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Route 138 (Connecticut)
Encyclopedia
Route 138 is the portion of the 118 miles (189.9 km) long multi-state Route 138 within the state of Connecticut. It is one of several New England
state highways that travel through three states while keeping their number designation. The route begins in Sprague
at Route 97. From its western terminus up to the junction with Interstate 395
in Griswold, the road functions as a collector road
. From the Interstate 395 junction, it then enters Voluntown
, and continues into the state of Rhode Island as Route 138
.
Route 138 starts at Route 97
, in the town of Sprague, where it is known as Bushnell Hollow Road. It heads east into the town of Lisbon
becoming Kinsman Road and Town House Road. It intersects with Route 169 in Lisbon center and then becomes Newent Road, as it proceeds eastward.
Route 138 overlaps with Route 12
as it crosses the Griswold
town line. Route 138 splits off from Route 12 as Slater Avenue and later as Pachaug Road. It has an interchange with I-395 in the borough of Jewett City and intersects with Route 201 just west of the town line. The road continues into the town of Voluntown
, where it becomes Jewett City Road. It has a three-way overlap with Route 165
and Route 49
, along Beach Pond Road. Route 138 continues east as Rockville Road into the state of Rhode Island
, becoming Rhode Island Route 138
.
to Jewett City
via the village of Newent was a secondary state highway known as Highway 356. At the same time, the road connecting Jewett City and the town center of Voluntown
was known as Highway 321. In the 1932 state highway renumbering
, Route 138 was established from the piece of old Highway 356 from Newent to Jewett City and from the entire length of old Highway 321. Route 138 was extended to the Rhode Island
state line in 1938 along former SR 420, where it connected with the westward extension of Rhode Island Route 138
, which had originally ended in Newport
. This resulted in a three-state Route 138 all the way to the Boston area. Route 138 in Connecticut was extended west to its current western terminus at Route 97 in 1962 as part of the Route Reclassification Act.
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
state highways that travel through three states while keeping their number designation. The route begins in Sprague
Sprague, Connecticut
Sprague is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after William Sprague, who laid out the industrial section. The population was 2,971 at the 2000 census...
at Route 97. From its western terminus up to the junction with 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...
in Griswold, the road functions as a collector road
Collector road
A collector road or distributor road is a low to moderate-capacity road which serve to move traffic from local streets to arterial roads. Unlike arterials, collectors are also designed to provide access to residential properties...
. From the Interstate 395 junction, it then enters Voluntown
Voluntown, Connecticut
Voluntown is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,528 at the 2000 census. From 1726 to 1881 Voluntown had been part of Windham County.-Geography:...
, and continues into the state of Rhode Island as Route 138
Route 138 (Rhode Island)
Route 138 is a numbered State Highway running in Rhode Island. It runs from the Connecticut state line to the Massachusetts state line and is the only state-numbered route that traverses the entire state.-Route description:...
.
Route description
Connecticut Route 97
Route 97 is a north–south state highway in eastern Connecticut running for from Route 12 in Norwich to US 44 in Pomfret.- Route description:...
, in the town of Sprague, where it is known as Bushnell Hollow Road. It heads east into the town of 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...
becoming Kinsman Road and Town House Road. It intersects with Route 169 in Lisbon center and then becomes Newent Road, as it proceeds eastward.
Route 138 overlaps with 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...
as it crosses the 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...
town line. Route 138 splits off from Route 12 as Slater Avenue and later as Pachaug Road. It has an interchange with I-395 in the borough of Jewett City and intersects with Route 201 just west of the town line. The road continues into the town of Voluntown
Voluntown, Connecticut
Voluntown is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,528 at the 2000 census. From 1726 to 1881 Voluntown had been part of Windham County.-Geography:...
, where it becomes Jewett City Road. It has a three-way overlap with Route 165
Connecticut Route 165
Route 165 is a state highway in southeastern Connecticut running from Norwich to the Rhode Island state line in Voluntown, and continuing as RI Route 165.-Route description:...
and Route 49
Connecticut Route 49
Route 49 is a Connecticut state highway from Route 2 in Stonington to Route 14A in Sterling, in the southeast part of the state. It is a scenic route that runs through the Pachaug State Forest.-Route description:...
, along Beach Pond Road. Route 138 continues east as Rockville Road into the state of 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...
, becoming Rhode Island Route 138
Rhode Island Route 138
Route 138 is a numbered State Highway running in Rhode Island. It runs from the Connecticut state line to the Massachusetts state line and is the only state-numbered route that traverses the entire state.-Route description:...
.
History
In the 1920s, a loop route of New England Route 12 from south of TaftvilleTaftville, Connecticut
Taftville is a small village in eastern Connecticut. It is a neighborhood of Norwich but has its own post office . It was established in 1866 as site for the large Taftville Mill, later Ponemah Mill...
to Jewett City
Jewett City, Connecticut
Jewett City is a borough in New London County, Connecticut, in the town of Griswold. The population was 3,053 people at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
via the village of Newent was a secondary state highway known as Highway 356. At the same time, the road connecting Jewett City and the town center of Voluntown
Voluntown, Connecticut
Voluntown is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,528 at the 2000 census. From 1726 to 1881 Voluntown had been part of Windham County.-Geography:...
was known as Highway 321. In 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...
, Route 138 was established from the piece of old Highway 356 from Newent to Jewett City and from the entire length of old Highway 321. Route 138 was extended 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 1938 along former SR 420, where it connected with the westward extension of Rhode Island Route 138
Rhode Island Route 138
Route 138 is a numbered State Highway running in Rhode Island. It runs from the Connecticut state line to the Massachusetts state line and is the only state-numbered route that traverses the entire state.-Route description:...
, which had originally ended in Newport
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
. This resulted in a three-state Route 138 all the way to the Boston area. Route 138 in Connecticut was extended west to its current western terminus at Route 97 in 1962 as part of the Route Reclassification Act.