82-539: The Gold Star Memorial Bridge is a pair of steel truss bridges that carry both Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 across the Thames River between New London, Connecticut and Groton, Connecticut . The bridge is the largest structure in the state, with more than 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m) of deck area, and the longest bridge in the state at 6,000 feet (1,829 m). Its 11 highway lanes accommodate an average daily traffic of 117,000 vehicles. The bridge
164-541: A center for resort and travel destinations in the United States. New York City is the most populous city in the country and a major world financial center. Seventy-one of the world's Fortune 500 companies have their corporate headquarters in New York City, while Midtown Manhattan , with 400 million square feet of office space in 2018, is the largest central business district in the world. Washington, D.C.
246-620: A certain number of access points to the highway. Rather than skirting urban areas, the highway was built directly through the most dense sections of Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and New Haven. While most of I-95 was built as the Connecticut Turnpike, the route incorporated several pieces of already-built relocations, some to freeway standards, of US 1 (the turnpike split from the US ;1 relocation in East Lyme , along
328-463: A fourth lane as the road enters the town of Darien , where there is a service plaza in the southbound direction. In the community of Noroton , the highway passes to the south of Noroton Heights station on the New Haven Line. Near the center of town, the southbound direction narrows to three lanes again, and I-95 has interchanges with US 1 and Route 136 . Next, the freeway turns to
410-486: A frontage road. Running north of the downtown area and the New London Waterfront District, the freeway meets the southern terminus of Route 32 . Past this interchange, US 1 merges onto northbound I-95, and the two routes turn east to run concurrent across the 10-lane Gold Star Memorial Bridge over the Thames River , where the highways come into the town of Groton . Before the end of
492-896: A general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles (179.55 km) in Connecticut, from the New York state line to the Rhode Island state line. I-95 from Greenwich to East Lyme is part of the Connecticut Turnpike , during which it passes through the major cities of Stamford , Bridgeport , and New Haven . After leaving the turnpike in East Lyme, I-95 is known as the Jewish War Veterans Memorial Highway and passes through New London , Groton , and Mystic , before exiting
574-581: A passenger car while traveling southbound. The fire damaged the overpass and caused both directions of I-95 to be closed. Demolition of the bridge was completed by 12:30 pm on May 4, with the northbound lanes reopened by 8 pm that evening. The southbound lanes had to be repaved, and reopened by 10 am on May 5. While the corridor was designated "High Priority Corridor 65" in 2005, work along I-95 in Connecticut has been ongoing for nearly 30 years. Interstate upgrades include: Mass transit upgrade projects have been undertaken in large part to reduce traffic on
656-443: A warm temperate climate ( Cfa Köppen/ Do Trewartha) with long and hot summers with at least one month over 22°C (71.6°F), cool winters with all months over freezing, and six to seven months above 50°F. Although winter precipitation is more likely to fall as rain than as snow, occasional heavy snow is possible. The area from the southern Delmarva Peninsula , southeast Virginia, and central North Carolina south to central Florida
738-810: Is I-95's only auxiliary route in Connecticut, which runs from the junction with I-95 in Waterford north to the Massachusetts state line where it meets I-90 ( Massachusetts Turnpike ) and I-290 south of Worcester, Massachusetts . East Coast of the United States The East Coast of the United States , also known as the Eastern Seaboard , the Atlantic Coast , and the Atlantic Seaboard ,
820-404: Is actually a set of twin bridges, but they are generally spoken of using the singular "bridge". The current south span (northbound) of the bridge was completed in 1943 as a single span carrying traffic in both directions. It was part of Southeastern Connecticut 's "free span" highway, a short 3.6-mile (5.8 km) long four-lane stretch connecting New London to Groton, Connecticut . As part of
902-550: Is called the Salemme Memorial Bridge, and the exit provides access to the west campus of Yale University . The road passes to the northwest of the Yale University west campus as it enters the city of West Haven . Here, I-95 passes mixed areas of suburban development, where it comes to an interchange with Route 162 . Through trucks to downtown West Haven must use this exit, as trucks may not use
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#1732772534973984-547: Is humid subtropical ( Cfa/Cf ), with hot and rainy summers, mild and drier winters, and eight to twelve months above 50°F. Urban heat island exclaves of this zone are found north of this area in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The region of Florida from the south-central region of the state south to the Florida Keys has a tropical climate ( Af/Aw/Ar ) that is usually frost-free and warm to hot all year, and all of
