Route 34 is a primary state highway in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Route 34 is long, and extends from Washington Avenue near I-84/US 6 in Newtown to the junction of I-95 and I-91 in New Haven. The highways connects the New Haven and Danbury areas via the Lower Naugatuck River Valley. The portion of the route between New Haven and Derby was an early toll road known as the Derby Turnpike.
The mile-long freeway segment, the Oak Street Connector, was rerouted to city streets as part of the New Haven Downtown Crossing project.
Route description
Route 34 begins as two-lane Berkshire Road in the Sandy Hook section of the town of Newtown, as a continuation of Washington Avenue (a town road). The road crosses under I-84 after a tenth of a mile, then intersects after another with Wasserman Way (SSR 490), which leads to ramps to/from I-84 at Exit 11. The road then heads east towards the Stevenson section of the town of Monroe, where the road name changes to Roosevelt Drive at the town line. After intersecting Route 111 (leading to Monroe center), Route 34 crosses the Housatonic River via the Stevenson Dam Bridge into the town of Oxford. Route 34 then follows the east banks of the Housatonic River as it traverses the towns of Oxford and Seymour. Route 34 soon enters the city of Derby, where it becomes Main Street after the intersection with Derby-Shelton Bridge Route 712, which leads to Route 110 in downtown Shelton. In downtown Derby, Route 34 has a junction with Route 8 at Exit 15 near the Derby-Shelton train station.
Beyond this junction, Route 34 expands into a four-lane divided highway, crossing over the Naugatuck River. It intersects Route 115 (for Ansonia and Seymour center) right after the bridge then turns southward as New Haven Avenue as it continues towards the town of Orange. In Orange, the road becomes Derby Turnpike and has intersections with Route 121 (for Milford) and Route 152 for Orange center. Along the way, it also has a cloverleaf junction with the Wilbur Cross Parkway (Exit 57-58). Route 34 soon enters the northern edge of West Haven, intersecting with Route 122 (for Westville and West Haven center. Soon after, the road downgrades to an undivided four lane road and crosses into New Haven where the road name changes to Derby Avenue. Route 34 then leaves Derby Avenue and joins Route 10 along Ella Grasso Boulevard for . East of Route 10, Route 34 is split into two one-way streets. Eastbound Route 34 turns onto Legion Avenue, later becoming South Frontage Road (former Oak Street), while westbound Route 34 uses North Frontage Road. The eastbound section running along Legion Avenue and South Frontage Road (1.03 miles) is town-maintained. The corresponding westbound section along North Frontage Road is officially designated as State Road 706 but is signed as Route 34 West.
Route 34 then continues along the Oak Street Connector, a six-lane freeway that connects to I-91 and I-95. The freeway portion has two westbound exits and three eastbound entrances, with mainline westbound traffic forced onto the last exit. The east end of the freeway involves an interchange for I-95 south, I-91 north, and I-95 north. The mainline of Route 34 is designated on the ramps for I-95 north and officially ends at the northbound I-95 merge. Route 34 westbound from its westbound entrances until Orchard Street is notorious for excessive speeding, as people often go much faster than the posted speed limits of 30 MPH and 25 MPH (respectively) on this section of roadway.