2 to 4 lanes between Route 164 and Route 214
Construction of the Norwich Transportation Center
Widening and improvements to Route 32 south of the I-395 Connector

Alternative E: 2A bypass, 4 lane Route 2

Alternative E includes a bypass of Route 2A from Route 12 to Route 2 in Preston. The plan would also widen the Mohegan-Pequot bridge and approaches to four lanes, making Route 2A four lanes wide for its entire length. Route 2 would also be widened to four lanes from Route 2A to I-95.

The Route 2A Bypass would be a new 2.3 mile, 4-lane roadway: 88 feet wide, with 10-foot shoulders, 12-foot lanes, and a 16-foot grassed median. The bypass would have no intersections or interchanges between its endpoints at Routes 12 and 2. There would be overpasses at the original Route 2A, Harris Fuller Road, and Middle Road.

Route 2 would also be widened to four lanes with a 16-foot median, but with at-grade intersections with local streets. The Route 2/184 rotary would be redesigned as a conventional signalized intersection.

Alternative E would cost about $94 million.

Alternative F: 2A bypass, Route 2 bypass

Alternative F includes everything in alternative E but adds a Route 2 bypass from Route 214 to I-95, instead of widening the existing Route 2 there. Like the Route 2A bypass, this 4-lane road would have no intersections or interchanges -- just grade separations. The 6.8-mile bypass would end at the Route 2 about 1,300 feet north of I-95. It would cross Wintechog Road, Route 201, Jeremy Hill Road, Route 184, Stony Brook Road, and North Anguilla Road at the gas pipeline.

The Route 2 bypass option was apparently discarded in 1999.

Alternative F would cost about $131 million.

The advisory group recommends...

In March 2001, members of the Route 2/2A Advisory Committee announced its recommendations to residents in Preston. A summary:

Build a new 2-lane (some say 4-lane) bridge paralleling the existing Route 2A bridge over the Thames River
Widen Route 2A to four lanes divided throughout, including a new bypass from Route 12 to Route 2 at Schoolhouse Road
Widen Route 2 to four lanes from the Route 2A terminus to Route 164
Upgrade Route 2 between I-95 and Route 214. Historic buildings, wetlands and other factors prevent widening to four lanes.

The proposals were unpopular with the 65 residents attending. The final environmental impact statement might be ready by summer 2001.

The 2001 Mashantucket proposal

The Mashantucket Pequot Indians, operators of the Foxwoods casino in Ledyard, proposed in August 2001 modifications to a one-mile stretch of Route 2 adjoining the casino. The proposal, which was not described in detail, includes "slightly relocating a portion of Route 2, building a cloverleaf and highway overpasses, adding a frontage road and creating four traffic roundabouts." The state traffic commission has asked for more detailed drawings before the tribe makes a formal proposal. State approval would be needed for any modifications to Route 2.

Officials from neighboring towns were perturbed at the secrecy surrounding the plan, which had been in the works for months. The tribe declined to comment further on the plan, saying it was one of several options they were considering for Route 2. The Mashantuckets had previously pledged $7.5 million of road improvements: certainly of a smaller scale than the relocation plan.

The 2003 Mashantucket proposal

In April 2003, the Mashantucket Pequots announced a $100 million-plus plan to upgrade Foxwoods and Route 2. An elevated 1.8-mile bypass, two or four lanes wide, would be created on tribal-owned land, from the Preston town line into North Stonington, where the tribe is building two golf courses. Visitors would access the casino via frontage roads and a flyover from Route 2. The existing Route 2 would be converted to an internal road.

The plan has not received state approval; though the DOT in May 2003 was said to want the road to continue to Route 164.

Rerouting explored in Norwich

Between the end of the freeway at Route 169 and relatively open country in Preston, Route 2 passes through downtown Norwich, with a number of one-way streets, intersections and turns in the mainline. Norwich is planning a revitalization (the "Rose City Renaissance"), and in concert with that would like to unsnarl traffic and improve access to downtown.