1066-606: Is known as the Jewish War Veterans Memorial Highway. On July 1, 1972, during construction of the north span, the masts of the US Coast Guard Academy 's USCGC Eagle (WIX-327) caught the safety netting slung below the new bridge. The upper portions of two of the masts were snapped off. The ship had to undergo emergency repairs as a result. The bridge's second (north) span was opened on June 13, 1973. The original span
1148-528: Is more likely to fall as rain than as snow, occasional heavy snow is possible. The East Coast, with the exception of eastern Maine, is a low-relief, passive margin coast. It has been shaped by the Pleistocene glaciation in the far northern areas in New England, with offshore islands such as Nantucket , Martha's Vineyard , Block Island , and Fishers Island . From northern New Jersey southward,
1230-529: Is paralleled by Metro-North Railroad 's New Haven Line to the northwest, which also carries Amtrak 's Northeast Corridor , which it follows for much of its length throughout the state. I-95 heads northeast, passing through the affluent suburban development of the Gold Coast of southwestern Fairfield County and reaching a weigh station in the northbound direction, before turning east-northeast and passing south of downtown Greenwich. The road then heads into
1312-547: Is served by the Milford Parkway . The freeway curves as it passes northeast of downtown Milford and comes to a cloverleaf interchange with US 1 adjacent to Connecticut Post Mall , located at the northeastern corner of the interchange. The road heads northeast again into commercial surroundings and passes service plazas in both directions, before coming into the town of Orange , where it reaches an interchange with Marsh Hill Road. The overpass carrying Marsh Hill Road
1394-429: Is the federal capital and political nerve center of the United States. Many organizations such as defense contractors, civilian contractors, nonprofit organizations, lobbying firms, trade unions, industry trade groups and professional associations have their headquarters in or near Washington, D.C., in order to be close to the federal government . Miami is one of the top domestic and international travel destinations in
1476-796: Is the region encompassing the coastline where the Eastern United States meets the Atlantic Ocean . The Thirteen Colonies , which formed the United States in 1776 were located on this coast, and it has played an important role in the development of the United States. The region is generally understood to include the U.S. states that border the Atlantic Ocean: Connecticut , Delaware , Florida , Georgia , Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , New Hampshire , New Jersey , New York , North Carolina , Rhode Island , South Carolina , and Virginia , as well as
1558-491: The Pequonnock River . On the bridge, the northbound direction gains a fourth lane, as I-95 comes to an exit for Route 127 on Bridgeport's east side, after it passes over Route 130. I-95 reduces back to three lanes in the northbound direction, as it curves into the city's East End, where there is another interchange for Route 130. A short distance later, the freeway reaches an exit to Route 113 on
1640-765: The Potomac River , respectively, both of which are tidal arms of the Atlantic Ocean. The original Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain in North America all lay along the East Coast. Two additional U.S. states on the East Coast were not among the original Thirteen Colonies: Maine became part of the English Colony of Massachusetts in 1677 and Florida was held by the British from
1722-608: The Saugatuck River and continues to an interchange with the Sherwood Island Connector, which provides access to US 1 and Sherwood Island State Park . The road curves through wooded residential areas, where it comes into the town of Fairfield . Here, I-95 reaches an interchange with US 1/Center Street, which serve the neighborhood of Southport , before crossing the Mill River . Passing to
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#17327725349731804-617: The 12 months of the year average above 18 °C (64.4 °F). This region of Florida is the only tropical climate in the continental U.S. Although landfalls are rare, the Eastern Seaboard is susceptible to hurricanes in the Atlantic hurricane season, officially running from June 1 to November 30, although hurricanes can occur before or after these dates. Hurricanes Hazel , Hugo , Bob , Isabel , Irene , and Sandy , and most recently Florence , Isaias , Henri , and Ida are some of
1886-405: The Connecticut Turnpike splits to the northeast along I-395, which heads toward Norwich . Past I-395, the freeway becomes the Jewish War Veterans Memorial Highway and enters the town of Waterford . A short distance later, the road heads into suburban-like commercial areas. I-95 has an interchange with Route 85 before entering the city of New London as it gains a third northbound lane and
