About 21 miles; from US 5/I-291 in South Windsor to Route 190 in Stafford. Route 30 is four lanes in a commercial area near I-84 in Vernon and Manchester. I-84 exit 64/65 has separate ramps for Route 30 north and south (in Connecticut, this is a big thing for a non-freeway like 30).

Route 30 is officially a north-south road, but acts more east-west in South Windsor and Vernon, to the point where Route 30 northbound moves southeast to intersect I-84 and Route 83 in Manchester.

Route 30 was commissioned in 1943. Originally, its southern end was at Ellington Road and US 5 just over the South Windsor town line into East Hartford; in mid-2003, that end was relocated to meet US 5 across from the I-291 eastbound offramp in South Windsor.

In the 1920s, the segment between US 5 and present-day Route 83 was called State Highway 313; from there to Route 74, SH 181; and from there to Route 190, SH 166.

In 1932, all of present-day Route 30 (before the 2003 realignment) started as part of Route 15. In 1943, part of Route 15 was shifted to a newly-opened section of the 2-lane Wilbur Cross Highway (which later became part of I-84) between Tolland and Union. The former Route 15 between Route 74 and Route 20 (now Route 190) needed a new number, and Route 30 was born.

In 1951, Route 30 was extended from Route 74 in Vernon to US 5 in East Hartford, and has kept its basic alignment to this day.

A traffic circle at Route 83 in Vernon was reconstructed into a plain four-way intersection as I-84 was rebuilt in the early 1980s. This is the "Vernon Circle" people sometimes talk about but you can't find.

US 5, Route 30 and I-291

In summer 2003, the state shifted the west end of Route 30 north to intersect US 5 directly across from the eastbound I-291 exit ramp. The leftover portion of Route 30 was turned over to the towns.

Traffic growing in Vernon

Traffic along routes 30, 31 and 83 in Vernon has been growing. Local and state officials in February 2003 asked for a study of these routes to address increasing congestion and safety problems.

However, the tight fiscal situation at the state will probably delay these studies for a year or more.

Before Route 74 was realigned in South Windsor, Route 30 met it twice: there and in eastern Vernon. In South Windsor, 30 north continued straight ahead while 74 east veered to the left (think about this). This compass-flipping continued for about 8 miles.

I-84 west has 3 consecutive exits for Route 30 in Vernon and Manchester.

• "Work will begin on the realignment of Route 30 at Route 5 in South Windsor." Press release, ConnDOT, March 26, 2002.
• "Three State Roads Suffering Growing Pains." Hartford Courant, Feb. 11, 2003.
• "Officials see residential tax relief in I-291 development." Journal Inquirer [Manchester, Conn.], June 4, 2003.

• Route 15
• Route 30 Ends (Photos; Doug Kerr at state-ends.com)

14.34 miles; from Route 74 in Rockville to Route 32 in Mansfield.

Route 31 was commissioned in 1942, from the former US 6A between US 44 and Route 32. The top half (north of US 44) was not a state route until 1963.

The lower half has more history. From 1926 to about 1938, it was part of US 6; from then onward, it was called US 6A, until it became Route 31. While this stretch was US 6, the "Suicide 6" route through Andover was then called US 6A. A 1938 guidebook recommends the new (!) "Suicide 6" route over the old, rough, obsolete path of what is now Route 31.

In 1942, US 6's route was shifted south and Route 31 was numbered -- but south of US 44 only. In 1963, Route 31 was extended to Rockville.

In 1934, a report to the state highway commissioner mentions design work on a "Route 31" in Bridgeport. Perhaps the writer meant Route 316, a very old numbering for Route 8. But the one-line mention doesn't provide enough information.

Traffic growing in Vernon

Traffic along routes 30, 31 and 83 in Vernon has been growing. Local and state officials in February 2003 asked for a study of these routes to address increasing congestion and safety problems. Proposed "big box" retail development at I-84 and Route 31 could make widening or interchange improvements necessary.

However, the tight fiscal situation at the state will probably delay these studies for a year or more.

• Connecticut Highway Department. Highway Commissioner's Biennial Report. Wethersfield: 1934.
• "Three State Roads Suffering Growing Pains." Hartford Courant, Feb. 11, 2003.

This is a "just for the heck of it" proposal; I'm not advocating tearing down anyone's home: Widen 31 to four-lane boulevard from Route 74 to US 6. Full cloverleaf at I-84; diamond interchange at US 44. Reroute southward to intercept US 6. Pair with US 6 into Andover, then take over Route 316 (erase the "6" on its signs, if you want to be cheap) down to Route 66 in Hebron.

See the Route 32 page.

See the Route 32 page.

14.41 miles; from Route 136 in Westport to Route 35 in Ridgefield.

Route 33 was commissioned in 1932. Before that, parts of it were known as Route 304 (from Route 35 to US 7) and Route 176 (from US 7 to US 1).

In Ridgefield, Route 33 originally continued beyond Route 35 along present-day Route 116 to the New York state line (the road continues as NY 116). In 1967, Connecticut numbered this section Route 116 as well. For some years afterward (until at least 1978), Route 33 officially overlapped with Route 35 up to the Route 116 junction, for a total length of 15.58 miles.

Famous from the AC/DC song "33 Thunderchief" (you've heard it... "Thir-ty three thun-der thun-der-chief").

State Highway Log, 1978.

See the Route 34 page.