In March 2004, the city manager started a dialogue with ConnDOT about how to improve the Route 2 experience in Norwich. The early 1970s freeway proposal is not an option, but the following options were brought up as worthwhile to study:

Relocate a segment of Route 2 to Talman Street, across the Shetucket River (near Route 12), to bypass downtown.
Reconfigure downtown streets for easier navigation. Notably, some streets that were converted to one-way as the result of a 1970s TOPICS traffic study would be changed back to two-way.
Swap Route 2 and Route 2A designations, to encourage thru traffic to go around using I-395 and Route 2A.

Connecticut Bureau of Highway Planning. Proposed Improvement of Route 15 in Glastonbury and East Hartford. September 1946. ["Route 15" is today's Routes 2 and 17.]
Alfred Kaehrle Associates, for the Connecticut State Highway Department. "Report on a Modern Highway Between New London and Hartford." December 1958.
"Hartford Bridge Open: Second span at Connecticut River is dedicated." New York Times, Dec. 24, 1957.
Transcript of public hearing : relocation of Routes Conn. 2 & 85 -- Colchester ; Central School, June 2, 1960.
Transcript of public hearing : relocation of Conn. 2, Stonington ; from the Connecticut-Rhode Island state line to Interstate 95, Stonington
"1961 Highway Construction." Connecticut Highways, Jan. 1962.
"Survey Plots Expressway Plans." Hartford Times, Jan. 1, 1963.
"Ceremonies to Open 13-Mile Strip of Relocated Rt. 2 in Glastonbury." Hartford Courant, Oct. 15, 1964.
"Quiet Streets, Business Slump: Bypass Impact on Colchester." Hartford Times, July 24, 1967.
"Highway planning report Routes 2 & 82 Norwich, Connecticut." Michael Baker Jr. Inc., 1969.
"1975 Master Transportation Plan." Connecticut Department of Transportation.
"Residents dismayed group advises Route 2 widening." Norwich Bulletin, March 20, 2001.
"Traffic alternatives are unpleasant, but necessary for Preston." (editorial) Norwich Bulletin, March 27, 2001.
"Route 2 motorists free from construction." Westerly [R.I.] Sun, July 4, 2001.
"Mashantuckets, Silent About Expansion, Seek Route 2 Change." Hartford Courant, Nov. 24, 2001.
"Route 2 Gets Plenty Of Traffic, But Not Much Else." The Day [New London, Conn.], Feb. 15, 2002.
"Foxwoods, Route 2 Set For Upgrades." Hartford Courant, April 2, 2003.
"Foxwoods plans casino expansion, Route 2 bypass." Newsday, April 1, 2003.
"Preston looks at plans for Route 2 bypass." Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, May 10, 2003.
'Element'. "Re: Removing Interstate bridges over abandoned RRs." Online posting, misc.transport.road, Sept. 24, 2003.
"Group files for papers on route2/2A proposal." Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, Oct. 1, 2003.
"City asks state to help with traffic patterns." Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, Mar. 6, 2004.
"Traffic study for downtown a terrific idea." Op-ed, Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, Mar. 11, 2004.

Exit Madness
Route 2 exit numbering has some anomalies. In East Hartford, eastbound drivers encounter exits 5, 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, all unrelated; and Marlborough has a missing exit 14 with absolutely nothing meriting an interchange between exit 13 (Route 66) and South Main St (exit 15). One possible explanation: it was reserved for the Route 66 freeway, a perennial "future needs" plan between Meriden and Willimantic but never brought about. Given the town hall, kindergarten, and Lake Terramuggus north of the existing Route 66, it seems reasonable that a freeway would have been routed south.

For a detailed discussion of exits on all Connecticut freeways, see Exits.

East Hartford- Glastonbury Expressway
Founders Bridge
Route 2A
Route 11
Route 78
CT 2 expressway (Steve Anderson)
Roadtrip: CT 2 (Douglas Kerr; several photos)
Abandoned Connecticut State Route 2 (Doug Kerr; several photos)
Route 2 / 2A / 32 TIP (PDF) (Connecticut DOT)
Aerial photos (Greg Amy; eastern end of Route 2 and its interchange with I-395)

Home > Roads > Connecticut > Route 2

Updated Sept 23, 2006

Markers in the left margin for present-day routes are courtesy of Barry L. Camp.

