Above: from 1970 - note the vintage cable guiderail. You won't see any references to the CT Turnpike on today's signage, even though it still technically runs from Greenwich to Killingly.

Unknown location or year.


Either 1969 or 1970 - notice the pre-NMSL (National Mandated Speed Limit) of 60 MPH. I-95 will never see 60 again, at least west of New Haven where it's still 55.


SB east of New Haven in 1977, some of the latest photos on this page. Even then, original Turnpike signage still stands here with its signature pointed corners (other CT signage always had rounded borders) and round-topped gantry poles. You can see in the background of the second photo a more modern gantry with modern ConnDOT signage, and in the lower right hand corner the old wording of the sign (bridges now freeze before the road surface instead of the pavement).


Because this 1970 photo is east of what's now the I-395 split, this is no longer the CT Turnpike, and thus the signs are ConnDOT standard instead. Exit numbers were not posted out here until the Turnpike concept died in favor of numbering highways instead, but now these are Exits 85-86.


The only southbound mainline photos I have west of New Haven, both dating to 1970. Notice how the Turnpike slanted the advance warning text, whether NEXT or KEEP. Also, exits got down instead of up arrows.


Off the SB Exit 11 ramp in 1974. The top and bottom signs are the original aluminum signs that came with the Turnpike, and the US 1 shield looks pretty original too. The Rowayton sign looks older on its wood background but is actually newer, as is the steel RR sign above - notice that neither of them quite match the other signs in letter spacing/size or arrows. Also notice the double-arrow sign, which was dropped from the MUTCD since then in favor of the rectangle with longer arrows.


All NB, mostly in 1970 - first photo 1971 and fourth photo 1969. The sixth photo is the same sign as in the fifth photo, just giving an idea of signs at night. In the third (Exit 15) photo, Michael says that the US 7 freeway connection was under construction at the time, which of course would change the signage here. I've almost run out of things to point out, so besides a button-copy ampersand, have the fact that I-95 was still tolled at this point (and would be into the 1980's). The Turnpike really died when the tollbooths disappeared.


Finishing up the NB run to the Exit 29 ramp - no years with these, so assume 1970 for the B/W photos and maybe 1975 for the others.


The Turnpike started out as an east-west road, so when I-95 was added onto it, of course it would also be signed east-west. However, I didn't know that fact until I saw these photos - all I ever knew was that US 1 ran east-west into the 1990's before finally being mostly corrected through CT into the 2000's. I have an idea that these are on CT 33 SB at I-95 Exit 17, based on a cryptic note I left myself and the layout of the interchange.

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