.gif)
Route 4 (Connecticut)
Encyclopedia
Route 4 is an east–west primary state highway connecting rural Litchfield County
to the Greater Hartford
area of the U.S. state
of Connecticut
. It runs 46.72 miles (75.2 km) from the town of Sharon to the town of West Hartford.
and Route 343 in Sharon
as a rural, minor arterial road, traveling through the towns of Cornwall
, Goshen
, and Torrington
. From Torrington eastward, it becomes an urban principal arterial road for most of its remaining length. The road continues through Harwinton
, Burlington
, and Farmington
. In Farmington, it runs along Farmington Avenue. Farmington Avenue (and Route 4) continues into West Hartford
for another 0.9 miles (1.4 km) before becoming a local road. The rest of Farmington Avenue (no longer designated as Route 4) runs through West Hartford center up to downtown Hartford
.
The road between Cornwall Bridge through Torrington to Collinsville in Canton (part of the Goshen and Sharon Turnpike and the Torrington Turnpike) was designated as State Highway 123 in 1922. The road from Collinsville to Farmington center was designated as State Highway 138 at the same time. Route 4 was created in 1932 from these two state highways, running as a continuation of old New York State Route 361 from Amenia, New York to Farmington at Route 10. In the Torrington area, Route 4 originally ran further north than it does today, along the current alignment of U.S. Route 202 from Torrington to Collinsville, then southward along modern Route 179 to Unionville, where it continued east on its current alignment. Route 4 was relocated in 1963 to its present day route through the area, taking over part of Route 72
and part of Route 116 (now Route 118.
The west end was truncated in 1966 to end at Route 41 and the section connecting to the state line was renumbered to Route 361
to match the New York route. New York has since turned its Route 361 over to the county. In the Hartford area, Farmington Avenue east of Route 10, from Farmington to downtown Hartford, used to be part of the original U.S. Route 6 alignment. When US 6 was rerouted in 1956, Farmington Avenue was assigned to an extended Route 4. The route designation was later truncated to end in West Hartford where state maintenance of the road ended.
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut but is geographically the state's largest county. As of 2010 the population was 189,927...
to the Greater Hartford
Greater Hartford
Greater Hartford is a region located in the state of Connecticut, centered on the state's capital of Hartford.Hartford's role as a focal point for the American insurance industry is known nationally. The vibrant music and arts scene defines the region's culture...
area of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
. It runs 46.72 miles (75.2 km) from the town of Sharon to the town of West Hartford.
Route description
Route 4 begins at the junction of Route 41Route 41 (Connecticut)
Route 41 is a scenic state highway in rural Northwestern Connecticut. It extends from the New York state line in Sharon to the Massachusetts state line in Salisbury and is the only state-numbered route in Connecticut that has both its ends at a state border....
and Route 343 in Sharon
Sharon, Connecticut
Sharon is a town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the northwest corner of the state. It is bounded on the north by Salisbury, on the east by the Housatonic River, on the south by Kent, and on the west by Dutchess County, New York...
as a rural, minor arterial road, traveling through the towns of Cornwall
Cornwall, Connecticut
Cornwall is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2000 census.In 1939 poet Mark Van Doren wrote "The Hills of Little Cornwall", a short poem in which the beauties of the countryside were portrayed as seductive:The town was also home to the Foreign...
, Goshen
Goshen, Connecticut
Goshen is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,697 at the 2000 census.Each July, the Connecticut Agricultural Fair is held in town. It is also home to the Goshen players.-Geography:...
, and Torrington
Torrington, Connecticut
Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census....
. From Torrington eastward, it becomes an urban principal arterial road for most of its remaining length. The road continues through Harwinton
Harwinton, Connecticut
Harwinton is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,283 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is a portmanteau of Hartford and Windsor, which is where its settlers came from.-Geography:...
, Burlington
Burlington, Connecticut
Burlington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States.Situated at the foot of the Berkshires and bordering the Farmington River, Burlington is a scenic hill town, rural in nature, located west of Hartford. Incorporated in 1806, the population was 8,190 at the 2000 census. Burlington...
, and Farmington
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
. In Farmington, it runs along Farmington Avenue. Farmington Avenue (and Route 4) continues into West Hartford
West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford....
for another 0.9 miles (1.4 km) before becoming a local road. The rest of Farmington Avenue (no longer designated as Route 4) runs through West Hartford center up to downtown 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...
.
