Connecticut Route 97

Route 97
Route information
Maintained by ConnDOT
Length:	29.14 mi[1] (46.90 km)
Existed:	1932 – present
Major junctions
South end:	Route 12 in Norwich
North end:	US 44 / Route 169 in Pomfret
Highway system
Routes in Connecticut Special Service Roads • State Roads ← I-95 Route 99 →

Route 97 is a north–south state highway in eastern Connecticut running for 29.14 miles (46.90 km) from Route 12 in Norwich to US 44 in Pomfret.

Route description

Route 97 begins at an intersection with Route 12 in the Taftville section of Norwich, then heads north along the Shetucket River, briefly overlapping with Route 169 before passing through Sprague into Scotland, where it overlaps Route 14 for 0.68 miles (1.09 km). After the overlap, it continues north and northeast through Hampton into Pomfret, where it ends at its northern of two intersections with US 44, also meeting Route 169.^[1]

Special Designations

Route 97 is designated a scenic route from its southern intersection with US 44 in Pomfret to its northern terminus, a distance of 4.50 miles (7.24 km).^[2]

History

In 1922, the road from Abington to Pomfret Center along modern Route 97 was designated as State Highway 345. Further south, the road from Taftville to Baltic was part of State Highway 354, which continued past Baltic to Lebanon center. In the 1932 state highway renumbering, Highway 345 renumbered to Route 201, while most of Highway 354 (between Baltic and Lebanon center) became Route 207. Most of modern Route 97 was commissioned in 1932 as well, including the Taftville-Baltic portion of old Highway 354. The original Route 97 deviated from the current route at Station Road in Hampton and ran north to Route 91 (now Route 198) in Chaplin. It was relocated to its current route between Hampton and Abington using a previously unsigned state road (former SR 860) in 1934. At the same time, Route 97 absorbed former Route 201, extendng the route to Pomfret Center.^[3]

Junction list

Town	Road names	Major junctions	Milepost	Notes
Norwich (4.22 miles)[1]	Norwich Avenue, Taftville Occum Road, Bridge Street, Baltic Road	Route 12	0.00
		Route 169	0.68-0.70	Begin Multiplex
		Route 169	0.98-0.99	End Multiplex
		I-395	2.19-2.21	I-395 Exit 83
Sprague (4.05 miles)	Main Street, Scotland Road	Route 207	5.38
		Route 138	5.54
Scotland (6.09 miles)	Devotion Road, Pudding Hill Road	Route 14	11.26	Begin Multiplex
		Route 14	11.94	End Multiplex
Hampton (7.90 miles)	Pudding Hill Road, Main Street, Pomfret Road	US 6	16.80
Pomfret (6.88 miles)	Hampton Road, Deerfield Road	US 44	24.69
		Route 244	28.41
		US 44 / Route 169	29.14

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Connecticut State Highway Log
2. ^ State Scenic Roads
3. ^ Connecticut Routes, Route 97