Connecticut Route 148 - History

History

The Killingworth to Chester route was chartered as a turnpike in 1816 known as the Chester and North Killingworth Turnpike and ran along Chester Road and West Main Street. In 1834, an eastward extension towards the Chester-Hadlyme Ferry (then privately owned and known as Warner's Ferry) by the same turnpike company was authorized. In the same year, another company, the Hadlyme Turnpike, was chartered to build a turnpike from the Lyme side of the ferry towards the town of Salem. In 1835, still another turnpike company, the Madison and North Killingworth Turnpike, was chartered to build a road from the end of the Chester and North Killingworth Turnpike to the village of North Madison, using Tooley Road, then Abner Lane, and now abandoned roads across Lake Hammonasset. This series of turnpikes was envisioned by its proponents as part of an all-turnpike route between New Haven and Norwich. The business proved unprofitable, however, and between the years of 1842 and 1847, the various turnpike companies along the Route 148 alignment were dissolved and the roads turned over to the towns.

Modern Route 148 was established as part of the 1932 state highway renumbering and originally ran from Route 81 in Killingworth to the Hadlyme railroad station in Lyme. In 1951, the eastern terminus was moved to the Chester ferry landing. In 1962, it was extended westward to Route 79 along its current alignment, and also eastward from the Hadlyme ferry landing to Route 82 (along former SR 618).