Connecticut Route 12 is a state highway

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...

 that runs between Groton

Groton, Connecticut

Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....

 and the state line near Thompson

Thompson, Connecticut

Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...

.

History

Route 12 was preceded by New England Interstate Route 12. The southern terminus of NE-12 was originally at New London, Connecticut

New London, Connecticut

New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....

. It travelled along present-day Route 32

Route 32 (Connecticut)

Route 32 is a primary north–south state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut, beginning in New London and continuing via Willimantic to the Massachusetts state line, where it continues as Route 32 in that state.-Route description:...

 (along the west bank of the Thames River

Thames River (Connecticut)

The Thames River is a short river and tidal estuary in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It flows south for through eastern Connecticut from the junction of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers at Norwich, to New London and Groton, which flank its mouth at the Long Island Sound.Differing from its...

) from New London to Norwich, Connecticut

Norwich, Connecticut

Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...

. In 1932, when Connecticut decommissioned its New England Routes, Route 12 swapped places with Route 32 south of Norwich. From Norwich to the Massachusetts border, Route 12 still follows its 1920s alignment.

Route description

Route 12 from Groton to Norwich

Norwich, Connecticut

Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...

 is a primary route, serving the Naval Submarine Base New London

Naval Submarine Base New London

Naval Submarine Base New London is the United States Navy's primary submarine base, the "Home of the Submarine Force", and "the Submarine Capital of the World".-History:...

 and is known as the U.S. Submarine Veterans Memorial Highway. North of Norwich, Route 12 is a minor road closely paralleling 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...

. Route 12 goes through the following towns: Groton

Groton, Connecticut

Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....

, Ledyard

Ledyard, Connecticut

As of the census of 2000, there were 14,687 people, 5,286 households, and 4,101 families residing in the town. The population density was 385.1 people per square mile . There were 5,486 housing units at an average density of 143.8 per square mile...

, Preston

Preston, Connecticut

Preston is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,688 at the 2000 census. The town includes the villages of Long Society, Preston City, and Poquetanuck.-History:...

, Norwich

Norwich, Connecticut

Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...

, Lisbon

Lisbon, Connecticut

Lisbon is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,069 at the 2000 census. The town center is also known as the village of Newent...

, Griswold

Griswold, Connecticut

Griswold is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,807 at the 2000 census. Griswold contains one borough, Jewett City, and also contains the villages of Doaneville,Rixtown, Glasgo, Hopeville, and Pachaug...

, Canterbury

Canterbury, Connecticut

Canterbury is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,692 at the 2000 census.-History:The area was first settled in the 1680s as Peagscomsuck, consisting mainly of land north of Norwich, south of New Roxbury, Massachusetts and west of the Quinebaug River and the...

 (0.14 miles only), Plainfield

Plainfield, Connecticut

Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...

, 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....

, 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:...

, and Thompson

Thompson, Connecticut

Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...

.

Junction list

Town	Milepost	Junction	Notes
Groton Groton, Connecticut Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....	0.0		Single interchange
	0.1
	0.2
Ledyard Ledyard, Connecticut As of the census of 2000, there were 14,687 people, 5,286 households, and 4,101 families residing in the town. The population density was 385.1 people per square mile . There were 5,486 housing units at an average density of 143.8 per square mile...	6.9
Preston Preston, Connecticut Preston is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,688 at the 2000 census. The town includes the villages of Long Society, Preston City, and Poquetanuck.-History:...	9.1-9.4
Norwich Norwich, Connecticut Regular steamship service between New York and Boston helped Norwich to prosper as a shipping center through the early part of the 20th century. During the Civil War, Norwich once again rallied and saw the growth of its textile, armaments, and specialty item manufacturing...	12.1-12.4
	15.2
Lisbon Lisbon, Connecticut Lisbon is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 4,069 at the 2000 census. The town center is also known as the village of Newent...	19.6
	20.4		Begin overlap
Griswold Griswold, Connecticut Griswold is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 10,807 at the 2000 census. Griswold contains one borough, Jewett City, and also contains the villages of Doaneville,Rixtown, Glasgo, Hopeville, and Pachaug...	20.8		End overlap
	21.0
Plainfield Plainfield, Connecticut Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...	27.5-27.9
	30.3-30.6
	32.1
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....	36.2-36.5
	39.5
	42.0
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:...	45.6-46.2
Thompson Thompson, Connecticut Thompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,458 at the 2010 census...	48.2
	48.9
	49.9
	52.0