This site is not affiliated with the State of Connecticut or the Connecticut Department of Transportation.

	Route 2/32/82, Norwich Interesting grade-separated intersection with routes 32 and 82 in Norwich. 58.03 miles; from State Street in Hartford to US 1 in Stonington. Route 2 overlaps Route 32 for 4 miles between Fitchville and downtown Norwich. Route 2's profile: Founders Bridge: 7 lane expressway (4 westbound) East Hartford "Mixmaster" to Route 15: 6 lane expressway plus operational lanes Route 15 to Route 3: 4 lane expressway Between Routes 3 and 17: 6 lane expressway Route 17 to Route 169 in Norwich (end of expressway): 4 lane expressway Some 4-lane sections in Norwich Route 12 to I-95: 2 lanes, with some operational lanes near Foxwoods casino I-95 to Route 78: 4 lanes Route 78 to US 1: 2 lanes
	Route 2 follows the path of two 19th-century turnpikes: the Hartford and New London, dating from 1800, and the Colchester and Norwich, dating from 1805. These turnpikes collected tolls for about 50 years.
	In the early 1900s, the state started taking over maintenance of major roads, and marked the Route 2 corridor with colored bands on poles: blue between East Hartford and Glastonbury, and yellow from there to Stonington. In March 1920, Connecticut awarded a $1.4 million contract to pave a 32-mile highway between Hartford and New London by way of Glastonbury and Colchester. The 18-foot wide concrete road eventually became parts of Route 2 and 85. In 1922, what would later be Route 2 became part of NE-17, a 120-mile New England interstate route entering at North Canaan and ending at Stonington. There was also an NE-2 at the time, which was renumbered US 5 in 1926. In 1932, NE-17 was decommissioned and Route 2 was born. Early Realignments In the 1930s, Route 2 followed Main Street directly into the North Stonington town center. By 1943, a 2-lane bypass to the south had been built. Today, it looks like a natural part of the highway. The western end of this bypass meets Main Street where Mystic Road (old Route 119) also intersects. East Hartford - Glastonbury Expressway In 1952, the East Hartford - Glastonbury Expressway ("EHG") opened; this survives today as Route 2 south to exit 7, and Route 17, to the freeway's end south of Hubbard Street. At that time, Route 2 exited the freeway going southeast at the 5-ramp New London Turnpike interchange (right). The original Expressway north end terminated at Main Street just south of Brewer Street in East Hartford. Expressway plans In the 1950s, shore traffic was turning Route 2 into a parking lot; before all parts of the Route 2 expressway were open, backups of 12 miles were not unknown. In the mid-1950s, plans were in motion for a new expressway extending from Glastonbury to New London. The highway would also pass through Marlborough, Colchester, Salem, Montville, and Waterford, paralleling routes 2 and 85 in those towns. In December 1958 a detailed improvement proposal was presented to the state, and Route 2 to Colchester was constructed with only a few variations from the plan. The existing EHG would be widened to six lanes between the planned Interstate 491 interchange (now Route 3) and House Street; at that point, a new Route 2 expressway would branch off to the southeast, just as it does today. After leaving the EHG, the new expressway would widen its profile to 100 feet between roadway center lines, with separate vertical alignments as needed to follow the hilly terrain. At the "elbow" south of Neipsic Road where Route 2 turns south, provision would be made for an interchange with relocated Route 83. (The report doesn't say whether the new 83 would be an expressway as well). The planned Route 2 would connect with the recently (late 1950s) constructed two-lane section in the Ten Curves area near the Glastonbury - Marlborough border. New eastbound lanes would be built, while the existing two-way road would be converted to westbound lanes. In Marlborough is where the built Route 2 differed the most from the planned. The 1958 plan called for raising the westbound roadway above Route 66 and Johnson Road, while running the eastbound lanes below. The report claimed this treatment would be less expensive and allow better ramp design at Route 66 (then called US 6A). The built Route 2 underpasses both roads in both directions. In Colchester, work was underway in 1958 on a new two-lane section of Route 