HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Interstate 91 (I-91) is an
Interstate Highway The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. T ...
in the
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian province ...
region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of the region. The Interstate generally follows the course of the Connecticut River. Its southern terminus is in
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
, at I-95. The northern terminus is in the village of Derby Line, Vermont, at the Canadian border. Past the
Derby Line–Rock Island Border Crossing The Derby Line–Rock Island Border Crossing is a road crossing that connects the town of Stanstead, Quebec with Derby Line, Vermont on the Canada–United States border. It is where Interstate 91 intersects with Quebec Autoroute 55. While there ...
, the road continues as
Quebec Autoroute 55 Autoroute 55 (also called Autoroute de l'Énergie north of the Autoroute 20 and Autoroute Joseph-Armand Bombardier south of it) is an important north–south Autoroute and the only one running in that direction in central Quebec. It is the lon ...
. I-91 is the longest of three Interstate highways whose entire route is located within the New England states (the other two highways being I-89 and I-93) and is also the only primary (two-digit) Interstate Highway in New England to intersect all five of the other highways that run through the region. The largest cities along its route are
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
; Hartford, Connecticut; Springfield, Massachusetts;
Northampton, Massachusetts The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of Northampton (including its outer villages, Florence and Leeds) was 29,571. Northampton is known as an a ...
; Greenfield, Massachusetts; Brattleboro, Vermont; White River Junction, Vermont; and
St. Johnsbury, Vermont St. Johnsbury (known locally as "St. J") is the shire town (county seat) of Caledonia County, Vermont, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 7,364. St. Johnsbury is situated ...
, in order from south to north.


Route description

, - , , , - , , , - , , , - , Total , I-91 is long and travels north and south: in
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, in
Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...
, and in
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the ...
. I-91 parallels US Route 5 (US 5) for all of its length, and many of the exits along I-91 provide direct or indirect access to the older route. Much of the route of I-91 follows the Connecticut River, traveling from Hartford, Connecticut, northward to
St. Johnsbury, Vermont St. Johnsbury (known locally as "St. J") is the shire town (county seat) of Caledonia County, Vermont, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 7,364. St. Johnsbury is situated ...
.


Connecticut

I-91 is the major north–south transportation corridor for the center of the state. It is the main route between the larger cities of New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, Massachusetts. As such, it is almost always heavily trafficked (especially during rush hour) and maintains at least three lanes in each direction through Connecticut except for a short portion in Hartford at the interchange with I-84, and another in Meriden at the interchange with Route 15. The three cities also serve as Connecticut's control points along its length of the Interstate. I-91 begins just east of Downtown New Haven at an interchange with I-95 ( Connecticut Turnpike) and Route 34. At the bottom of the ramp for exit 5, US 5 begins at the first of its many interchanges with the freeway. Leaving New Haven, I-91 follows a northeastward trek into North Haven, where it meets the southern end of the Route 40 expressway. It travels through the eastern part of Wallingford before entering the eastern part of the city of Meriden. In Meriden, about halfway between Hartford and New Haven, I-91 sees a complex set of interchanges with the Wilbur Cross Parkway ( Route 15), the Route 66 expressway, and its first spur route,
I-691 Interstate 691 (I-691) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in Connecticut beginning at I-91 in Meriden and ending at I-84 near the Cheshire–Southington town line. According to the Federal Highway Administration, it is in length; however, ...
. I-691 provides a westward link to I-84 and the city of Waterbury. Leaving Meriden, I-91 enters Middlesex County as it briefly travels through the western part of Middletown before entering Cromwell, where it has an interchange with the Route 9 expressway. It then enters Hartford County in the town of Rocky Hill and then enters Wethersfield, meeting the southern end of the Route 3 expressway, which leads to
Glastonbury Glastonbury (, ) is a town and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low-lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,932 in the 2011 census. Glastonb ...
and the Route 2 expressway via the William H. Putnam Memorial Bridge over the Connecticut River. From there to
St. Johnsbury, Vermont St. Johnsbury (known locally as "St. J") is the shire town (county seat) of Caledonia County, Vermont, Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 7,364. St. Johnsbury is situated ...
, I-91 parallels the river, never more than from its west bank. I-91 then enters the
Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since ...
city limits; in that city, it has a set of interchanges with US 5/Route 15 ( Wilbur Cross Highway), which provides access from I-91 north to I-84 east, and from I-84 west to I-91 south via the
Charter Oak Bridge The Charter Oak Bridge is one of the three highway bridges over the Connecticut River in Hartford, Connecticut. The twin steel stringer bridge carries the Wilbur Cross Highway ( Route 15/U.S. Route 5) over the river, connecting downtown Hartford w ...
. I-91 then has an interchange with I-84, where all other transitions to and from I-84 take place. Before leaving the city limits, a
high-occupancy vehicle lane A high-occupancy vehicle lane (also known as an HOV lane, carpool lane, diamond lane, 2+ lane, and transit lane or T2 or T3 lanes) is a restricted traffic lane reserved for the exclusive use of vehicles with a driver and one or more passengers, ...
begins that has its own set of interchanges up to exit 38. I-91 then enters Windsor and meets the western end of its other Connecticut spur route,
I-291 Interstate 291 is the designation for two Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 91: *Interstate 291 (Massachusetts), a connector to Interstate 90/Massachusetts Turnpike in Springfield *Interstate 291 (Conn ...
. At the Windsor– Windsor Locks town line, it meets the eastern terminus of the Route 20 expressway, which provides direct access to Bradley International Airport. A couple of miles further north, I-91 crosses the Connecticut River on the Dexter Coffin Bridge into East Windsor. After traveling through East Windsor and Enfield, it crosses the state line, at milepost 58, into
Longmeadow, Massachusetts Longmeadow is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, in the United States. The population was 15,853 at the 2020 census. History Longmeadow was first settled in 1644, and officially incorporated October 17, 1783. The town was originally farm ...
.


