End of US highway 7 |
Mileage: in 1989 AASHTO listed a figure of 309 miles for US 7. That closely matches our own 2020 measurement, which yielded 307.9 miles. Want historic mileages? Our handy reference book includes the mileages that were published in all 13 of AASHO/AASHTO's historic route logs (spanning the years 1927 to 1989).
The original plan for US 7 had it going through only the northwest corner of Connecticut before entering New York and following today's NY hwy. 22 all the way down to its junction with US 1 in Manhattan. At the time, US 1 (later NY 1A) would have run east-west on Houston Street, and US 7 would have run north on Lafayette Street (NY 22)...
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...however, New York never signposted US 7 (no US routes were signed at all in New York City until after 1931). And already by April 1927 AASHO's route log showed US 7 rerouted to go through western Connecticut and end in Norwalk. Until some time after 1951, US 7 ended on Main Street at the intersection with Wall Street (today's US 1 was formerly US 1A, while mainline US 1 traffic used Wall). Here is an historic view of that intersection:
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During this era, Connecticut used colored US markers through the cities: US 7 was blue, US 1 was red. At some point (no later than 1959), US 1 was rerouted to its current path through Norwalk. So then US 7 began where CT hwy. 123 begins today:
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Interestingly, there was still a US 7 shield installed, directing traffic north on Main -- that probably dates back to when US 7 really did begin to the left. But US 7 has not used Main since the 1980s, when US 7 traffic was diverted over to today's freeway. Now the south end of US 7 is at its interchange with the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike (I-95). Just before that interchange, the last southbound sign is posted:
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From that, one could easily get the impression that US 7 must continue up to the Canada line. However, as one takes that left turn, US 7 immediately curves west over the interstate (just south of the customs facility), and then curves again, back around to the south. On that last curve, this sign was posted...
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...which was a bit prior to the actual terminus of US 7 just ahead, at the on-ramp that leads back southbound, via I-89:
In 2010 a new assembly combining both signs was posted at that junction. So yes, when one reaches the north terminus of US 7, they are actually heading south:
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That is the north end of I-89, and it is also where the historic north end of US 7 was located. Today southbound US 7 continues to the right from this overpass, and then curves south into Highgate Springs.
Research and/or photo credits: George Bourey; Andy Field; Karin and Martin Karner; Doug Kerr; Dan Moraseski; Robert Mortell; Alex Nitzman; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 2000;
last updated Feb. 19, 2021.
last updated Feb. 19, 2021.