2. The new expressway would again get new eastbound lanes while using the two-lane section for westbound travel. East of Route 16, the expressway would turn south (along today's Route 11) toward New London. Provision for a relocated Route 2 expressway to Norwich (to be built later) was included at Colchester. In 1963, the state articulated plans for extending Route 2 beyond Norwich to the the shoreline at Stonington. More plans in Colchester The partial interchange at Route 11 was conceived in the early 1960s as a complete interchange, with only the left exit from Route 2 westbound deferred until traffic increased. In a 1960 local public hearing, the highway department said it expected to start construction on Route 2 in summer 1962, with most of Colchester's Route 2 open to traffic in 1964. Building Route 2 In the late 1950s and 1960s, Route 2 was upgraded to a freeway in stages. "Super 2" sections of two-lane undivided road (but controlled access) were built between East Glastonbury and Marlborough, and Marlborough and Colchester. ("Super 2" is a nickname for any road built that way -- not an honorific for Route 2.) The westbound lanes in Colchester are older than the eastbound lands. These segments bypassed hazardous conditions on the old Route 2, and were built with an expansion to four lanes in mind: the primary limitation was funding. Opening dates (some approximate) from west to east: Founders Bridge: Dec. 23, 1957 (reconstructed 1999) Mixmaster, East Hartford: Oct. 1965 Pitkin Street to Main Street (exit 5A): 1962 Main Street to Route 17: 1952 Route 17 to West Road, Marlborough: Oct. 15, 1964. Portions were only 2 lanes wide, though. West Road to Route 66: 1966 Route 66 to South Main St (exit 15): 1964 South Main St to Prospect Hill Road (near exit 17), Colchester: 1959 Exit 17 to Route 354: May 25, 1967 Route 354 to Scott Hill Road (near Lebanon/Bozrah town line): 1971 Scott Hill Road to Route 32, Fitchville: Sept, 24, 1961 Route 32 to Route 169: 1959 "Loop 2" In the early to mid 1970s, I remember North Main Street in Marlborough marked in a few locations (e.g. Park Road) as "Loop 2". This didn't last long and is not present today. However, the incomplete interchange at Exit 12 prevented motorists from combining Loop 2 and the Route 2 expressway into an actual loop. Plans East of Norwich Route 2 proposal, Norwich, 1972 Proposed Route 2 expressway in Norwich, shown in 1972 official state highway map Long-range plans in the 1960s called for the Route 2 freeway to be extended from Norwich to near the Rhode Island state line in Stonington. This would connect to other planned freeways in the area, including Route 2A and another following routes 117 and 164. This network of freeways was never built, but sharply increased tourist traffic in the area has revived plans for Route 2 and 2A multilane bypasses. (More on this follows.) In 1969, Route 2 was proposed to continue east from its terminus at Route 169, then gradually veer southeast toward Stonington. The 1972 state map shows a different plan (see figure): Route 2 would loop around Norwich to the west, starting east of I-395 and rejoin the existing Route 2 south of the city. In 1967, a public hearing was held in Stonington for the relocation of Route 2 from I-95 to the state line. Between then and 1970, the state renumbered this proposal to Route 78, which was partially completed in 1979. Improving Route 2 In 1975, the state's Suggested Improvements Program included a major widening of Route 2 from Main Street (exit 5A) to Route 94 (exit 8), echoing what was proposed in 1958 but never completed. The total cost was $6.6 million, and most of the work was projected to start after 1978. This was never done, but the opening of the Route 3 interchange led to the construction of auxiliary lanes (circa 1990) between Routes 3 and 17, making Route 2 six lanes in that area. The 1975 program also called for revamping the outdated interchange and at-grade crossing at Fitchville; this was completed in July 2001. September 1, 1987 saw the opening of the long-awaited interchange with Route 3 in Glastonbury. On Feb. 23, 1994, the on-ramp to westbound I-84 was shifted from a left entrance to a right entrance, on the Bulkeley Bridge approach. Until July 2001, the interchange area at Route 32 at Fitchville, dating back to 1961, remained substandard, with thru traffic narrowing to single lanes, and an at-grade crossing with Yantic Lane. The state undertook a $25 million project to rebuild the interchange, removing the at-grade crossing, widening Route 2 to four lanes throughout, and moving the southbound 32 ramp to fly over and merge with Route 2 eastbound from the right. No direct ramp was provided from Route 2 east to Route 32 north. On July 4, 2001 (a good month for the highway), the project to widen Route 2 to four lanes between I-95 and Route 78 was completed. This was done to relieve congestion between those two highways, in place of an abandoned plan to connect 95 and 78 directly.