Massachusetts

I-91 extends through the
Pioneer Valley The Pioneer Valley is the colloquial and promotional name for the portion of the Connecticut River Valley that is in Massachusetts in the United States. It is generally taken to comprise the three counties of Hampden, Hampshire, and Frankl ...
of western Massachusetts paralleling the Connecticut River. I-91 serves as the major transportation corridor through three Massachusetts counties, linking the cities of Springfield, Northampton, and
Greenfield Greenfield or Greenfields may refer to: Engineering and Business * Greenfield agreement, an employment agreement for a new organisation * Greenfield investment, the investment in a structure in an area where no previous facilities exist * Greenf ...
. These three cities serve as the control cities listed on guide and mileage signs, along with Brattleboro, Vermont, beginning with the first northbound conventional mileage sign () in Longmeadow. In Springfield, I-91 has an interchange with
I-291 Interstate 291 is the designation for two Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 91: *Interstate 291 (Massachusetts), a connector to Interstate 90/Massachusetts Turnpike in Springfield *Interstate 291 (Conn ...
at exit 6 (old exit 8), a
spur A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of riding boots for the purpose of directing a horse or other animal to move forward or laterally while riding. It is usually used to refine the riding aids (commands) and to ba ...
going eastbound to connect with the Massachusetts Turnpike, for travelers going either east toward
Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...
or west toward
Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York Ci ...
. North of Springfield, I-91 briefly enters Chicopee where there is an interchange with its spur,
I-391 Interstate 391 (I-391) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Massachusetts. It runs from the I-91/I-391 interchange in Chicopee to the center of Holyoke, a distance of about . It runs near the Connectic ...
, at exit 9 (old exit 12) before turning westward to cross the Connecticut River into West Springfield. I-391 provides direct access to
Holyoke Holyoke is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States, that lies between the western bank of the Connecticut River and the Mount Tom Range. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 38,238. Located north of Springfield, ...
, while I-91 continues on the western side of the river. Just after the river crossing, exit 11 (old exit 14) is a major interchange with the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90). Then, I-91 enters the city of Holyoke where exit 12 (old exit 15) is located. Just after an interchange with US 202, (exit 16) I-91 goes from three lanes to two lanes in each direction to the Vermont state line. After a short exit-less stretch, I-91 enters Northampton, passing the
Northampton Airport Northampton Airport is a public airport located northeast of central business district of Northampton, a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, USA. The airport covers and has one runway that is in length and in width. Avgas fuel is se ...
and an oxbow lake. The towns of Hadley and
Amherst Amherst may refer to: People * Amherst (surname), including a list of people with the name * Earl Amherst of Arracan in the East Indies, a title in the British Peerage; formerly ''Baron Amherst'' * Baron Amherst of Hackney of the City of London, ...
, home to the main campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, are accessible from I-91 exits in Northampton via Route 9. Continuing north, I-91 enters Hatfield, where it begins a straight section—nearly without a bend in the road. Several exits provide access to US 5 and Route 10 in Hatfield and Whately before entering Deerfield. I-91 has two exits in
Greenfield Greenfield or Greenfields may refer to: Engineering and Business * Greenfield agreement, an employment agreement for a new organisation * Greenfield investment, the investment in a structure in an area where no previous facilities exist * Greenf ...
. At exit 43 (old exit 26), the southern end of its overlap with Route 2, there is a rest area and visitor information center for Franklin County. At exit 46 (old exit 27), also in Greenfield, is the northern end of its overlap with Route 2 where access to that road is provided via a directional T interchange and exit and entry ramps on the left side of southbound I-91. Exit 50 (old exit 28) in
Bernardston Bernardston () is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,102 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Falls Fight Township Bernardston, ...
is the last exit in Massachusetts. Beyond exit 50, I-91 continues for about more before crossing into Vermont. Massachusetts is the only state traversed by I-91 where another numbered highway is concurrent with the Interstate (in this case, US 5, for a spur near the Springfield–Longmeadow town line and Route 2, for approximately in Greenfield).


