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Route 58 (Connecticut)
Encyclopedia
Route 58 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut
connecting the towns of Fairfield
and Bethel
. Route 58 is 18.58 miles (29.9 km) long and is one of the primary routes to the downtown Danbury
area via Routes 302 and 53
.
and Redding
. There is an interchange with the Merritt Parkway
in Fairfield. Within Easton
, Route 58 can also go by the name "Black Rock Road" as well as "Black Rock Turnpike." Route 58 passes by two reservoirs (Hemlock Reservoir and Aspetuck Reservoir) that supply the Greater Bridgeport area with much of its drinking water. On crossing into the town of Bethel, Route 58 runs along "Putnam Park Road", ending at Route 302.
Black Rock Turnpike continues south after Route 58 separates from it in Fairfield. It ends at a junction between U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 95
. This portion is designated as State Road 732 and is 1.05 miles (1.7 km) long.
, British soldiers under the command of General William Tryon
marched up the Redding Road, which paralleled present-day Route 58 south of Easton center and ran along Route 58 north of Easton center, on their way to Danbury
to destroy homes, warehouses and ammunition stores as part of the Danbury Raid.
In May 1797, the northern portion of Redding Road was chartered as the Fairfield, Weston, and Redding Turnpike. The turnpike company improved the road from Easton village through Redding Ridge into Bethel (then a part of Danbury). It ran from Easton center along modern Route 58 then along Sunset Hill Road and Hoyts Hill Road. In May 1832, the road from Black Rock harbor to Easton village was chartered as a private toll road known as the Black Rock and Weston Turnpike, or more commonly as just the Black Rock Turnpike. The old road ran north up to the Branch Turnpike (Route 136) and used the Branch Turnpike to reach Easton. Both turnpike roads are collectively known as Black Rock Turnpike today.
In the 1922, the Bridgeport to Danbury road became a state road and was known as State Highway 124. Highway 124 uses a newer alignment through Putnam Memorial State Park
instead of the 19th century turnpike alignment (Sunset Hill Road). It also continued into downtown Danbury using modern Route 302 and 53. Modern Route 58 was created in the 1932 state highway renumbering
from old Highway 124. The route was truncated in 1935 to end in Bethel (at modern Route 302) instead of Danbury, when U.S. Route 202
was designated, which was designated on the Danbury-Bethel segment.
The state developed plans in the 1960s to extend Route 58 northward as a freeway from its present terminus to I-84 in Danbury to divert through traffic around Danbury's congested central business district
. Although the Route 58 Connector was cancelled, a short segment (known as Patriot Drive today) near the Danbury Train Station between White Street and Liberty Street was built.
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
connecting the towns of Fairfield
Fairfield, Connecticut
Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...
and Bethel
Bethel, Connecticut
Bethel is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, about sixty miles from New York City. Its population was 18,584 at the 2010 census. The town center is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place...
. Route 58 is 18.58 miles (29.9 km) long and is one of the primary routes to the downtown Danbury
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
area via Routes 302 and 53
Route 53 (Connecticut)
Route 53 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut, connecting the cities of Norwalk and Danbury. Most of the route has been made redundant by U.S...
.
Route description
Route 58 officially begins at U.S. Route 1 in Fairfield, traveling for about 1 miles (1.6 km) on Tunxis Hill Road up to the Black Rock Turnpike. Route 58 continues northward along the Black Rock Turnpike, passing through the towns of EastonEaston, Connecticut
Easton is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,490 at the 2010 census. Easton contains the historic district of Aspetuck....
and Redding
Redding, Connecticut
Mark Twain, a resident of the town in his old age, contributed the first books for a public library which was eventually named after him.-Government:...
. There is an interchange with the Merritt Parkway
Merritt Parkway
The Merritt Parkway is a historic limited-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. It is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the...
in Fairfield. Within Easton
Easton, Connecticut
Easton is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 7,490 at the 2010 census. Easton contains the historic district of Aspetuck....
, Route 58 can also go by the name "Black Rock Road" as well as "Black Rock Turnpike." Route 58 passes by two reservoirs (Hemlock Reservoir and Aspetuck Reservoir) that supply the Greater Bridgeport area with much of its drinking water. On crossing into the town of Bethel, Route 58 runs along "Putnam Park Road", ending at Route 302.
Black Rock Turnpike continues south after Route 58 separates from it in Fairfield. It ends at a junction between U.S. Route 1 and Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Connecticut
Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...
. This portion is designated as State Road 732 and is 1.05 miles (1.7 km) long.
Special designations
A 3.1 miles (5 km) section in Easton near the Hemlock Reservoir is a designated scenic highway.History
On April 25, 1777, during the Revolutionary WarAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, British soldiers under the command of General William Tryon
William Tryon
William Tryon was a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as governor of the Province of North Carolina and the Province of New York .-Early life and career:...
marched up the Redding Road, which paralleled present-day Route 58 south of Easton center and ran along Route 58 north of Easton center, on their way to Danbury
Danbury, Connecticut
Danbury is a city in northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It had population at the 2010 census of 80,893. Danbury is the fourth largest city in Fairfield County and is the seventh largest city in Connecticut....
to destroy homes, warehouses and ammunition stores as part of the Danbury Raid.
In May 1797, the northern portion of Redding Road was chartered as the Fairfield, Weston, and Redding Turnpike. The turnpike company improved the road from Easton village through Redding Ridge into Bethel (then a part of Danbury). It ran from Easton center along modern Route 58 then along Sunset Hill Road and Hoyts Hill Road. In May 1832, the road from Black Rock harbor to Easton village was chartered as a private toll road known as the Black Rock and Weston Turnpike, or more commonly as just the Black Rock Turnpike. The old road ran north up to the Branch Turnpike (Route 136) and used the Branch Turnpike to reach Easton. Both turnpike roads are collectively known as Black Rock Turnpike today.
In the 1922, the Bridgeport to Danbury road became a state road and was known as State Highway 124. Highway 124 uses a newer alignment through Putnam Memorial State Park
Putnam Memorial State Park
Putnam Memorial State Park is named for Major General Israel Putnam who chose the site as the winter encampment for his men during the winter of 1778/1779. The former American Revolutionary War encampment and park is located at the intersection of Route 107 and Route 58 in Redding, Connecticut, in...
instead of the 19th century turnpike alignment (Sunset Hill Road). It also continued into downtown Danbury using modern Route 302 and 53. Modern Route 58 was created in the 1932 state highway renumbering
1932 state highway renumbering (Connecticut)
In 1932, the Highway Department of the U.S. state of Connecticut , decided to completely renumber all its state highways. The only exceptions were the U.S. Highways and some of the New England Interstate Routes. Between 1922 and 1932, Connecticut used a state highway numbering system shared with...
from old Highway 124. The route was truncated in 1935 to end in Bethel (at modern Route 302) instead of Danbury, when U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202
U.S. Route 202 is a highway stretching from Delaware to Maine, also passing through the states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire....
was designated, which was designated on the Danbury-Bethel segment.
The state developed plans in the 1960s to extend Route 58 northward as a freeway from its present terminus to I-84 in Danbury to divert through traffic around Danbury's congested central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. Although the Route 58 Connector was cancelled, a short segment (known as Patriot Drive today) near the Danbury Train Station between White Street and Liberty Street was built.