Interstate 291 Connecticut

Interstate 291 Connecticut
Windsor, CT ↔ Manchester, CT•6.02 miles

Overview

Map of Hartford, Connecticut

Linking I-91 in the town of Windsor with I-84 at the town of Manchester, Interstate 291 is a connector and commuter route north of Hartford. Route 218 (Wolcott Avenue) ties into the western end of the freeway from the town of Bloomfield. East from Route 159, I-291 spans the Connecticut River across the Captain John Bissell Memorial Bridge to U.S. 5 in South Windsor.

Mileage by State

Connecticut6.02 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

Interstate 291 was originally planned as a 20 mile long beltway around the north, west and south sides of the Hartford metropolitan area.1 Beyond ramps extending west from I-291 to Route 218 and the four level interchange with I-84 at Farmington, the northwestern quadrant of I-291 was never built. The 12.5 mile long segment was cancelled in July 1973.1

The southwestern quadrant remained planned until March 1979. It was projected to arc 7.6 miles southeast from I-84 through Newington, New Britain and Berlin to I-91 at Wethersfield. A short portion of this route, from Interstate 84 to Route 175 along the Newington and New Britain line, was eventually incorporated into the freeway along Route 9. The 3.3 mile long segment opened to traffic on September 30, 1992 at a cost of $32.5 million.3

1976 Hartford Chamber of Commerce map showing unbuilt I-291.
The proposed route of Interstate 291 in 1976 from the four level interchange with I-84/U.S. 6 at Farmington south through Newington and east into Rocky Hill.
1994 Gousha map of I-291 between Windsor and Manchester, CT.
Interstate 291 under construction in 1994 from U.S. 5 (John Fitch Boulevard) in South Windsor east to I-84/384 in Manchester.

The Hartford beltway system also includes the freeway along Route 3 extending northeast from I-91 in Wethersfield across the William Putnam Bridge over the Connecticut River to Route 2 in Glastonbury. Proposed as Interstate 491, and by 1968 as the western leg of former I-86, the section north through East Hartford to Manchester was dropped by the state of Connecticut in 1973.3

Opened December 16, 1957 as a local link from I-91 east to U.S. 5, the Captain John Bissell Memorial Bridge was the first portion of Interstate 291 completed. Tolls were charged for the span until October 9, 1985. It was signed as part of Connecticut State Route 291 until the remainder of I-291 east to Manchester was completed on September 9, 1994.2,4

East End Interstate 84 Interstate 384 ‐ Manchester, CT

Interstate 291 East at Interstate 84

I-291 east at I-84 - Manchester, CT

I-291 angles southeast below Burnham Street and concludes one mile ahead at Interstate 84. 05/30/22

I-291 east at I-84 - Manchester, CT I-291 east at I-84 - Manchester, CT I-291 east at I-84 - Manchester, CT I-291 east at I-84 - Manchester, CT I-291 east at I-84 - Manchester, CT

Interstate 84 West at Interstate 291

I-84 west at I-291 - Manchester, CT

A lengthy c/d roadway partitions from I-84 west for Exit 62 / Buckland Street, Exit 60 / U.S. 44 and I-384 ahead of the directional T interchange (Exit 61) with Interstate 291 in Manchester. 03/23/23

I-84 west at I-291 - Manchester, CT I-84 west at I-291 - Manchester, CT I-84 west at I-291 - Manchester, CT

Interstate 84 U.S. 6 East at Interstate 291

I-84 east at I-291 - Manchester, CT

U.S. 6 overlaps with I-84 east from Downtown Hartford to Exit 60 with U.S. 44 (Middle Turnpike). Preceding the parclo interchange at Exit 60 and succeeding flyover for I-291 is the HOV ramp separation for Interstate 384 east. 05/31/22

I-84 east at I-291 - Manchester, CT I-84 east at I-291 - Manchester, CT I-84 east at I-291 - Manchester, CT

Interstate 384 West at Interstate 291

I-384 west at I-84/291 - Manchester, CT

The ramp linking the west end of I-384 with I-84 east forms a distributor roadway extending northeast beyond U.S. 6/44 (Middle Turnpike) to exits for both I-291 west and Buckland Street. 05/31/22

I-384 west at I-84/291 - Manchester, CT I-384 west at I-84/291 - Manchester, CT I-384 west at I-84/291 - Manchester, CT

West End Interstate 91 Connecticut Route 218 ‐ Windsor, CT

Interstate 291 West at Interstate 91 Connecticut Route 218

I-291 west at I-91/Route 218 - South Windsor, CT

I-291 bee lines west from U.S. 5 to the Captain John Bissell Memorial Bridge preceding Exit 3 for Deerfield Road to Route 159 (Windsor Avenue). 05/31/22

I-291 west at I-91/Route 218 - South Windsor, CT I-291 west at I-91/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-291 west at I-91/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-291 west at I-91/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-291 west at I-91/Route 218 - Windsor, CT

Interstate 91 North at Connecticut Route 218 Interstate 291

I-91 north at I-291/Route 218 - Hartford, CT

The first guide sign for I-291 and Route 218 precedes the diamond interchange (Exit 34) with Route 159 (Windsor Avenue) in north Hartford. 05/30/22

I-91 north at I-291/Route 218 - Hartford, CT I-91 north at I-291/Route 218 - Hartford, CT I-91 north at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-91 north at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-91 north at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-91 north at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT

Interstate 91 South at Connecticut Route 218 Interstate 291

I-91 south at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT

The fifth and final exit along Interstate 91 southbound through the town of Windsor is the exchange (Exit 35) with Route 218 west and I-291 east. 05/30/22

I-91 south at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-91 south at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-91 south at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-91 south at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT I-91 south at I-291/Route 218 - Windsor, CT

Connecticut Route 218 East at Interstate 291

Route 218 east at I-291 - Windsor, CT

Route 218 (Putnam Highway) east at the spur connecting with Interstate 291 to South Windsor. 05/30/22

References

  1. Oglesby, S. (2018, October 20). Connecticut I-291. Connecticut Roads. Retrieved from http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/i291.html
  2. Oglesby, S. (2025, September 11). Connecticut I-491. Connecticut Roads. Retrieved from http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/i491.html
  3. Oglesby, S. (2018, October 20). The Bissell Bridge. Connecticut Roads. Retrieved from http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/br-bissell.html
  4. Oglesby, S. (2024, November 12). Connecticut Route 9. Connecticut Roads. Retrieved from http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/ct9.html
Updated April 3, 2023