Vermont

I-91 travels along the eastern border of
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the ...
and serves as a major transportation corridor for eastern Vermont and western
New Hampshire New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the nor ...
. Many exits along Vermont's length of I-91 feature New Hampshire towns on the guide signs (for example, exit 3, which lists Brattleboro and Keene, New Hampshire, as the points of access). The length of I-91 within Vermont is and has two lanes in each direction the entire way from the Massachusetts state line at
Guilford Guildford is a town in Surrey, England. It gives its name to the Borough of Guildford, the Diocese of Guildford and the Parliamentary constituency of Guildford. Guildford, Guilford, or Gildford may also refer to: Places Australia * Guildfor ...
to
Derby Line Derby Line is an incorporated village in the town of Derby in Orleans County, Vermont, United States, slightly north of the 45th parallel, the nominal U.S.-Canada boundary. The population was 687 at the 2020 census. The village is located o ...
at the Canadian border (nearly two-thirds of I-91's length) with 29 Vermont interchanges. The highway's rural character and long distances between exits in Vermont are in stark contrast to its south, where exits are more frequent and the road carries four lanes of traffic in each direction at some points. The major control cities in Vermont are Brattleboro, White River Junction,
St. Johnsbury St. Johnsbury (known locally as "St. J") is the shire town ( county seat) of Caledonia County, Vermont, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,364. St. Johnsbury is situated on the Passumpsic River and is located approximatel ...
, and
Newport Newport most commonly refers to: *Newport, Wales *Newport, Rhode Island, US Newport or New Port may also refer to: Places Asia *Newport City, Metro Manila, a Philippine district in Pasay Europe Ireland *Newport, County Mayo, a town on the ...
. When entering northbound I-91 at exit 28 in
Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gain ...
, the control city sign is for Canada. Of these destinations, only Newport is a city, although the other towns are sizable. In general, the road parallels its predecessor, US 5. I-91 enters Vermont in the town of Guilford. Just before exit 1 in Brattleboro is the Vermont Welcome Center in Guilford. The first three Vermont exits (northbound) serve the town of Brattleboro. At exit 1, northbound US 5 provides access to stores and a small industrial area before reaching the south end of the town's center, where a bridge crosses the Connecticut River into Hinsdale, New Hampshire, via New Hampshire Route 119 (NH 119). Exit 2 ( Vermont Route 9 T 9 provides access to the western village of the town ( West Brattleboro), then continues west to Marlboro, Wilmington, and Bennington. Brattleboro's main retail strip is located at and just south of the exit 3 trumpet interchange and traffic circle. Following VT 9 eastward, one can reach Keene, New Hampshire, in . After exit 3, I-91 heads north to travel through the communities of Dummerston,
Putney Putney () is a district of southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London. History Putney is an ancient pa ...
,
Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buck ...
, North Westminster, Bellows Falls, Springfield, Weathersfield, Windsor, Hartland, North Hartland and White River Junction. White River Junction, listed as a control city on mileage signs as far south as Greenfield, Massachusetts, is where I-91 and I-89 meet and provide access to many points in Vermont and New Hampshire, at exit 10. North of the interchange with I-89, I-91 continues toward St. Johnsbury and travels through Wilder and
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the Episcopal see, See of ...
. It enters Orange County, passing through Thetford, Fairlee, Bradford, Newbury, and
Wells River Wells River is a village in the town of Newbury in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 431 at the 2020 census. The village center is located at the junction of U.S. Routes 5 and 302. The village center (the portion near t ...
. It continues into the
Caledonia County Caledonia County is a county located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Vermont. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,233. Its shire town (county seat) is the town of St. Johnsbury. The county was created in 1792 and organ ...
communities of Barnet and
Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...
, before coming to its next major intersection in St. Johnsbury at the northern terminus of I-93, providing access to the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the
Greater Boston Greater Boston is the metropolitan region of New England encompassing the municipality of Boston (the capital of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the most populous city in New England) and its surrounding areas. The region forms the northe ...
area. Along this stretch of highway between White River Junction and St. Johnsbury, towns in
Grafton County, New Hampshire Grafton County is a county in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. As of the 2020 census, the population was 91,118. Its county seat is North Haverhill, a village within the town of Haverhill. Until 1972, the county courthouse and other offices ...
, on the other side of the river can also be easily accessed. Just after exit 19, there are three exits for St. Johnsbury, including a major intersection with US 2. Along westbound US 2, the capital of Vermont, Montpelier, is eventually reached from I-91, although I-89 provides Montpelier with immediate Interstate access. I-91 continues northward, now following the Passumpsic River valley. It travels through Vermont's Northeast Kingdom region and the town of Lyndon. Two exits in Lyndon serve the village of Lyndonville and Lyndon State College. After exit 24, I-91 departs US 5, which it had been closely paralleling since the Massachusetts state line. I-91 follows the valley of Miller Run,Miller Run feeds southeast into the Passumpsic River. and there are no convenient services until Barton at exit 25. The Interstate proceeds through
Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
. Here, it reaches the highest point on the road, just north of milemarker 150 on Sheffield Heights, elevation . After leaving Sheffield Heights, it enters Orleans County and follows the Barton River valley north with exits in Barton, Orleans, and
Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gain ...
. Exit 29 is the final US exit on I-91 just after milemarker 177 at Derby Line. Beyond the exit ramp, northbound motorists enter Canada Customs at Stanstead, Quebec, and continue into Canada on
Quebec Autoroute 55 Autoroute 55 (also called Autoroute de l'Énergie north of the Autoroute 20 and Autoroute Joseph-Armand Bombardier south of it) is an important north–south Autoroute and the only one running in that direction in central Quebec. It is the lon ...
through the Eastern Townships. As with Connecticut and Massachusetts, US 5 closely parallels I-91 for their entire lengths in Vermont. While paralleling I-91 in Vermont, US 5 is never concurrent with the freeway but remains its own two-lane road, except for a portion in White River Junction where it is a four-lane divided surface arterial. Traffic and the population of each successive town tend to diminish as the road proceeds northward. The average daily traffic count for 2015 in Vermont were—St. Johnsbury (34,000), Lyndon (17,900), Barton (13,500), and Derby (Canadian border) (10,300). File:Yale University I-91.jpg, alt=A series of highway ramps with multiple cars on them. A body of water is next to them, and they are surrounded by buildings., The beginning of I-91 in
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
File:2016-09-03 08 43 40 View north along Interstate 91 at Exit 32 (Trumball Street-Interstate 84) in Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut.jpg, I-91 north at exit 32 (I-84 west) in Hartford, Connecticut File:I91 Connecticut.jpg, alt=Both sides of a highway with a grass plot in the middle of the roads. Street lamps surround the middle, and several cars are on the roads. The roads have an HOV diamond on them., I-91 has an HOV lane between
Hartford Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since ...
and Windsor,
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
. File:I-91-Vermont.JPG, alt=A four-lane highway in snowy weather, curving left with several cars on it. An exit sign and mountains are in the distance., I-91 looking northbound in Brattleboro, Vermont File:I91 rockingham vt 20081220.jpg, alt=A snowy highway road that is icy and looking toward forests and mountains., Northbound I-91 just north of exit 6 in Rockingham, Vermont File:I-91 in Wheelock VT.jpg, alt=A four-lane highway in the woods looking toward mountains on a sunny day., Southbound I-91 in Wheelock, Vermont