Special designations
A 1.4 miles (2.3 km) section in Harwinton around the Cooks Dam area, and a 4.2 miles (6.8 km) section in Sharon, are designated state scenic roads.History
Most of modern Route 4 was first improved as portions of various turnpikes in the 19th century. The section of modern Route 4 between Sharon and Cornwall Bridge was the Sharon and Cornwall Turnpike; from Cornwall Hollow to Torrington, it was part of the Goshen and Sharon Turnpike (which used West Cornwall Road and Route 128 between Sharon and Cornwall Hollow); the portion between Harwinton to Burlington was the eastern half of the Litchfield and Harwinton Turnpike (the western half is Route 118); and the portion from Farmington to West Hartford was part of the Farmington and Bristol Turnpike (which used George Washington Turnpike and Red Oak Hill Road between Burlington center and Route 10).The road between Cornwall Bridge through Torrington to Collinsville in Canton (part of the Goshen and Sharon Turnpike and the Torrington Turnpike) was designated as State Highway 123 in 1922. The road from Collinsville to Farmington center was designated as State Highway 138 at the same time. Route 4 was created in 1932 from these two state highways, running as a continuation of old New York State Route 361 from Amenia, New York to Farmington at Route 10. In the Torrington area, Route 4 originally ran further north than it does today, along the current alignment of U.S. Route 202 from Torrington to Collinsville, then southward along modern Route 179 to Unionville, where it continued east on its current alignment. Route 4 was relocated in 1963 to its present day route through the area, taking over part of Route 72
Route 72 (Connecticut)
Route 72 is a state highway in the western part of the Greater Hartford area. Route 72 is an L-shaped route with a north–south section in Plymouth and Harwinton and an east–west section from Bristol to New Britain...
and part of Route 116 (now Route 118.
The west end was truncated in 1966 to end at Route 41 and the section connecting to the state line was renumbered to Route 361
Route 361 (Connecticut)
Route 361 is a state highway in the northwestern section of the U.S. state of Connecticut, running from the town center of Sharon to the New York state line in Salisbury. The route was a former alignment of Route 4 from what is now Route 41 to the New York state line, where it continued as New York...
to match the New York route. New York has since turned its Route 361 over to the county. In the Hartford area, Farmington Avenue east of Route 10, from Farmington to downtown Hartford, used to be part of the original U.S. Route 6 alignment. When US 6 was rerouted in 1956, Farmington Avenue was assigned to an extended Route 4. The route designation was later truncated to end in West Hartford where state maintenance of the road ended.
Junction list
| Town | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Sharon, Connecticut Sharon is a town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in the northwest corner of the state. It is bounded on the north by Salisbury, on the east by the Housatonic River, on the south by Kent, and on the west by Dutchess County, New York... |
0.00 | ||
| 7.64 | Begin overlap | ||
| Cornwall Cornwall, Connecticut Cornwall is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 1,434 at the 2000 census.In 1939 poet Mark Van Doren wrote "The Hills of Little Cornwall", a short poem in which the beauties of the countryside were portrayed as seductive:The town was also home to the Foreign... |
7.89 | End overlap | |
| 11.30 | |||
| 12.31 | |||
| Goshen Goshen, Connecticut Goshen is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 2,697 at the 2000 census.Each July, the Connecticut Agricultural Fair is held in town. It is also home to the Goshen players.-Geography:... |
17.60 | ||
| Torrington Torrington, Connecticut Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the northwestern Connecticut region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census.... |
22.19 | ||
| 24.08 | |||
| 24.18 | |||
| 25.71 | |||
| Harwinton Harwinton, Connecticut Harwinton is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 5,283 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is a portmanteau of Hartford and Windsor, which is where its settlers came from.-Geography:... |
28.12 | ||
| 30.25 | |||
| Burlington Burlington, Connecticut Burlington is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States.Situated at the foot of the Berkshires and bordering the Farmington River, Burlington is a scenic hill town, rural in nature, located west of Hartford. Incorporated in 1806, the population was 8,190 at the 2000 census. Burlington... |
33.47 | ||
| 36.24 | |||
| Farmington Farmington, Connecticut Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel... |
38.84 | ||
| 39.10 | |||
| 42.77 | |||
| 44.16 | via SR 508 | ||
| W. Hartford West Hartford, Connecticut West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The town was incorporated in 1854. Prior to that date, the town was a parish of Hartford.... |
46.72 | ||
| 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... |
47.65 | Asylum Ave. |