	Drive the old Route 2 For "secret route" mavens the SR numbers are included for any state-maintained but unsignposted routes. Be aware that there won't be signs with these numbers. These directions take you eastbound, from East Hartford to Stonington. Most of the former Route 2 between East Hartford and Norwich survives as local streets. Start southbound on Main Street (SR 517) in East Hartford at Silver Lane; continue into Glastonbury to Hebron Avenue. The three-way intersection there was formerly four-way, with the New London Turnpike leaving southeast through what is now a town green. Instead of tearing up the grass, turn left on Hebron Avenue, then right on the rerouted New London Turnpike. You'll pass under Route 17, where Route 2 used to join the Turnpike between 1953 and 1964. In East Glastonbury, New London Turnpike (old SR 582) dead-ends where the freeway bisects the road; you'll need to cross on Wassuc Road and rejoin old Route 2 on Tollgate Road (old SR 582A). Where Tollgate dead ends, you can see the original aligment and some fragments of pavement. However, this area is closed to the public for a rifle range. Backtrack to the Route 2 entrance on Wassuc Road; there's no other way to continue into Marlborough. Get off at Exit 12, and continue straight on Main Street (old SR 583), formerly known as the New London Turnpike. From this point, Old Route 2 continues without interruptions to Bozrah. You'll pass through the center of Marlborough, cut through a corner of Hebron, and enter Colchester. After a junction with Route 2, the old Route 2 becomes Hartford Road (SR 615), then soon merges with Route 85 south as you approach the town center. About a mile south of Route 16, turn left onto Norwich Avenue (SR 616), as Route 2 used to. This eventually becomes Fitchville Road (SR 608) as you approach Norwich. At Fitchville, the Route 2 expressway blocks your way, so you'll need to get on it temporarily and exit at Route 32. Turn left; this road becomes West Town Street (SR 642), taking you into Norwichtown, and ending at the Route 2/32/169 intersection. Route 2 continues as a surface road through Norwich to US 1 in Stonington. There are two old alignments I know of: one is Milltown Road, a short street paralleling Route 2 to the north, 0.2 mile after crossing from Ledyard into North Stonington. In the 1978 highway log, this street is called "Old Rt. 2". The other is Main Street in North Stonington, which Route 2 followed until a bypass was built slightly south around 1940.
	Casino traffic Two of the world's three largest casinos opened in southeastern Connecticut in the 1990s: Foxwoods in Ledyard and Mohegan Sun in Montville. Area traffic is exceeding the capacity of two-lane highways such as routes 2 and 164. For several years, the state has planned transportation and transit improvements in the area. A study floated circa 1994 considered installing toll booths on Routes 2 and 2A to finance improvements, but this appears to have run aground. The Pequots are paying for some planned improvements to Route 2, including widening to four lanes between Routes 164 and 214 (about $15 million). Smaller projects falling out from casino traffic include improvements to the Route 117/214 intersection in Ledyard. In 1996, a fast-track upgrade to Route 2A was done: widening the "Super 2" road to four lanes and adding an interchange for the Mohegan Sun casino. In 1997, ConnDot retained Vanasse Hangen Brustlin to study the growing traffic in the area. VHB recommended the following alternatives for further study: a Route 2A northern by-pass a Route 2 widening and by-pass transit along Route 2 / New England Central rail line a Route 164 upgrade (to a uniform cross section). Route 2/2A/32 TIP In April 1999, the state issued the Route 2/2A/32 Transportation Improvement