History

A limited-access highway replacement for US 5 was planned at the federal level starting in 1944. A 1953 Massachusetts plan was funded by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, along with spur
I-291 Interstate 291 is the designation for two Interstate Highways in the United States, both of which are related to Interstate 91: *Interstate 291 (Massachusetts), a connector to Interstate 90/Massachusetts Turnpike in Springfield *Interstate 291 (Conn ...
(but not
I-391 Interstate 391 (I-391) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Massachusetts. It runs from the I-91/I-391 interchange in Chicopee to the center of Holyoke, a distance of about . It runs near the Connectic ...
). The Vermont section of I-91 was built in stages from 1958 to 1965. In Massachusetts from
Bernardston Bernardston () is a town in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 2,102 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. History Falls Fight Township Bernardston, ...
to Northampton, I-91 follows an abandoned right-of-way of the
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad The New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad , commonly known as The Consolidated, or simply as the New Haven, was a railroad that operated in the New England region of the United States from 1872 to December 31, 1968. Founded by the merger of ...
. To support plans for
urban renewal Urban renewal (also called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address urban decay in cities. Urban renewal involves the clearing out of bligh ...
along the "low value" waterfront, the highway crossed the Connecticut River to parallel active New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad tracks on the Springfield side of the river, bypassing West Springfield and Agawam, Massachusetts. Later, this path was perceived as cutting off the city from the river, restricting further commercial development. By 1960, a few miles in Massachusetts were completed, starting from the Connecticut and Vermont state lines. Massachusetts construction was completed from 1960s to 1970. In the 1950s–1970s, there were
plans A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal. ...
to extend I-91 to
Wading River, New York Wading River is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 7,719. It is adjacent to Shoreham and shares a school di ...
, from its existing terminus in
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
via a crossing of the Long Island Sound (see "Unbuilt Long Island extension" below). Vermont completed its last sections of I-91 in 1978. Starting in the 1990s, several rest areas were downgraded in Vermont, increasing distances between facilities. In 2008, Vermont closed the Springfield–Rockingham rest areas because of suspected use by drug abusers. In 2009, the northbound rest area in Hartford was closed, creating a gap in on-highway facilities. At the present time, there exist two intermediate rest areas with facilities in each direction, in addition to a welcome center at each end of the state. Several parking areas remain open. In the early 1990s after the I-284 project was canceled, the exit 44 interchange in East Windsor, Connecticut, was altered as it was designed to be part of the freeway. After alterations, exit 44 connected to US 5 for all traffic to get on and off. As a result, exit 43 was shut down and closed in that same time frame. Exit 43 was a northbound exit/southbound entrance on Route 510/Main Street in East Windsor, which was about away from exit 44. After the
September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...
, a seldom-staffed temporary border patrol checkpoint was installed near White River Junction, Vermont, about from the Canadian border. In 2005, the Massachusetts Highway Department completed a rebuild of on- and offramps in Springfield to reduce accidents caused by weaving near the tightly spaced exits.


