|
3.14 miles; from US 44 to Route 219 in Barkhamsted. The Ripley Hill Road portion connects US 44 to Route 181. The Saville Dam Road portion, from Route 181 to Route 219, is a state scenic road, leading past the Saville Dam and Barkhamsted Reservoir. |
 |
For decades, today's Route 318 -- Ripley Hill Road and Saville Dam Road -- was locally maintained. When the Farmington River flooded in summer 1955, washing out several bridges, Ripley Hill Road was pushed into service as a temporary state road, routing traffic around the ruined bridge on US 44 in New Hartford. In January 1957, a local state representative introduced a bill to have the state take over Ripley Hill Road permanently. On June 11, 1957, the state took over the road, as unsigned route SR 860. By 1960, the state had also accepted Saville Dam Road as SR 418. In 1963, SR 860 and SR 418 were combined into Route 318. |
 |
After a picnic lunch at [Barkhamsted] Reservoir I headed for Pleasant Valley on Route 319 [actually 318 - K.]. Until now I'd thought of routes as the kind of thoroughfares I was trying to avoid. Not in New England. Calling a cowpath a "route" was the only case of Yankee exaggeration I'd ever encountered. |
 |
|
 |
|
|
Updated Nov 22, 2009 |
All content copyright © Kurumi, unless noted. (See credits.) This site is not affiliated with the State of Connecticut or the Connecticut Department of Transportation. 
|