Study. The several alternatives shown include four-lane limited-access bypasses for Route 2A and Route 2, but they're not freeways and may not have any access between their endpoints. I'll describe three alternatives in detail. Alternative A: Do Nothing Alternative A, No-Action, assumes no further construction by ConnDOT aside from what has already been approved in the area. These actions are: Widening Route 2 to 4 lanes between I-95 and Route 78 in Stonington Widening Route 2 to 4 lanes between Route 164 and Route 214 Construction of the Norwich Transportation Center Widening and improvements to Route 32 south of the I-395 Connector Alternative E: 2A bypass, 4 lane Route 2 Alternative E includes a bypass of Route 2A from Route 12 to Route 2 in Preston. The plan would also widen the Mohegan-Pequot bridge and approaches to four lanes, making Route 2A four lanes wide for its entire length. Route 2 would also be widened to four lanes from Route 2A to I-95. The Route 2A Bypass would be a new 2.3 mile, 4-lane roadway: 88 feet wide, with 10-foot shoulders, 12-foot lanes, and a 16-foot grassed median. The bypass would have no intersections or interchanges between its endpoints at Routes 12 and 2. There would be overpasses at the original Route 2A, Harris Fuller Road, and Middle Road. Route 2 would also be widened to four lanes with a 16-foot median, but with at-grade intersections with local streets. The Route 2/184 rotary would be redesigned as a conventional signalized intersection. Alternative E would cost about $94 million. Alternative F: 2A bypass, Route 2 bypass Alternative F includes everything in alternative E but adds a Route 2 bypass from Route 214 to I-95, instead of widening the existing Route 2 there. Like the Route 2A bypass, this 4-lane road would have no intersections or interchanges -- just grade separations. The 6.8-mile bypass would end at the Route 2 about 1,300 feet north of I-95. It would cross Wintechog Road, Route 201, Jeremy Hill Road, Route 184, Stony Brook Road, and North Anguilla Road at the gas pipeline. The Route 2 bypass option was apparently discarded in 1999. Alternative F would cost about $131 million. The advisory group recommends... In March 2001, members of the Route 2/2A Advisory Committee announced its recommendations to residents in Preston. A summary: Build a new 2-lane (some say 4-lane) bridge paralleling the existing Route 2A bridge over the Thames River Widen Route 2A to four lanes divided throughout, including a new bypass from Route 12 to Route 2 at Schoolhouse Road Widen Route 2 to four lanes from the Route 2A terminus to Route 164 Upgrade Route 2 between I-95 and Route 214. Historic buildings, wetlands and other factors prevent widening to four lanes. The proposals were unpopular with the 65 residents attending. The final environmental impact statement might be ready by summer 2001. The 2001 Mashantucket proposal The Mashantucket Pequot Indians, operators of the Foxwoods casino in Ledyard, proposed in August 2001 modifications to a one-mile stretch of Route 2 adjoining the casino. The proposal, which was not described in detail, includes "slightly relocating a portion of Route 2, building a cloverleaf and highway overpasses, adding a frontage road and creating four traffic roundabouts." The state traffic commission has asked for more detailed drawings before the tribe makes a formal proposal. State approval would be needed for any modifications to Route 2. Officials from neighboring towns were perturbed at the secrecy surrounding the plan, which had been in the works for months. The tribe declined to comment further on the plan, saying it was one of several options they were considering for Route 2. The Mashantuckets had previously pledged $7.5 million of road improvements: certainly of a smaller scale than the relocation plan. The 2003 Mashantucket proposal In April 2003, the Mashantucket Pequots announced a $100 million-plus plan to upgrade Foxwoods and Route 2. An elevated 1.8-mile bypass, two or four lanes wide, would be created on tribal-owned land, from the Preston town line into North Stonington, where the tribe is building two golf courses. Visitors would access the casino via frontage roads and a flyover from Route 2. The existing Route 2 would be converted to an internal road. The plan has not received state approval; though the DOT in May 2003 was said to want the road to continue to Route 