1968-779: The East Coast is connected from the Annisquam River in Gloucester, Massachusetts to Miami, Florida , by the Intracoastal Waterway , also known as the East Coast Canal, which was completed in 1912. Amtrak's Downeaster and Northeast Regional offer the main passenger rail service on the Seaboard. The Acela Express offers the only high-speed rail passenger service in the Americas, by
2050-543: The East River marshlands and comes into the town of Madison . The road heads to the north of Madison Center, where it has an interchange with Route 79 with a park and ride lot in its northeastern corner. Past Route 79, I-95 passes service plazas in both directions, and reaches an interchange with the Hammonasset Connector , which provides access to Hammonasset Beach State Park . At this point,
2132-529: The Gold Star Bridge was connected to the Connecticut Turnpike by extending west to what is today the interchange of Interstates 95 and 395 in East Lyme . East of the bridge, a 13-mile (21 km) bypass of Route 184 was completed to the Rhode Island border on December 12, 1964, officially making the bridge and both bypasses part of Interstate 95. The stretch of I-95 containing the bridge
2214-1067: The New York state line and the junction with I-91 in New Haven. The turnpike intersects with several major expressways, namely US Route 7 (US 7) at exit 15 in Norwalk, Route 25 and Route 8 at exit 27A in Bridgeport, the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways at exit 38 (via the Milford Parkway ) in Milford , and I-91 at exit 48 in New Haven. The Connecticut Turnpike turns north at exit 76, leaving I-95 and partially following I-395 up to Killingly (there branching off I-395 and turning toward Rhode Island ). I-95 continues east of exit 76 for another 24 miles (39 km), skipping next to exit 80 in Waterford to avoid duplication of exit numbers with
2296-470: The Old Lyme–New London section): Other improvements in the corridor included the New York – Meriden ( Merritt Parkway / Wilbur Cross Parkway ), New Haven–Old Saybrook ( Route 80 ), and Groton–Rhode Island ( Route 184 ), the latter connecting in Rhode Island to Route 3 , a shortcut to Providence . Most of the turnpike opened January 2, 1958, and was designated I-95 south and west of
2378-571: The Rocky Neck Connector, providing access to Rocky Neck State Park . Continuing northeast through the center of East Lyme, the freeway enters into areas of mixed development with suburban elements before reaching an interchange with Route 161 in the village of Flanders. Shortly afterward, there is an interchange with US 1, and the highway crosses the Niantic River before meeting the southern terminus of I-395 . Here,
2460-415: The United States. Miami is the warmest major city in the continental United States in winter, which contributes to it being a major tourism hub for international visitors. Miami has one of the largest concentrations of international banks in the United States, and the third-largest skyline in the U.S. with over 439 high-rises, 68 of which exceed 490 ft (149 m). Port of Miami is the busiest cruise port in
2542-645: The border of Stratford , providing access to Sikorsky Memorial Airport . Afterward, the road passes by downtown Stratford and heads into a commercial area, where it has an exit serving US 1 and the southern terminus of Route 110 , before crossing the Housatonic River on the Moses Wheeler Bridge . On the Moses Wheeler Bridge, I-95 crosses into Milford , New Haven County , where it heads into residential areas on
Gold Star Memorial Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue
2624-461: The bridge remained closed, giving those users no way to cross the Thames River. It took 23 days of this closure before shuttle service was provided to pedestrians and cyclists. The design is a pair of steel cantilever bridges, each composed of eleven spans. The posted traffic speed limit is 55 miles per hour. The newer southbound (north) span has a sidewalk/bike path on the north side of
2706-511: The bridge which caught fire. Initially, authorities believed that the fire spread to buildings below the bridge, but they later stated that it only spread to adjacent brush. Following the crash, the Connecticut Department of Transportation shut down the southbound bridge to traffic, waiting for engineers to confirm the bridge's structural integrity. It reopened to automobile traffic later that day. The pedestrian/cyclist section of
2788-581: The bridge, US 1 exits the highway, providing access to downtown Groton. The freeway narrows to six lanes as it reaches an interchange with the southern terminus of Route 12 and the western terminus of Route 184 , which also provides access via Route 12 to the Naval Submarine Base New London . A short distance later, the road curves through a directional interchange with the northern terminus of Route 349 , which spurs into downtown Groton. Past Route 349,
2870-659: The bridge, accessible from Bridge St and Riverview Ave on the Groton side and Williams Street on the New London side. 41°21′51″N 72°5′15″W / 41.36417°N 72.08750°W / 41.36417; -72.08750 Interstate 95 in Connecticut Interstate ;95 ( I-95 ) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States , running in
