Connecticut Route 101
Encyclopedia
Route 101 is a state highway
in northeastern Connecticut
running from Pomfret
to the Rhode Island
state line in Killingly
. The road originated as a 19th-century toll road
known as the Connecticut and Rhode Island Turnpike. Route 101 was designated along the modern alignment in 1935 when an earlier Route 101 was renumbered to U.S. Route 44
.
as Mashamoquet Road then Killingly Road in the town of Pomfret
. It runs along the Mashamoquet Brook State Park before intersecting with Route 169. It proceeds eastward, soon passing over the Quinebaug River
into the town of Killingly
. East of the river, the road becomes known as Hartford Pike. Route 101 then intersects Interstate 395
and Route 12
, then passes near Chase Pond, a small pond related to the Chase Reservoir. Route 101 then passes between two large lakes; on the north, the Middle Reservoir (also known as the Chestnut Hill Reservoir), and on the south, the Bog Meadow Pond. It passes by more reservoirs, as it reaches its end at the Connecticut
Rhode Island
border. Route 101 continues in Rhode Island as Rhode Island Route 101.
Highway.
(via the Boston Turnpike) and Providence
. It began at the Boston Turnpike in Phoenixville (at the junction of modern Route 198 and Route 44) and went eastward along modern Route 44 to west of Pomfret Landing, then along modern Route 101 through Killingly Center to the Rhode Island state line. Beyond the state line it continued as the Rhode Island and Connecticut Turnpike to Providence.
In 1922, Connecticut numbered its state highways. The turnpike from Phoenixville to west of Pomfret Landing was designated as part of Route 101. The original Route 101 began in South Chaplin, where it split off from New England Route 3. It ran northward via modern Route 198 to Phoenixville then turned eastward along the Connecticut and Rhode Island Turnpike (modern Route 44) to west of Pomfret Landing. Route 101 then continued along modern Route 44 northward to Pomfret Center and eastward through Putnam
to the Rhode Island line. Route 101 followed modern Route 44 through Rhode Island all the way to Plymouth, Massachusetts. At the same time, the eastern half of the Connecticut and Rhode Island Turnpike was designated as Highway 137 west of Route 12 and Highway 139 east of Route 12.
In 1932, Route 101 was extended westward across the entire state. It now began in Canaan
and ran through Hartford
to Phoenixville, where it continued east along its 1920s alignment. The portion of old Route 101 between South Chaplin and Phoenixville became part of Route 91 (now Route 198). Old state highways 137 and 139 were combined into a new Route 202. In 1935, U.S. Route 44
and U.S. Route 202
were designated by AASHO. US 44 used the alignment of the extended Route 101. Old Route 202 was renumbered to Route 101 (since the number was now available) to avoid a numbering conflict with US 202. This route number change was done in cooperation with Rhode Island, which designated the continuation as Rhode Island Route 101. Route 101 was one of the few state routes that survived the 1932 state highway renumbering
.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in northeastern Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
running from Pomfret
Pomfret, Connecticut
Pomfret is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,798 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
to the Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
state line in Killingly
Killingly, Connecticut
Killingly is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 16,472 at the 2000 census. It consists of the borough of Danielson and the villages of Attawaugan, Ballouville, Dayville, East Killingly, Rogers, and South Killingly....
. The road originated as a 19th-century toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
known as the Connecticut and Rhode Island Turnpike. Route 101 was designated along the modern alignment in 1935 when an earlier Route 101 was renumbered to U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
.
Route description
Route 101 starts at U.S. Route 44U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
as Mashamoquet Road then Killingly Road in the town of Pomfret
Pomfret, Connecticut
Pomfret is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,798 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water....
. It runs along the Mashamoquet Brook State Park before intersecting with Route 169. It proceeds eastward, soon passing over the Quinebaug River
Quinebaug River
The Quinebaug River is a river in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, with watershed extending into western Rhode Island. The name "Quinebaug" comes from the southern New England Native American term, spelled variously Qunnubbâgge, Quinibauge, etc., meaning "long pond", from...
into the town of Killingly
Killingly, Connecticut
Killingly is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 16,472 at the 2000 census. It consists of the borough of Danielson and the villages of Attawaugan, Ballouville, Dayville, East Killingly, Rogers, and South Killingly....
