Route 72 (Connecticut)

Route 72
Map of central Connecticut with Route 72 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by ConnDOT
Length:	20.05 mi (32.27 km)
Existed:	1932 – present
Major junctions
South/East end:	Route 9 in New Britain
	I-84 in Plainville
North/West end:	Route 4 in Harwinton
Location
Counties:	Hartford, Litchfield
Highway system
Routes in Connecticut Interstate U.S. State SSR SR ← Route 71 Route 73 →

Route 72 is a state highway in the western part of the Greater Hartford area. Route 72 is an L-shaped route with a north–south section in Plymouth and Harwinton and an east–west section from Bristol to New Britain. Route 72 is a freeway from Route 9 in New Britain to Route 177 in Plainville. It is signed as an east-west route.

The plan to extend the highway through the Forestville section of Bristol as a four-lane boulevard is complete. The construction project broke ground on October 15, 2007 and was completed in the spring of 2011. The contractor for the project was Manafort Brothers, based out of Plainville. The new section of route 72 opened on September 27th, 2010.

Route 72 begins as a four-lane freeway at Route 9 in New Britain, expanding to six lanes after the junction with Route 71 at Exit 9. Route 72 overlaps with I-84 as it crosses from New Britain into the town of Plainville. In Plainville, Route 72 has an exit to and from Route 372, an eastbound on-ramp from Route 10 via Route 372 and SR 511, and an eastbound offramp to Woodford Ave (SR 536). After crossing the Pequabuck River, it has a partial interchange with Route 177 before the freeway ends at Forestville Avenue and the western terminus of Route 372. Route 72 continues, crossing Forestville Avenue as a four-lane median separated boulevard to the Bristol town line. Within Bristol, Route 72 runs 5.5 miles (8.9 km) along several streets. It continues on the four-lane median separated boulevard (known as E Bartlett Barnes Highway) to Pine Street, where it becomes four lanes undivided, and follows Pine Street to Riverside Avenue and crosses the Pequabuck River before intersecting with Route 229. Route 72 continues on Riverside Avenue, Main Street, School Street (intersecting Route 69), Divinity Street, Park Street, and Terryville Road. The route runs parallel to the Peqaubuck River in Bristol and crosses it several times. Route 72 then enters the town of Plymouth, where the road turns north to follow South Riverside Avenue, North Riverside Avenue, and Poland Brook Road. Route 72 intersects with US 6 in the Terryville section of town, then continues north in the rural town of Harwinton where it goes along Terryville Road, eventually ending at Route 4. Route 72 is 20.10 miles (32.35 km) long.