Berlin Turnpike

Berlin Turnpike
Map of central Connecticut with Berlin Turnpike highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ConnDOT
Length	12.17 mi (19.59 km)
Existed	1909–present
Component highways	US 5 / Route 15 from Berlin to Wethersfield Route 314 in Wethersfield
Major junctions
South end	US 5 / Route 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway in Meriden
Major intersections	Route 9 / Route 372 in Berlin
North end	US 5 / Route 15 / Route 314 in Wethersfield
Location
Counties	New Haven, Hartford
Highway system
Connecticut State Highway System Interstate US State SSR SR

The Berlin Turnpike is a 12.17-mile (19.59 km) 4-lane/6-lane divided arterial road mostly carrying U.S. Route 5 (US 5) and Route 15 in New Haven County and Hartford County in the U.S. state of Connecticut. The road begins one mile south of the Meriden-Berlin town line where Route 15 on the Wilbur Cross Parkway merges with US 5 along North Broad Street in Meriden and terminates at the Hartford city line. The local name of the street varies as it passes through multiple towns.

1.07 miles (1.72 km) south of the Hartford city line, US 5 and Route 15 leave the turnpike and follow the Wilbur Cross Highway northeast through Hartford towards the Charter Oak Bridge. The Berlin Turnpike continues north as part of Route 314 for 0.69 miles (1.11 km), and then as the unsigned State Road 543 for 0.38 miles (0.61 km) before entering Hartford as the municipally-maintained Maple Avenue.

Route description[]

A view of the Berlin Turnpike

The Berlin Turnpike begins at a fork interchange between Route 15, which continues south as the limited-access Wilbur Cross Parkway, and US 5, which continues south as a local road named Broad Street. The turnpike is the only segment of Route 15 that is not limited-access, as it has multiple at-grade intersections, some with traffic lights, as well as businesses on both sides of the road. The turnpike has grade-separated interchange with Route 9 and Route 372 in Berlin, as well as Route 175 on the border between Newington and Wethersfield.^[1]

In Wethersfield, US 5 and Route 15 leave the turnpike for the Wilbur Cross Highway heading towards Hartford. This is the western terminus of Route 314, which takes a right turn onto Jordan Lane soon after to actually proceed in the eastbound direction. From Jordan Lane to the city line, the turnpike is unsigned SR 543. At the city line, the road becomes Maple Avenue and continues north towards Downtown Hartford.^[1]

History[]

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The Hartford and New Haven Turnpike was a toll road chartered in 1798 and built in 1798-99 to connect the cities of New Haven and Hartford in the U.S. state of Connecticut.^[2] The turnpike was built to connect the courthouses of New Haven and Hartford in as straight of a route as allowed by the terrain. Its southern terminus was at Grove Street,^[2] which forms the northern boundary of the original nine squares of New Haven. The road's straight line principle caused several intermediate town centers to be bypassed.

Since the turnpike's original construction, the roadway has been realigned and substantially widened to become the Berlin Turnpike that it is today — a major commercial thoroughfare. Many parts of the original alignment are maintained as local roads or unsigned state roads.

Speeding issues[]

The long straight trajectory of the Berlin Turnpike has allowed it to become prone to excessive speeding and deadly accidents.^[3] In June 2007, a driver was clocked driving at a speed of 97 miles per hour (156 km/h), despite a posted speed limit of 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).^[3][1]

Major intersections[]

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
New Haven	Meriden	0.00	0.00	Route 15 south (Wilbur Cross Parkway) to Merritt Parkway	Route 15 continues south along Wilbur Cross Parkway
				US 5 south (North Broad Street) to Route 66 / I-691 – Meriden	US 5 continues south along Broad Street
Hartford	Berlin	4.69– 5.05	7.55– 8.13	Route 9 south – Middletown	Interchange; exits 21-22 on Route 9
				Route 372 to Route 9 north – New Britain, East Berlin, Kensington	Interchange; southbound access via Worthington Ridge Road (SR 572)
		5.87	9.45	Route 160 east – Rocky Hill	West end of Route 160
	Newington	7.37	11.86	Route 173 north – West Hartford	South end of Route 173
		7.99	12.86	Route 176 north – Newington	South end of Route 176
		9.38	15.10	Route 287 west – Newington	West end of Route 287 concurrency
		9.45	15.21	Route 287 east – Wethersfield	Eastern end of Route 287 concurrency
	Newington–Wethersfield line	10.08	16.22	Route 175 – Newington, New Britain, Wethersfield	Interchange
	Wethersfield	11.10	17.86	US 5 north / Route 15 north to I-91 – Hartford	US 5 and Route 15 continue north along Wilbur Cross Highway; western terminus of Route 314
		11.79	18.97	Route 314 east – Wethersfield	Route 314 continues east; western terminus of unsigned SR 543
	Wethersfield–Hartford line	12.17	19.59	Maple Avenue north	Continuation into the City of Hartford; eastern terminus of unsigned SR 543
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Route transition

References[]

External links[]

• Kurumi's Berlin Turnpike page