. East of the river, the road becomes known as Hartford Pike. Route 101 then intersects Interstate 395
Interstate 395 (Connecticut)
Interstate 395 is a 67-mile-long north–south Interstate Highway that begins at Interstate 95 in East Lyme, Connecticut and ends at Interstate 90 in Auburn, Massachusetts, where it becomes Interstate 290. The original designation for the freeway was Route 52...
and Route 12
Connecticut Route 12
Connecticut Route 12 is a state highway that runs between Groton and the state line near Thompson.-History:Route 12 was preceded by New England Interstate Route 12. The southern terminus of NE-12 was originally at New London, Connecticut. It travelled along present-day Route 32 from New London to...
, then passes near Chase Pond, a small pond related to the Chase Reservoir. Route 101 then passes between two large lakes; on the north, the Middle Reservoir (also known as the Chestnut Hill Reservoir), and on the south, the Bog Meadow Pond. It passes by more reservoirs, as it reaches its end at the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
border. Route 101 continues in Rhode Island as Rhode Island Route 101.
Special designations
Route 101 from the western terminus to milepost 6.78 in East Killingly is also known as the Leif EricsonLeif Ericson
Leif Ericson was a Norse explorer who is regarded as the first European to land in North America , nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus...
Highway.
History
In the 19th century, modern day Route 101 was originally known as the Connecticut and Rhode Island Turnpike and was one of several routes connecting HartfordHartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
(via the Boston Turnpike) and Providence
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
. It began at the Boston Turnpike in Phoenixville (at the junction of modern Route 198 and Route 44) and went eastward along modern Route 44 to west of Pomfret Landing, then along modern Route 101 through Killingly Center to the Rhode Island state line. Beyond the state line it continued as the Rhode Island and Connecticut Turnpike to Providence.
In 1922, Connecticut numbered its state highways. The turnpike from Phoenixville to west of Pomfret Landing was designated as part of Route 101. The original Route 101 began in South Chaplin, where it split off from New England Route 3. It ran northward via modern Route 198 to Phoenixville then turned eastward along the Connecticut and Rhode Island Turnpike (modern Route 44) to west of Pomfret Landing. Route 101 then continued along modern Route 44 northward to Pomfret Center and eastward through Putnam
Putnam, Connecticut
Putnam is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,002 as of the 2000 census. It is home to WINY, an AM radio station.-History:...
to the Rhode Island line. Route 101 followed modern Route 44 through Rhode Island all the way to Plymouth, Massachusetts. At the same time, the eastern half of the Connecticut and Rhode Island Turnpike was designated as Highway 137 west of Route 12 and Highway 139 east of Route 12.
In 1932, Route 101 was extended westward across the entire state. It now began in Canaan
Canaan, Connecticut
Canaan is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,081 at the 2000 census. The town of Canaan is often referred to locally by the name of its principal constituent village, Falls Village.-Geography:...
and ran through Hartford
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
to Phoenixville, where it continued east along its 1920s alignment. The portion of old Route 101 between South Chaplin and Phoenixville became part of Route 91 (now Route 198). Old state highways 137 and 139 were combined into a new Route 202. In 1935, U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44
U.S. Route 44 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
and U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
were designated by AASHO. US 44 used the alignment of the extended Route 101. Old Route 202 was renumbered to Route 101 (since the number was now available) to avoid a numbering conflict with US 202. This route number change was done in cooperation with Rhode Island, which designated the continuation as Rhode Island Route 101. Route 101 was one of the few state routes that survived the 1932 state highway renumbering
1932 state highway renumbering (Connecticut)
In 1932, the Highway Department of the U.S. state of Connecticut , decided to completely renumber all its state highways. The only exceptions were the U.S. Highways and some of the New England Interstate Routes. Between 1922 and 1932, Connecticut used a state highway numbering system shared with...
.
Junction list
| Town | Road names | Junction | Milepost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pomfret Pomfret, Connecticut Pomfret is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,798 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.... (2.58 miles) |
Mashamoquet Road, Killingly Road | 0.00 | |
| 0.42 | |||
| Killingly Killingly, Connecticut Killingly is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 16,472 at the 2000 census. It consists of the borough of Danielson and the villages of Attawaugan, Ballouville, Dayville, East Killingly, Rogers, and South Killingly.... (6.88 miles) |
Hartford Pike | 4.88 | |
| 5.02 | |||
| 9.46 |