2952-535: The bridge, and it reaches the interchange with Route 156 , where US 1 exits the highway and the concurrency ends. The freeway reduces to four lanes before it crosses the Lieutenant River and heads into a heavily forested area with little development around the highway, where it crosses the Duck River before entering the town of East Lyme . I-95 immediately comes to a trumpet interchange with
3034-607: The cameras is monitored by state police and the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT), and is available on the World Wide Web . In January 1983, a truck with a brake failure slammed into a line of cars waiting to pay a toll on I-95 in Stratford; seven people were killed. This accident helped lead to the removal of toll barriers throughout Connecticut, which was completed six years after. On
3116-432: The center of Stonington, with a park-and-ride lot being located in the northwest corner of the interchange. From here, the freeway continues northeast to an interchange for Route 2 / Route 49 , providing access to the village of Pawcatuck to the south and a park and ride lot to the north in the middle of the interchange. Also, within the interchange, the southbound direction has a rest area and welcome center and
3198-460: The coastal plain broadens southwards, separated from the Piedmont region by the Atlantic Seaboard fall line of the East Coast rivers, often marking the head of navigation and prominent sites of cities. The coastal areas from Long Island south to Florida are often made up of barrier islands that front the coastal areas, with the long stretches of sandy beaches. Many of the larger capes along
3280-465: The coastline lies along the Atlantic Ocean . The 14 states that have a shoreline on the Atlantic Ocean are (from north to south): Maine , New Hampshire , Massachusetts , Rhode Island , Connecticut , New York , New Jersey , Delaware , Maryland , Virginia , North Carolina , South Carolina , Georgia , and Florida . Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C. border the Delaware River and
3362-512: The dense commercial area of Downtown Stamford , where it briefly becomes elevated and serves Route 137 near the Stamford Transportation Center . Upon leaving the downtown area, the freeway passes over the New Haven Line and crosses into the residential East Side of Stamford , where there is an interchange with US 1 that also provides access to Route 106 . After this point, the southbound direction gains
Gold Star Memorial Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue
3444-532: The end of the French and Indian War until 1781 and was part of New Spain until 1821. In present-day Florida, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León made the first textual records of the state during his 1513 voyage. The state was initially named for Ponce de Ponce de León, who called the peninsula La Pascua Florida in recognition of the verdant landscape and because it was the Easter season. Delaware Colony and
3526-513: The federal capital of Washington, D.C. , and non-coastline states: Pennsylvania , Vermont , and West Virginia . The place name East Coast derives from the idea that the contiguous 48 states are defined by two major coastlines, one at the western edge and one on the eastern edge. Other terms for referring to this area include the Eastern Seaboard , which is another term for coastline, Atlantic Coast, and Atlantic Seaboard because
3608-522: The first spot in the United States that immigrants arrived and the close proximity of Europe , the Caribbean , and Latin America , the East Coast is home to a diverse population and home to multi-cultures when compared to the rest of the U.S. From the strong Latin culture in southern Florida , to the 200-year-old Gullah culture of the low country coastal islands of Georgia and South Carolina , to
3690-556: The freeway enters the town of East Haven , where US 1 parallels the highway on both sides as a frontage road with a full interchange, while the southbound direction widens into four lanes and northbound narrows to three lanes. Within the interchange, I-95 crosses the Northeast Corridor. A short distance later, there is a southbound exit and northbound entrance with Route 100 before the road curves east across Saltonstall Mountain and Lake Saltonstall and comes into
3772-412: The freeway heads northeast, passing New Haven Harbor in the neighborhood of Long Wharf , before reaching the large interchange complex southeast of Downtown New Haven . The complex includes an interchange with a flyover ramp to M.L.K. Jr. Boulevard serving the downtown area and Yale University, as well as the southern terminus of I-91 , which heads north-northeast from I-95 toward Hartford . Past I-91,
3854-483: The freeway provides access to many of the city's major landmarks in the South End and downtown area and meets the combined southern termini of Route 25 and Route 8 , which both head north from I-95 as a freeway. From this point, the road narrows to three lanes in the southbound direction, and comes onto to the P.T. Barnum Bridge which carries it over the New Haven Line, adjacent to Bridgeport station , and
