A bypass for New Haven

In the early days, what we know as Route 22 belonged to three different highways:

• Route 168, from US 5 to Route 17
• Route 139, from Route 17 to Route 80
• (an overlap with Route 80, as today)
• Route 141, from Route 80 to US 1

When the Wilbur Cross Parkway was completed in 1949, it was not obvious how to skirt around New Haven and get to US 1 east of the city. The state had even considered a new parkway connector for this purpose, but it was never built.

The State Highway Department decided to assemble the best route available from existing state roads. In April 1951, it announced a new route number - 22 - extending from the Bishop Street exit on the Wilbur Cross Parkway to Route 80 and US 1.

Another high-profile number designation intended to provide route continuity for the motorist was along the Wilbur Cross Parkway -- which three years earlier became part of Route 15.

Route 22 freeway... see Route 40

The state once planned a freeway in the Route 22 corridor, even in 1970 asking for interstate funding for the road. If the road were built with state funds, it probably would have been called an extension of Route 40, which parallels Route 22 in Hamden.

A slight reroute in North Haven

Between State Street and Washington Street in North Haven, Route 22 and US 5 originally followed Broadway, an east-west street south of Route 22's present aligment along Bishop Street. Relocation of Route 22 to an extended Bishop Street had been planned during the 1960s, along with an new (incomplete) interchange with Interstate 91. This took place in 1973; Route 22 was moved, Exit 11 was built at I-91, and Broadway was renumbered to State Road 729, an unposted "secret" route number.

Reportedly a mall was planned in a plot of land bordered by I-91 to the east and the new section of Route 22 to the south. However, the land was also bordered by the Quinnipiac River to the west, which flooded the area in 1982 and probably hastened the mall plan's cancellation.

• "Route marks planned on links to parkways." Bridgeport Sunday Post, April 22, 1951.
• "Tentative Path of Mount Carmel Connector: Early Start is Sought." New Haven Register, May 24, 1964.
• Tri-State Transportation 1985; an interim plan. Tri-State Transportation Commission, 1966.
• Hennessy, Edward. "Another missing exit [I-91 exit 11]." Email to Kurumi, April 26, 2000.

• Route 40
• Interstate 91
• Route 139
• Route 141
• Route 168