.gif)
Route 32 (Connecticut)
Encyclopedia
Route 32 is a 54.88 miles (88.3 km) 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.
(about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south of the road crossing as a continuation of Water Street). It is a freeway near the interchange with I-95 then becomes a limited access highway with at-grade intersections up to the Montville Connector (designated as State Road 693) — a freeway spur connecting Route 32 to I-395
. It then becomes a mostly 2-lane surface road with the exception of the overlap with Route 2
in Norwich
.
It goes through the following towns: New London, Waterford, Montville, Norwich, Franklin, Lebanon (0.11 mile (0.1770274 km) only), Windham, Mansfield, Willington, Tolland (0.1 mile (0.160934 km) only), Ellington, and Stafford. From New London to Norwich, Route 32 follows along the west bank of the Thames River
.
from Stafford to the Massachusetts state line. The modern alignment in Stafford was known as State Highway 334 in the 1920s before being reassigned to Route 32.
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....
and continuing via Willimantic to the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state line, where it continues as Route 32 in that state.
Route description
Route 32 begins near Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
(about 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south of the road crossing as a continuation of Water Street). It is a freeway near the interchange with I-95 then becomes a limited access highway with at-grade intersections up to the Montville Connector (designated as State Road 693) — a freeway spur connecting Route 32 to I-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...
. It then becomes a mostly 2-lane surface road with the exception of the overlap with Route 2
Route 2 (Connecticut)
Route 2 is a state highway in Connecticut and is in length. It is a primary state route, with a freeway section connecting Hartford to Norwich and a non-freeway section extending to Stonington.-Route description:...
in 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...
.
It goes through the following towns: New London, Waterford, Montville, Norwich, Franklin, Lebanon (0.11 mile (0.1770274 km) only), Windham, Mansfield, Willington, Tolland (0.1 mile (0.160934 km) only), Ellington, and Stafford. From New London to Norwich, Route 32 follows 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...
.
History
Route 32 between Norwich and New London was laid out in 1670 and remained little more than an Indian trail for more than a century . The number dates from when the route was part of New England Interstate Route 32 from 1922-1932. In 1932, Connecticut stopped using the New England route system, but Route 32 kept its number as a state highway. The north and south ends were also realigned in 1932. In the south, the original New England Route 32 ran along present day Route 12 from Groton to Norwich. The modern alignment from New London to Norwich used to be part of New England Route 12. (Route 12 and Route 32 have basically swapped places south of Norwich). In the north, the original New England Route 32 used present day Route 19Route 19 (Connecticut)
Route 19 is a minor Connecticut state route running from Stafford to the Massachusetts state line. It is long and runs north–south, entirely within Stafford. The road interconnects the settlements in the eastern part of the town....
from Stafford to the Massachusetts state line. The modern alignment in Stafford was known as State Highway 334 in the 1920s before being reassigned to Route 32.
Junction list
| Town | Road names | Major junctions | Milepost |
|---|---|---|---|
| New London 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.... (1.89 miles) |
Route 32 Expressway, Mohegan Avenue | SSR 437/Crystal Ave | 0.00 |
| 0.44 | |||
| Waterford Waterford, Connecticut Waterford is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. It is named after Waterford, Ireland. The population was 19,152 at the 2000 census. The town center is listed as a census-designated place .-Geography:... (2.99 miles) |
Mohegan Avenue Extension | (via SR 693) | 4.19 |
| Montville Montville, Connecticut Montville is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,546 at the 2000 census and 19,571 at the 2010 census.... (4.92 miles) |
Norwich-New London Turnpike | 5.58 | |
| 8.93 | |||
| 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... (6.85 miles) |
West Thames Street, Thames Street, West Main Street, Washington Street (Route 2), Route 2 Expressway |
12.15-12.33 | |
| (begin overlap) | 12.33 | ||
| 13.75 | |||
| 14.91 | |||
| (end overlap) | 16.21 | ||
| Franklin Franklin, Connecticut Franklin is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,835 at the 2000 census. The town also includes the village of North Franklin.-Geography:... (7.14 miles) |
Sodom Section, Windham Turnpike, Willimantic Road | 17.05 | |
| 22.16 | |||
| Lebanon Lebanon, Connecticut Lebanon is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 6,907 at the 2000 census. The town lies just to the northwest of Norwich, north of New London, and east of Hartford... (0.11 miles) |
Windham Road | ||
| Windham Windham, Connecticut Windham is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It contains the city of Willimantic and the villages of Windham Center, North Windham, and South Windham. The city of Willimantic was consolidated with the town in 1983... (7.19 miles) |
Windham Road, Pleasant Street, Bridge Street, Main Street |
25.46 | |
| 29.00 | |||
| 29.27-30.02 | |||
| 30.88 | |||
| Mansfield Mansfield, Connecticut Mansfield is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,720 at the 2000 census.Mansfield was incorporated in October 1702 from the Town of Windham, in Hartford County. When Windham County was formed on 12 May 1726, Mansfield then became part of that county... (8.78 miles) |
Stafford Road | 32.29 | |
| 35.62 | |||
| 37.50 | |||
| 39.79 | |||
| Willington Willington, Connecticut Willington is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,959 at the 2000 census.The Willimantic River borders the town on the west. Willington is about 25 miles northeast of Hartford on Interstate 84, which also provides a connection to Boston, via the Massachusetts... (7.12 miles) |
River Road | 43.16 | |
| 44.64 | |||
| Tolland Tolland, Connecticut Tolland is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,146 at the 2000 census.Tolland was named in May, 1715, and incorporated in May, 1722. According to some, the town derives its name from being a toll station on the old road between Boston and New York. ... (0.10 miles) |
River Road | ||
| Ellington Ellington, Connecticut Ellington is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States. Ellington was incorporated in May, 1786, from East Windsor. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 12,921... (0.84 miles) |
River Road | ||
| Stafford Stafford, Connecticut Stafford is a town in Tolland County, Connecticut, United States, settled in 1719. The population was 11,307 at the 2000 census.-History:The Colonial Town of Stafford began as a rural agricultural community... (6.95 miles) |
River Road, Main Street, West Main Street, Monson Road |
(begin overlap) | 48.85 |
| 49.08 | |||
| (end overlap) | 49.88 | ||
| 50.78 | |||
| 54.88 |