164. Rerouting explored in Norwich Between the end of the freeway at Route 169 and relatively open country in Preston, Route 2 passes through downtown Norwich, with a number of one-way streets, intersections and turns in the mainline. Norwich is planning a revitalization (the "Rose City Renaissance"), and in concert with that would like to unsnarl traffic and improve access to downtown. In March 2004, the city manager started a dialogue with ConnDOT about how to improve the Route 2 experience in Norwich. The early 1970s freeway proposal is not an option, but the following options were brought up as worthwhile to study: Relocate a segment of Route 2 to Talman Street, across the Shetucket River (near Route 12), to bypass downtown. Reconfigure downtown streets for easier navigation. Notably, some streets that were converted to one-way as the result of a 1970s TOPICS traffic study would be changed back to two-way. Swap Route 2 and Route 2A designations, to encourage thru traffic to go around using I-395 and Route 2A.
	Connecticut Bureau of Highway Planning. Proposed Improvement of Route 15 in Glastonbury and East Hartford. September 1946. ["Route 15" is today's Routes 2 and 17.] Alfred Kaehrle Associates, for the Connecticut State Highway Department. "Report on a Modern Highway Between New London and Hartford." December 1958. "Hartford Bridge Open: Second span at Connecticut River is dedicated." New York Times, Dec. 24, 1957. Transcript of public hearing : relocation of Routes Conn. 2 & 85 -- Colchester ; Central School, June 2, 1960. Transcript of public hearing : relocation of Conn. 2, Stonington ; from the Connecticut-Rhode Island state line to Interstate 95, Stonington "1961 Highway Construction." Connecticut Highways, Jan. 1962. "Survey Plots Expressway Plans." Hartford Times, Jan. 1, 1963. "Ceremonies to Open 13-Mile Strip of Relocated Rt. 2 in Glastonbury." Hartford Courant, Oct. 15, 1964. "Quiet Streets, Business Slump: Bypass Impact on Colchester." Hartford Times, July 24, 1967. "Highway planning report Routes 2 & 82 Norwich, Connecticut." Michael Baker Jr. Inc., 1969. "1975 Master Transportation Plan." Connecticut Department of Transportation. "Residents dismayed group advises Route 2 widening." Norwich Bulletin, March 20, 2001. "Traffic alternatives are unpleasant, but necessary for Preston." (editorial) Norwich Bulletin, March 27, 2001. "Route 2 motorists free from construction." Westerly [R.I.] Sun, July 4, 2001. "Mashantuckets, Silent About Expansion, Seek Route 2 Change." Hartford Courant, Nov. 24, 2001. "Route 2 Gets Plenty Of Traffic, But Not Much Else." The Day [New London, Conn.], Feb. 15, 2002. "Foxwoods, Route 2 Set For Upgrades." Hartford Courant, April 2, 2003. "Foxwoods plans casino expansion, Route 2 bypass." Newsday, April 1, 2003. "Preston looks at plans for Route 2 bypass." Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, May 10, 2003. 'Element'. "Re: Removing Interstate bridges over abandoned RRs." Online posting, misc.transport.road, Sept. 24, 2003. "Group files for papers on route2/2A proposal." Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, Oct. 1, 2003. "City asks state to help with traffic patterns." Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, Mar. 6, 2004. "Traffic study for downtown a terrific idea." Op-ed, Norwich (Conn.) Bulletin, Mar. 11, 2004.
	Exit Madness Route 2 exit numbering has some anomalies. In East Hartford, eastbound drivers encounter exits 5, 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D, all unrelated; and Marlborough has a missing exit 14 with absolutely nothing meriting an interchange between exit 13 (Route 66) and South Main St (exit 15). One possible explanation: it was reserved for the Route 66 freeway, a perennial "future needs" plan between Meriden and Willimantic but never brought about. Given the town hall, kindergarten, and Lake Terramuggus north of the existing Route 66, it seems reasonable that a freeway would have been routed south. For a detailed discussion of exits on all Connecticut freeways, see Exits.
	East Hartford- Glastonbury Expressway Founders Bridge Route 2A Route 11 Route 78 CT 2 expressway (Steve Anderson) Roadtrip: CT 2 (Douglas Kerr; several photos) Abandoned Connecticut State Route 2 (Doug Kerr; several photos) Route 2 / 2A / 32 TIP (PDF) (Connecticut DOT) Aerial photos (Greg Amy; eastern end of Route 2 and its interchange with I-395)