3936-610: The freeway turns southeast to cross the Quinnipiac River on the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge , locally known as simply the "Q Bridge". On the other side of the bridge, the road heads into another area of mixed development in the Annex neighborhood. Here, I-95 has an interchange with the northern terminus of Route 337 , which provides access to Tweed New Haven Airport . Past this interchange,
4018-617: The highway, which is often congested, particularly in Fairfield County: Exit numbers are currently sequential but will be changed to mileage-based in the future. Exit 1 to exit 76 are based on the original sequential Connecticut Turnpike exit numbers. East of exit 76, the I-95 numbering jumped to exit 80 to avoid duplicate exit numbers in Waterford as the Connecticut Turnpike numbering originally continued north at exit 76 to follow I-395 . I-395
4100-417: The largest city and the largest metropolitan area on the East Coast. The East Coast is the most populated coastal area in the United States. Hartford The primary Interstate Highway along the East Coast is Interstate 95 , completed in 2018, which replaced the historic U.S. Route 1 ( Atlantic Highway ), the original federal highway that traversed all East Coast states, except Delaware . By water,
4182-433: The largest city in the state. On the city's West Side, the freeway has an interchange with Route 130 , where it becomes elevated and gains a fourth southbound lane, as it passes through the industrial areas of the city's southwestern neighborhoods. Within that interchange, the road also crosses the New Haven Line. Farther east, I-95 crosses over the New Haven Line again and passes to the south of downtown Bridgeport. Here,
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#17327725349734264-1441: The lenient US definition of high speed rail. Between New York and Boston the Acela Express has up to a 54% share of the combined train and air passenger market. Some of the largest airports in the United States are located along the East Coast of the United States, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens , New York City , Logan International Airport in Boston , Newark Liberty Airport in Newark, New Jersey , Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia , Baltimore–Washington International Airport near Baltimore , Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C. , Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport in Atlanta , Miami International Airport in Miami , Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina , Tampa International Airport in Tampa , and Orlando International Airport in Orlando, Florida . As
4346-404: The lower East Coast are in fact barrier islands, like the Outer Banks of North Carolina and Cape Canaveral , Florida. The Florida Keys are made up of limestone coral and provide the only coral reefs on the U.S. mainland. In 2010, the population of the states that have shoreline on the East Coast was estimated at 112,642,503 (about 36% of the country's total population). New York City is both
4428-416: The many historic cities in the Mid-Atlantic , where a strong English, German, Italian, Irish, and French culture are present, the East Coast is significantly more diverse than the rest of the United States. Numerous Chinatowns in New York City , and Little Havana in Miami , are examples of such cultural centers in the bigger cities. The East Coast is home to much of the political and financial power and
4510-430: The median widens, after many miles of having a Jersey barrier in the middle of the highway, and it heads into forested surroundings and crosses the Groton Reservoir. In the eastern part of Groton, I-95 has an interchange with Route 117 , leading south to the village of Noank and north to the town of Ledyard . From here, the freeway passes a northbound scenic overlook and crosses the Mystic River . Upon crossing
4592-686: The monthly mean temperature of the coldest month (January) and the number of months averaging above 50 °F (10 °C), respectively. The region from northern Maine and Upstate New York south to almost all of Connecticut, most of northern New Jersey (except for areas close enough to New York City ), most of Pennsylvania, and western Maryland has a humid continental climate ( Dfa/Dfb/Dc ), with warm-to-hot summers, cold and snowy winters with at least one month averaging below freezing, and four to seven months with mean temperatures warmer than 50 °F. The area from Martha's Vineyard and extreme SW Rhode Island to southern Delaware and western North Carolina has
4674-406: The more significant storms to have affected the region. The least common climate on the East Coast is the oceanic ( Cfb/Do ), which is only found on Block Island , Nantucket , and the Outer Cape and Chatham on Cape Cod , and in areas of the southern Appalachian Mountains . This zone has all monthly averages between 0 and 22 °C and six to seven months above 50 °F. Although winter precipitation
4756-429: The morning of June 28, 1983, a 100-foot (30 m) section of the Mianus River Bridge in Cos Cob collapsed, plunging northbound I-95 traffic into the Mianus River below, killing three. The collapse was blamed on the failure of the steel pins to hold the horizontal beams together and inadequate inspection prior to the collapse. Northbound traffic was diverted on this section of I-95 for 25 days. Southbound traffic
