Interstate 395 Connecticut / Massachusetts
Overview
Interstate 395 is a lengthy route that leads north from I-95 in southeastern Connecticut to I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) and I-290 at Auburn, Massachusetts. The mostly rural freeway follows a portion of the Connecticut Turnpike, extending the former toll road north from I-95 to its eastern spur (unsigned Route 695) to U.S. 6 in the town of Killingly. The remainder of the route in Connecticut replaced Route 52.
As Interstate 395 north ends in Auburn, I-290 east begins. Ramps connect the shared terminus with U.S. 20 (Washington Street) and an access road to the Mass Pike. Coinciding with a sign replacement project along the entire route of I-395 in Connecticut, all exit numbers were renumbered to use a mileage based system in 2015. This was the first freeway in the state to drop sequential based exit numbers.
History
Planning for the eventual Interstate 395 began as a new route for Massachusetts Route 12 in 1965. Redesignated Route 52 in 1967, work on the freeway began in 1965 at Interstate 90, with completion of the route between Webster southward to the state line by 1968. Building of the road by Eddy Pond however caused problems because of environmental concerns, delaying completion of the freeway in Massachusetts portion to 1977. Multi-state route 52 was upgraded to Interstate 395 by 1983.1
Route Information
North End – Auburn, MA
South End – Waterford, CT
Mileage – 66.60
Mileage
Connecticut – 54.69
Cities – Norwich
- Junctions –
Massachusetts – 11.91
Cities – none
Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-395 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
Source: 2019 AADT MassDOT Transportation Data Management System
North End – Worcester, Massachusetts
North at 
Approaching the cloverleaf interchange (Exit 6) with U.S. 20 (Washington Street), through traffic continuing north onto I-290 east is advised to move to the left lane to avoid weaving traffics. Photo by Doug Kerr (07/23/11).
Exit 6B departs I-395 north for U.S. 20 (Washington Street). Exit 7 follows to Interstate 90 (Mass Pike) by way of Route 12 (Southbridge Street) south and a nearby access road. Photo by Doug Kerr (09/28/11).
An end sign for I-395 stands at the wye interchange connecting I-90 (Mass Pike) and Route 12 with Interstate 290 east. Photo by Doug Kerr (07/23/11).
Exit 7 loops away from I-290 eastbound to Route 12 (Southbridge) south to the Massachusetts Turnpike. Photo by Doug Kerr (07/23/11).
West at
I-290 converges with I-90 (Mass Pike) and I-395 alongside Route 12 in the town of Auburn. Photo by H.B. Elkins (06/01/13).
Route 12 parallels Interstate 290 southward from Downtown Worcester to Auburn and U.S. 20. The state route switches sides with I-290 at the transition into I-395. 06/28/05
Other instances in the Interstate system where two routes conclude at the same location include I–195 and I-495 at Wareham, Massachusetts and I-64, I-264 and I-664 at Suffolk, Virginia. Photo by H.B. Elkins (06/01/13).
Exit numbers along I-395 continue the sequence of I-290 south from U.S. 20 at Auburn to the Connecticut state line. Photo by H.B. Elkins (06/01/13).
The access road linking I-290/395 with the Mass Pike connects with Route 12 before turning north to a trumpet interchange with Interstate 90. Photo by H.B. Elkins (06/01/13).
East at
Interstate 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) enters the town of Auburn ahead of Exit 10 to Route 12 (Southbridge Street), I-290 east and I-395 south. Photo by Doug Kerr (11/20/11).
Interstate 90 crosses Dark Brook Reservoir along a six to eight lane causeway east ahead of Bryn Mawr Avenue and the access road to Route 12, I-290 and I-395. Photo by Doug Kerr (11/20/11).
The Mass Pike access road links Exit 10 with ramps to both Route 12 (Southbridge Street) and I-290/395. Route 12 winds along a commercial strip west to connect with U.S. 20 ahead of West Auburn, Charlton and Sturbridge. Photo by Doug Kerr (11/20/11).
West at
U.S. 20 switches sides with Interstate 90 (Mass Pike) on the south side of Worcester. The toll road advances two miles west from the crossing to Exit 10 with I-290 east, I-395 south, and Route 12. 06/28/05
Interstate 90 (Mass Pike) crosses over Route 12 (Southbridge Street) and I-290 ahead of Exit 10. I-290 travels north through Worcester while I-395 extends south to Oxford. 06/28/05
South End – Waterford, Connecticut
| Perspective from Interstate 95 north | |
|---|---|
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The first overhead posted for Interstate 395 (Exit 76) precedes the diamond interchange (Exit 75) with U.S. 1 (Boston Post Road). U.S. 1 crosses paths with the freeway at Golden Spur en route to Waterbury and New London. Photo taken 06/26/05. |
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Interstate 395 northbound leaves via a left exit en route to Norwich and Plainfield. The Gov. John Davis Lodge (Connecticut) Turnpike designation extends northward on I-395 to South Killingly and the unsigned Connecticut 695 spur east to U.S. 6 at the Rhode Island state line. Photo taken 06/26/05. |
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I-395 branches northeast at a wye interchange (Exit 76) as Interstate 95 turns east to cross the Thames River between New London and Groton in 5.6 miles. Photo taken 06/26/05. |
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Traffic partitions between I-395 north and I-95 north. I-395 reaches Norwich in 16 miles, Plainfield in 28 miles and Putnam in 46 miles. Interstate 95 travels east 60 miles to Providence, Rhode Island. Photo taken 06/26/05. |
Page updated November 1, 2020.
