CT 272
  • Length 17.96 miles
  • From Route 4 in Torrington
  • To the Massachusetts state line

Route 272 is one of a handful of Connecticut signed routes that "dead end" at the state line; over the border, the road is locally maintained. Near Bald Mountain in Norfolk, Route 272 reaches the highest elevation (1,555 feet) of any numbered highway in Connecticut.

CT 272 History

Numbering

Before 1932, the segment between Route 4 and US 44 was called State Highway 312.

On Jan. 1, 1932, SH 312 became part of Route 49, a number that fit in with other highways (41, 43, 45, 47) in the area. Route 49 extended from Route 4 to the state line, for a length of 18.01 miles (0.05 miles longer than today).

On May 1, 1954, Route 72 was extended from Plymouth to the state line via Torrington, incorporating all of former Route 49. This version of Route 72, extending from Middletown, was 56 miles long.

In 1963, planners in the state highway reclassification decided a long Route 72 was not useful, and truncated it to Route 4 in Harwinton. The old Route 72 north of Route 4 needed a new designation. "Route 49", if under consideration, was no longer available, so this part of old Route 72 got a new, rhyming designation: Route 272.

Route 372 and the original SR 572 were also former alignments of Route 72.

Realigned at Hall Meadow Brook Dam

In 1961 and 1962, construction at the Hall Meadow Brook Dam, built in response to the devastating floods of 1955, included relocating 2.2 miles of Route 272 (which was Route 72 at the time) to the west. The old alignment passes through John A. Minetto State Park.

CT 272 Sources