Impact in Springfield

During its construction in the 1960s, I-91 sliced through three Springfield neighborhoods: the North End, Metro Center, and South End, which led to urban decay in the highway's vicinity. Despite being widely regarded as positive progress at the time it was built, by 2011, Springfield's portion of I-91 was perceived as disrupting the urban fabric of each riverfront neighborhood, while, in effect, amputating everything east of the highway—the majority of the city—from the Connecticut River, the Connecticut River Walk Park, and the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
. However, I-91 was erected without tunnels, footbridges, and other paths leading to the riverfront, and thus continues to pose logistical problems for people getting to the riverfront, which, in turn, poses problems for businesses that would like to set up along Springfield's riverfront. The placement of I-91 has left Springfield's riverfront virtually undeveloped aside from the sliver of land surrounding the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2010, the Urban Land Institute made recommendations for how Springfield might reconnect with its riverfront, in order to revitalize the area through
urban renewal Urban renewal (also called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address urban decay in cities. Urban renewal involves the clearing out of bligh ...
, suggesting the most cost-effective but also the most development-limiting strategy (constructing pathways beneath I-91). No decision has been reached regarding those recommendations. , academic and civic studies are still underway. Preliminary findings indicate that I-91's placement negatively impacts tourism in Springfield's Metro Center—the site of many of Springfield's historic, cultural, and entertainment venues. Springfield's most popular tourist attraction, the riverfront Basketball Hall of Fame, is separated from Metro Center by a stone wall, buttressing an elevated portion of the six-lane I-91 and greatly discouraging travel between the two areas. Academic suggestions that involve the demolition of the current highway and moving it to a less obtrusive site in the city have been proposed, including the demolition of the highway and following the original path suggested, Riverdale Road, and, least obtrusive but still requiring a great deal of work, a plan to construct numerous walkways beneath the elevated highway to better integrate the neighborhoods with the waterfront despite the highway's presence.


Unbuilt Long Island extension

Between the 1950s and 1970s, officials proposed extending I-91 across the Long Island Sound from its current terminus at the I-91/ I-95 interchange in
New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,023 ...
, to
Wading River, New York Wading River is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 7,719. It is adjacent to Shoreham and shares a school di ...
, by means of a bridge over the Long Island Sound, as one of the many
Long Island Sound Link The Long Island Sound link is a proposed bridge or tunnel that would link Long Island, New York, to Westchester County or Connecticut, across Long Island Sound east of the Throgs Neck Bridge. The project has been studied and debated since t ...
proposals. The extension would have continued southward from Wading River to the southern shore of Long Island by the existing County Route 46 (William Floyd Parkway) in central Suffolk County—which would have been updated to Interstate Highway standards. It would also provide easier access to New York City via the Long Island Expressway (I-495), as well as to the Hamptons via New York State Route 27 (Sunrise Highway). The various proposals for this never-built extension were ultimately dropped after a 1979 study of the concept. Following this, officials proposed to connect the New Haven and Shoreham–Wading River areas by means of ferry service across the Long Island Sound—however, the plans to implement these cross-sound ferry services were ultimately mothballed, as well. Despite the cancelation of the bridge, many Long Islanders are still in favor of building one. In 2000, a survey was conducted by News 12 Networks and Newsday, which found that the majority (63 percent) of Long Islanders were in support of such a project. In 2016, the proposal was again renewed by New York Governor
Andrew Cuomo Andrew Mark Cuomo ( ; ; born December 6, 1957) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the 56th governor of New York from 2011 to 2021. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the same position that his father, Mario Cu ...
, as either a bridge or a tunnel. However, these plans were also dropped, as announced by the New York State Department of Transportation in 2018.


Exit list

All interchanges in Massachusetts were to be renumbered to milepost-based numbers under a project scheduled to start in 2016. However, this project was indefinitely postponed until November 18, 2019, when the
Massachusetts Department of Transportation The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) oversees roads, public transit, aeronautics, and transportation licensing and registration in the US state of Massachusetts. It was created on November 1, 2009, by the 186th Session of t ...
(MassDOT) confirmed that, beginning in the middle of 2020, the exit renumbering project will begin. On March 1, 2021, MassDOT confirmed that the exit renumbering on I-91 will start on March 3, and it will last for two weeks. In 2020, Vermont added "milepoint exit" numbers to existing signs, essentially marking each interchange with two exit numbers.


See also

* * *


Explanatory notes


References


External links


I-91 historical overview
from bostonroads.com {{Authority control 91 91 91 91 Transportation in Hartford, Connecticut Transportation in New Haven, Connecticut Transportation in New Haven County, Connecticut Transportation in Middlesex County, Connecticut Transportation in Hartford County, Connecticut Transportation in Hampden County, Massachusetts Transportation in Hampshire County, Massachusetts Transportation in Franklin County, Massachusetts Transportation in Windham County, Vermont Transportation in Windsor County, Vermont Transportation in Orange County, Vermont Transportation in Caledonia County, Vermont Transportation in Orleans County, Vermont U.S. Route 5