Berlin Turnpike

Map of central Connecticut with Berlin Turnpike highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ConnDOT
Length12.17 mi (19.59 km)
Existed1909–present
Component
highways		 US 5 / Route 15 from Berlin to Wethersfield
Route 314 in Wethersfield
Major junctions
South end US 5 / Route 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway in Meriden
Major intersections Route 9 / Route 372 in Berlin US 5 / Route 15 / Route 314 in Wethersfield
North endMaple Avenue in Hartford, Connecticut
Location
CountryUnited States
StateConnecticut
CountiesNew Haven, Hartford
Highway system
  • Connecticut State Highway System

The Berlin Turnpike is a 12.17-mile (19.59 km) arterial road carrying U.S. Route 5 (US 5) and Route 15 in New Haven County and Hartford County in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The road begins one mile south of the Meriden-Berlin town line where Route 15 on the Wilbur Cross Parkway merges with US 5 along North Broad Street in Meriden and terminates at the Hartford city line. The local name of the street varies as it passes through multiple towns.

1.07 miles (1.72 km) south of the Hartford city line, US 5 and Route 15 leave the turnpike and follow the Wilbur Cross Highway northeast through Hartford towards the Charter Oak Bridge. The Berlin Turnpike continues north as part of Route 314 for 0.69 miles (1.11 km), and then as the unsigned State Road 543 for 0.38 miles (0.61 km) before entering Hartford as the municipally-maintained Maple Avenue.

Route description

A view of the Berlin Turnpike

The Berlin Turnpike begins at a fork interchange between Route 15, which continues south as the controlled-access Wilbur Cross Parkway, and US 5, which continues south as a local road named Broad Street. The turnpike is the only segment of Route 15 that is not a freeway, as it has multiple at-grade intersections, some with traffic lights, as well as businesses on both sides of the road. The turnpike has grade-separated interchange with Route 9 and Route 372 in Berlin, as well as Route 175 on the border between Newington and Wethersfield.[1]

In Wethersfield, US 5 and Route 15 leave the turnpike for the controlled-access Wilbur Cross Highway heading towards Hartford. This is the western terminus of Route 314, which takes a right turn onto Jordan Lane soon after to actually proceed in the eastbound direction. From Jordan Lane to the city line, the turnpike is unsigned SR 543. At the city line, the road becomes Maple Avenue and continues north towards Downtown Hartford.[1]

History

The Hartford and New Haven Turnpike was a toll road chartered in 1798 and built in 1798-99 to connect the cities of New Haven and Hartford in the U.S. state of Connecticut.[2] The turnpike was built to connect the courthouses of New Haven and Hartford in as straight of a route as allowed by the terrain. Its southern terminus was at Grove Street,[2] which forms the northern boundary of the original nine squares of New Haven. The road's straight line principle caused several intermediate town centers to be bypassed.

Since the turnpike's original construction, the roadway has been realigned and substantially widened to become the Berlin Turnpike that it is today — a major commercial thoroughfare. Many parts of the original alignment are maintained as local roads or unsigned state roads.

Speeding issues

The long straight trajectory of the Berlin Turnpike has allowed it to become prone to excessive speeding and deadly accidents.[3] In June 2007, a driver was clocked driving at a speed of 97 miles per hour (156 km/h), despite a posted speed limit of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[3][1]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
New HavenMeriden0.000.00


 Route 15 south (Wilbur Cross Parkway) to I-91 south		Route 15 continues south along the Wilbur Cross Parkway




 US 5 south (North Broad Street) to I-691 / Route 66 east – Meriden		Interchange; southern end of US 5 concurrency; southbound exit and northbound entrance
HartfordBerlin4.69–
5.05		7.55–
8.13		 Route 9 / Route 372 – Middletown, New Britain, East BerlinInterchange; exits 31-32 on Route 9; southbound access to Route 372 via Worthington Ridge Road (SR 572)
5.879.45
 Route 160 east – Rocky Hill		West end of Route 160
Newington7.3711.86
 Route 173 north – West Hartford		South end of Route 173
7.9912.86
 Route 176 north – Newington		South end of Route 176
9.3815.10
 Route 287 west – Newington		West end of Route 287 concurrency
9.4515.21
 Route 287 east – Wethersfield		Eastern end of Route 287 concurrency
Newington–Wethersfield line10.0816.22 Route 175 – Newington, New Britain, WethersfieldInterchange
Wethersfield11.1017.86


 US 5 north / Route 15 north (Wilbur Cross Highway) to I-91 – Hartford

 Route 314 begins		Interchange; northern end of US 5/Route 15 concurrency; western terminus of Route 314; northbound exit and southbound entrance
11.7918.97
 Route 314 east – Wethersfield		Route 314 continues east; western terminus of unsigned SR 543
Wethersfield–Hartford line12.1719.59Maple Avenue northContinuation into the City of Hartford; eastern terminus of unsigned SR 543
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. 1 2 3 Google (February 2, 2020). "Berlin Turnpike" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
  2. 1 2 William Phipps Blake (1888). History of the Town of Hamden, Connecticut. Price, Lee & Company. pp. 93–94.
  3. 1 2 De La Torre, Vanessa (June 26, 2007). "Police Have Eyes On Road". The Hartford Courant. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
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