Additional details have emerged regarding a plan to renumber exits on I-395 to match mile markers. The plan comes as the result of a $9 million sign replacement project that would install new signs, delineators, and mile markers along the interstate which runs through Eastern Connecticut. Connecticut Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Nursick said that “mileage based exit numbering is done such that the exit numbers match the mile marker which is the closest in proximity to the cross route” and that interchanges on both sides of the highway will have the same exit number.
The highway will no longer have exit numbers with north, south, east, or west designations (N, S, E, W) and will instead have designations of A, B, C, etc, Nursick explained.
These designations apply to more than one exit within the same mile, like exits 81 E/W and 84 N/S on I-395.
Specifically, the renumbering is expected to match the Pennsylvania numbering system which designates A for east and south interchanges and B for west and north interchanges.
With the new information, it can be projected what the new exit renumbering will look like versus the current numbering.
It’s interesting to note that the consecutive exit numbering system on I-395 dates back to when it was part of the Connecticut Turnpike, which originally was I-95 exit 2 to exit 76 and I-395 exit 77 to exit 90, including the Route 695 expressway which connects I-395 directly to Route 6 at the Connecticut/Rhode Island border.
The renumbering would take the state’s highest exit number away from Thompson, exit 100, in Connecticut’s Quiet Corner right before the Masachusetts state border.
Construction will begin in April 2014 and be completed by October 2015.
The I-395 Projected New Exit Numbers
East Lyme:
I-395 North Begins at Exit 76 off I-95 North
Waterford:
Old Exit 77 - Route 85 - New Exit 2
Montville:
Old Exit 78 (southbound) - Montville Connector to Route 32 - New Exit 5
Old Exit 79 - Route 163 - New Exit 6
Old Exit 79A - Route 2A - New Exit 9
Norwich:
Old Exit 80 - Route 82 - New Exit 11
Old Exit 81 (southbound) - Route 2 East, Route 32 South - New Exit 13*
Old Exits 81 E/W (northbound) - Route 2 East/Route 32 South & Route 2 West/Route 32 North - New Exits 13 A/B*
- Expected to become exit 13 even though it is somewhat closer to mile marker 14. Wikipedia says “Suffixes are required when the same mile of highway contains multiple exists...suffixed exits in a distance-based system can be approximated by using the number without a suffix.”
Old Exit 83 - Route 97 - New Exit 18
Lisbon:
Old Exit 83A (northbound) - Route 169 - New Exit 19
Old Exit 84 (northbound) - Route 12 - New Exit 21
Old Exits 84 N/S (southbound) - Route 12 North & Route 12 South - New Exits 21 B/A
Griswold:
Old Exit 85 - Routes 138/164 - New Exit 22
Old Exit 86 - Route 201 - New Exit 24
Plainfield:
Old Exit 87 - Lathrop Road - New Exit 28
Old Exit 88 - Route 14A - New Exit 30
Old Exit 89 - Route 14 - New Exit 32
Old Exit 90 (northbound) - “To Route 6 East” - New Exit 36
Killingly:
Old Exit 91 (northbound) - Route 6 West - New Exit 38
Old Exits 91 W/E (southbound) - Route 6 West & Route 6 East - New Exits 38 B/A
Old Exit 92 - Westcott Rd. - New Exit 39
Old Exit 93 - Route 101 - New Exit 41
Old Exit 94 - Lake Rd. - New Exit 43
Putnam:
Old Exit 95 - Kennedy Dr. - New Exit 45
Old Exit 96 - Heritage Rd. - New Exit 46
Old Exit 97 - Route 44 - New Exit 47
Thompson:
Old Exit 98 (northbound) - Route 12 - New Exit 49
Old Exit 99 - Route 200 - New Exit 50
Old Exit 100 - Wilsonville Rd. - New Exit 53
Massachusetts State Line
