Sunday, November 16, 2014

CT Route 11

In Eastern Connecticut sits an under funded, deserted, and unfinished highway that goes by the official name of CT Route 11. While traveling this road to nowhere it is almost certain you will be alone with no fear of rush hour traffic. Originally proposed to be a direct route from Colchester to Interstate 95, this indirect Route drops you off in the small town of Salem. The year 1972 was the last year of construction leaving a half finished highway with a large unpaved portion complete with carved mountains, two overpass bridges and storm drains.

Plans to revive the construction have been brought up countless times over the years with proposed tolls to fund the project, but each attempt has failed.















Photo by Google Maps

Photo by Google Maps


24 comments:

  1. Mike, I just wanted to thank you for posting these pics of the unfinished part of Rt. 11. A few years before I was born (1977) my father used to bomb his dune buggy through the unfinished parts (my grandmother used to own the property where House of Doors and Spicer Advanced Gas are located).

    It's really hard to find good photos of this area that, even though I live less than a mile away, I have never seen firsthand.

    It really is a pity that they never completed the highway, as there is an insane amount of traffic passing through Salem just to get to anywhere on the SE coastline!

    As an added note, the two overpasses cross over a section of Rt. 82 known as the Officer H. David Cordell Memorial Highway, in memory of our last town police officer that died on New Years' Eve 2001, keeping vigilant watch over the town he loved, and that loved him back.

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  2. great pics yes over the years there were many rumors and political pushes that they were going to finish rt 11 was suppose to go in to East Lyme right around the 395 split. It all was prevented buy businesses off of 85 and home owners in the path.

    I know the last time there was some major political pressure preventing the project especial from an individual who charges families 50 dollars a person to see some cheesy fake dinosaurs and fossils. Really wish they had finished it the traffic made rt 85 one of the most dangerous road in CT 50 miles per hour down a two lane road just nuts.

    Mike there are alot of old road in Salem just check out Salem ridge drive north that road use to be a lot longer there used to be some cool abandon cars back there and Cockel Hill used to go in to Marvin Rd in Colchester.

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  3. I'm thinking, the township of Salem would actually prosper in business if the people of the town can enter a bill for the completion of hwy.11 into the state legislation. Make it Happen

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  5. Any way to get my jeep on here I would love to drive the lenght of the road and check things out

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    1. Thinking the same thing with my truck. Might be worth scoping out this weekend.

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  6. Went here this week. It seems like getting a truck or Jeep up there, unnoticed would prove quite difficult. We were on foot and sneaking up wasn't even that easy, unless there is a back way through the woods.

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  7. Went there last night next we go were bringin my boys truck

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  8. Park your car in the small sand lot to the left of the DPW lot. It is perfectly legal to walk up the unfinished exit ramp to the left of the lot. Dog walkers are up there all the time. There is a path that takes you all the way around the entire site. If you are going up, prepare for a possible encounter with a state trooper. Explain what you are doing and you can't get into any trouble.

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  9. Any way for a address to the Dpw lot? I wish I can find a nice road in the state to take my truck like this spot

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    1. Nepaug state forest in new Hartford has tons of trails for the truck.

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  10. Truly an odd place...I grew up in Lyme, and it was occasionally handy to use this route to head north...after a pretty good drive through back roads. Anyhow, they ceased work a couple years after I was born, and even as a child I had the sense that highways don't just...end. I quizzed my Dad about the situation and he gave me a brief history, after which I asked him when "they" were going to finish the road. His answer was along the lines of, "Ha, ha, son, they will never finish this road. Never." I don't know how he had that level of confidence in his answer in the mid '70's, but he ain't wrong yet...

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