4838-423: The neighborhood of Cos Cob before it crosses over the New Haven Line and the Mianus River , on the Mianus River Bridge . Past the river, I-95 comes to a trumpet interchange which provides access to US 1 between the neighborhoods of Riverside and Old Greenwich . After this interchange, the freeway enters the city of Stamford at the city's West Side . The road crosses the Rippowam River and enters
4920-410: The new highway, the bridge's purpose was to remove automobiles from a previous bridge that carried U.S. Route 1 over the Thames River . In 1951, the bridge was designated as the Gold Star Memorial Bridge in honor of members of the Armed Forces from Groton, New London, and Waterford who lost their lives during World War I , World War II , and the Korean War . In 1958, the Route 1 bypass containing
5002-399: The north of the Fairfield Historic District , the freeway reaches a service plaza in both directions, where there also exists an interchange with Route 135 , providing access to the main campus of Fairfield University . From this point, the road curves through an interchange with US 1 on the eastern edge of town. Following US 1, I-95 enters the city of Bridgeport , which is
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#17327725349735084-449: The northbound direction has a rest area and welcome center, and the southbound direction has access to Troop F of the Connecticut State Police , just before coming to the interchange for Route 166 , where it enters the town of Old Saybrook . Within Old Saybrook, the road turns northeast and has an interchange with Route 154 northwest of Old Saybrook Center. On the east side of town, US 1 merges onto northbound I-95 and joins
5166-457: The northbound exit ramp at the next interchange, for Campbell Avenue and the southern terminus of Route 122 , due to its steep incline. The road curves as it crosses the New Haven Line and the West River and comes into the city of New Haven . Immediately after crossing the river, I-95 comes to an interchange with the southern terminus of Route 10 , which provides access to the Yale Bowl and connects to Route 34 . From this point,
5248-408: The northeast, passing over the New Haven Line and coming to a service plaza and welcome center in the northbound direction, before reaching another interchange with US 1. Immediately afterward, the road comes into the city of Norwalk in the neighborhood of South Norwalk . The freeway turns east-northeast and passes north of the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk as it comes to an interchange with
5330-403: The original turnpike numbering in that town, reaching the state line with Rhode Island in Stonington . I-95 enters Connecticut at its crossing of the Byram River in the town of Greenwich in Fairfield County , where the highway continues southwest into New York as the New England Thruway . Upon entering Connecticut, the highway is a six-lane freeway known as the Connecticut Turnpike. The road
5412-409: The other side of the river. Here, the freeway has a trumpet interchange with US 1 within the village of Devon before it crosses the New Haven Line and passes south of the world headquarters of the Subway restaurant chain. The road continues northeast through wooded areas of the western part of Milford, where it reaches an exit for Route 15 (the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways), which
5494-462: The provinces of New Jersey , New York , and Pennsylvania had been colonized by the Dutch as New Netherland until they were ceded to the British in the mid- to late-17th century. Until 1791, Vermont was an independent nation as the Vermont Republic . Three basic climate regions occur on the East Coast according to the Köppen climate classification and four occur according to the Trewartha climate classification from north to south based on
5576-408: The reason for the many exits stems from the state's original justification for building parts of the highway—to ease traffic congestion on US 1 by providing a faster alternate route, even for drivers traveling short distances within the same community. To overcome potential opposition to the highway from towns through which the route would traverse, the state agreed to guarantee each affected town
5658-400: The river, the road enters the town of Stonington , where it comes to an interchange with Route 27 within the village of Mystic , that provides access to Mystic Seaport , the Olde Mistick Village shopping mall, and Mystic Aquarium . At this point, I-95 reduces to four lanes, turns northeast past wooded areas with some residences, and comes to an interchange for Route 234 north of
5740-587: The road comes into the town of North Stonington . I-95 continues to its last exit in Connecticut, the interchange with Route 216 and the eastern terminus of Route 184, as the median narrows. Immediately after this interchange, the freeway leaves Connecticut and continues as a four-lane freeway northeast into Rhode Island toward Providence . I-95 in Connecticut has far more exits than typical Interstate Highways, particularly in Fairfield and New Haven counties, with some exits less than one mile (1.6 km) apart. State transportation officials have said that
5822-447: The road narrows to four lanes and continues east into more rural and wooded surroundings, coming to an interchange with US 1 on the east side of town. I-95 briefly enters a commercial area and passes north of the Stony Creek neighborhood. The freeway heads back into wooded areas as it enters the town of Guilford , where it comes to interchanges with US 1 and Route 77 north of Guilford Center. The road continues east across
5904-539: The road turns across the Menunketesuck River, after which it enters the town of Westbrook and reaches an interchange with Route 145 . At this point, I-95 enters another curve before turning east again, at the interchange with Route 153 that also provides access to the Westbrook Outlets mall, just north of Westbrook Center. The freeway then reaches a pair of roadside stops, in which
5986-572: The route crosses over the Hammonasset River and leaves New Haven County. Upon crossing the river, I-95 comes into Clinton , Middlesex County , continuing east through rural surroundings with some suburban elements. The freeway reaches an interchange with Route 81 , close to the center of town adjacent to the Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets outlet mall, to the northwest of the interchange. From here,
6068-679: The route in a concurrency , as it widens to six lanes, and comes to a trumpet interchange with the southern terminus of Route 9 , which heads northwest from I-95/US 1 as a freeway toward Greater Hartford . A short distance later, the two routes cross the Raymond E. Baldwin Bridge , that has a fourth southbound lane, over the Connecticut River . Upon crossing the river, I-95/US 1 comes into Old Lyme , New London County , where southbound widens to four lanes prior to crossing
6150-603: The southern terminus of US 7 and crosses the Danbury Branch of the New Haven Line within the interchange, before crossing the Norwalk River on the Yankee Doodle Bridge and entering East Norwalk . I-95 enters the town of Westport just prior to reaching an interchange with the southern terminus of Route 33 and Route 136. Past this interchange, the freeway proceeds to cross over
6232-601: The split with the relocated US 1 by 1959. The rest of I-95 from I-395 to the Connecticut–Rhode Island border opened December 12, 1964. The Gold Star Bridge was twinned c. 1975 , along with a reconstruction of its approaches, and in 1993 the Raymond E. Baldwin Bridge was replaced with a wider span. The state installed cameras to watch traffic along the highway in the early 1990s. As of 2016 , cameras had been set up at nearly every exit. The traffic feed from
6314-441: The state through North Stonington at the Rhode Island border. I-95 follows the Connecticut Turnpike from the New York state line eastward for 88 miles (142 km). This portion of the highway passes through the most heavily urbanized section of Connecticut along the shoreline between Greenwich and New Haven , with daily traffic volumes of around 150,000 vehicles throughout the entire 48-mile (77 km) length between
6396-550: The town of Branford . Within this area, I-95 passes through the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge where it comes to a northbound exit and southbound entrance with the Branford Connector , that connects to US 1, Route 142 , and Route 146 near Short Beach . Just after the connector, there is a service plaza in both directions, and the freeway passes north of the center of Branford. From here,
6478-413: The tractor trailer survived (his canine companion emerged completely unharmed) but the trailer was split open. At least three other cars were involved in this accident. A part of the road was damaged and took until the next morning to fully reopen, partly due to a cleanup after the accident. On May 2, 2024, a fuel tanker truck caught fire under an overpass in Norwalk after a collision with another truck and
6560-418: Was closed for reconstruction on June 28, 1973; it reopened on December 16, 1975, with four lanes of northbound traffic. The northbound span underwent an emergency bearing replacement in 2014. On April 21, 2023 a truck carrying heating oil collided with a vehicle on the southbound bridge, killing the driver of the oil truck and injuring at least two others. The crash dumped approximately 2,200 gallons of oil onto
6642-409: Was installed to carry traffic while the destroyed bridge was rebuilt. At 10:20 am on November 2, 2007, a tanker truck carrying heating oil plowed over the divider, knocking the side of a tractor trailer and striking several other cars in its path. Three people were killed, including the driver of the tanker and the occupants of two cars that were completely destroyed in the crash. The driver of
6724-401: Was unaffected. On March 26, 2004, a bridge on I-95 in Bridgeport was partly melted by the explosion of a tanker truck carrying over 11,900 US gallons (45,000 L; 9,900 imp gal) of fuel oil . Repairs were estimated to take at least two weeks, but the highway was opened to northbound traffic in only a few days. Southbound traffic resumed about a week later after a temporary bridge
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