Connecticut Route 349

Route 349
Route 349
Clarence B. Sharp Highway
	Map of New London County in southeastern Connecticut with Route 349 highlighted in red
Route information
	Maintained by CTDOT
Length	4.17 mi (6.71 km)
Existed	1985–present
Major junctions
South end	Shennecossett Road in Groton
North end	I-95 in Groton
Location
Counties	New London
Highway system
	Connecticut State Highway System; Interstate; US; State SSR; SR; ;

Route 349 begins as a freeway spur from I-95 (at Exit 87) leading to the city of Groton. It has full interchanges with I-95 and US 1. The limited access portion is 1.9 miles (3.1 km) long and is known as the Clarence B. Sharp Highway.

Route description[]

Route 349 begins at Shennecossett Road in Groton. It travels west of the Shennocossett Golf Course as it runs parallel to the Thames River. It proceeds north known as Eastern Point Road. It bears west on Rainville Avenue before turning north on Clarence B. Sharp Highway, a limited access road, which lasts for 1.9 miles (3.1 km). Route 349 becomes a 4-lane road before turning east. The road continues west then south as a surface road through the Groton Heights neighborhood. It intersects US 1 before reaching an interchange with I-95 where it meets its end.^[2]

The surface road section of Route 349 from mile post 0.89 to the junction with SR 649 is also known as the "City Police Officer William J. Snyder, Sr. Memorial Highway".^[1]

History[]

In the 1960s, Groton was a center of submarine manufacturing. An unsigned state highway, State Road 649, led from I-95's exit 85 to the industrial area. The many urban intersections through Groton center led to elevated traffic congestion. Because of this, a proposal to relocate SR 649 onto a new expressway arose. The expressway was completed in 1966, and SR 649 was relocated onto it. In 1985, part of SR 649 was re-designated as Route 349, and additionally included a portion of a road leading to , resulting in the modern alignment and designation.^[3]

Junction list[]

Exit numbers on the freeway portion of Route 349 are mile-based. The entire route is in Groton, New London County.

mi^[1]	km	Exit	Destinations	Notes
0.00	0.00		Shennecossett Road (local)	Begin state maintenance
2.30	3.70		SR 649 (Rainville Avenue) Brandegee Avenue	Channelized at-grade intersection
3.07	4.94		Meridian Street	At-grade intersection
3.58	5.76	3A	US 1 to Route 12 north / Route 184 east – Gales Ferry, Poquonock Bridge, Norwich	Signed as exit 3 southbound
3.81– 4.17	6.13– 6.71	3B	I-95 south – New London
3.81– 4.17	6.13– 6.71	-	I-95 north – Providence, RI	Northern terminus of CT 349
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi