Interstate 395 Connecticut / Massachusetts

History
North End
South End

Overview

Interstate 395 is a lengthy route that leads north from Interstate 95 in southeastern Connecticut to Interstates 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) and 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 Connecticut 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, Interstate 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 12 in 1965. Redesignated Massachusetts 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 – I-95

Massachusetts – 11.91

  • Cities – none

  • Junctions – I-90 I-290

Source: December 31, 2017 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-395 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Location Vehicles per day
CT line to Exit 1 21,300
Exits 1 to 2 28,977
Exits 2 to 3 31,500
Exits 3 to 4 35,500
Exits 4 to 5 43,200
Exits 5 to 6 46,100

Source: Mass Highway Traffic Volume Counts (2002)

North End I-90 I-290 – Worcester, Massachusetts

Perspective from Interstate 395 north
Interstate 395 northbound approaches the full cloverleaf interchange with U.S. 20 (Washington Street) at Exits 6A/B. Through traffic continuing north onto I-290 east is advised to move to the left lane to avoid the weaving traffic from the Washington Street ramps. Photo taken 06/28/05.
A pair of I-395 end signs stand ahead of the left side on-ramp from the access road linking with I-90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) and Route 12 (Southbridge Street). Photo taken 06/28/05.
Perspective from Interstate 290 west
Interstate 290 westbound at the Swanson Road overpass near Stoneville. Back to back off-ramps depart in 1.25 miles for Oxford Street to Route 12 (Southbridge Street) and the Mass Pike access road to Interstate 90. Photo taken 06/28/05.
Massachusetts 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. Photo taken 06/28/05.
Continuing beyond the former toll plaza for Exit 10, the entrance ramps for Interstate 90 split for Springfield and Boston. Photo taken 06/28/05.
Perspective from Interstate 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) east
Continuing east from a causeway across Dark Brook Reservoir, I-90 passes under Bryn Mawr Avenue with eight overall lanes. A lane drop follows for Exit 10 to Auburn and Worcester. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (04/19/02).
Curving east along side Route 12, the Mass Pike access road from Exit 10 splits into direct ramps for Interstate 290 east to Worcester and Interstate 395 south to Norwich, Connecticut. Photo taken 06/28/05.
Perspective from Interstate 90 (Massachusetts Turnpike) west
One mile east of the trumpet interchange (Exit 10) with the access road linking I-90 with Route 12 (Southbridge Street) and I-290/395 in the town of Auburn. Photo taken 06/28/05.
Exit 10 leaves Interstate 90 (Mass Pike) westbound for I-290 east, I-395 south, and Massachusetts 12 to U.S. 20. Interstate 395 heads 53 miles southwest to Norwich, Connecticut, and 67 miles to I-95 near New London. Photo taken 06/28/05.

South End I-95 – Waterford, Connecticut

Perspective from Interstate 95 north
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.
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.
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.
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.

Sources:

  1. Interstate 395 (Massachusetts) (Boston Roads).

Page updated October 4, 2018.