History
The general route and construction of the Turnpike were both mandated by state law. Intended to relieve congestion on U.S. Route 1 and Route 15 (the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways), design work began in 1954. The Connecticut Turnpike opened on January 2, 1958; however, the westernmost portion of the highway (the three miles (5 km) connecting Greenwich with the New England Thruway) opened ten months later. Tolls were originally collected through a series of eight toll booths along the route. The state stopped collecting tolls on all portions of the Turnpike by December 31, 1985.
Local legend is the initial phase of Turnpike construction in 1954 was so disruptive in heavily Republican Fairfield County that local voters there turned on incumbent Republican Governor John Davis Lodge, leading to his defeat by Abraham Ribicoff.
Read more about this topic: Connecticut Turnpike
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