CONNECTICUT TRANSIT ROUTES

HARTFORD

CONCISE HISTORY

The Connecticut Transit routes in Hartford were identified with letters until 2007 and 2008, when route numbers were adopted. Between 2014 and 2017, Connecticut Transit implemented a route numbering system for the rest of the state, with no duplication of numbers. Many routes in Hartford consisted of two portions, connected through downtown. In later years, some route letters were followed by numbers to identify route branches, these numbers are not always listed. Little information is available on when new bus routes were created, except that the presence of a route letter in the "Before 1974" column indicates a route formed before 1968.

Because of the dense population in Connecticut, some routes historically were more like "interurban trolley" lines. Interurban railway routes generally did not have letters. In the bus era, surviving interurban routes were assigned letters. The Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. (CR&L) was leased by the Connecticut Co. from 1905 to 1936. In 1936, after the Connecticut Co. was failing to make its lease payments to Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co., the courts allowed Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. to repossess the leased lines. And several interurban bus routes became jointly operated, with companies alternating with runs. Some interurban bus service was discontinued after Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. ceased operations in 1972. But most such service was eventually restored.

Not listed are certain recently created express and shuttle bus routes. Some express services are provided by private operators.


Route   Route    Bus Letter         Streetcar     Streetcars
Number  Name     Before 1974 After  Route Letter  Discontinued

30 Bradley Flyer               BDL                    New Bus
31 New Park Avenue      K      K3       K              7/27/41
32 Windsor              N      N2       L              7/27/41
33 Park Street          K      K5       L              7/27/41
34 Windsor-Internat.           N3                     New Bus
36 Windsor-Day Hill            N7                     New Bus
37 New Britain-Jeff.           Q4                     New Bus
38 Weston Street               W3                     New Bus
39 New Britain-Retreat  Q      Q2       Q              5/18/41
40 North Main Street    K      K2       L              7/27/41
41 New Britain          P      P        P              4/25/37    Interurban (CR&L)
42 Barbour Street       K      K1       K              7/27/41
43 Campfield Avenue     N      N1                     New Bus
44 Garden Street        X      S2                     New Bus
45 Berlin Tpke. Flyer          BTF                    New Bus
46 Vine Street          Q      Q1                      5/18/41
47 Franklin Avenue      T      T1       T              4/20/41
50 Blue H.-Cottage Gr.  T      T4                     New Bus
52 Blue Hills Avenue    T      T8       T              4/20/41
53 Wethersfield         U      U1       U              5/18/41
54 Blue Hills Extend.   T      T10                    New Bus
55 Hartford-Middletown  M      U7       M             10/12/31    Interurban
56 Bloomfield Avenue           U6                     New Bus
58 Albany Avenue        U      U3       U              5/18/41
59 Locust Street        G      G                      New Bus
60 Farmington Avenue    E      E                       7/15/39
61 Broad Street         F      F2       J              8/30/31
62 Farmington-N. Main          E2                     New Bus
63 Hillside Avenue      D      A3                     New Bus
64 Farmington-S. Main          E5                     New Bus
66 Farmington                  E8                     New Bus
69 Capitol Avenue       W      W                       7/27/41
72 Asylum Avenue        A      A1       G              7/21/24
72 Elizabeth Park       A      A2       A             11/ 6/26
74 Granby Street               S1                     New Bus
76 Ashley Street        F      F1       F              2/ 7/37
80 Buckland Flyer              BHF                    New Bus
82 Tolland-Buckland H.  Z      Z3                     New Bus
83 Silver Lane                 B                      New Bus
84 Tolland-Rockville           Z1                     New Bus
85 MCC Flyer                   BX                     New Bus
86 Burnside-Manchester         YM                     New Bus
87 Brewer Street        J      J                      New Bus
88 Burnside Avenue      Y      Y        Y             11/ 5/39
   (Stafford Springs)                   Z              6/ 7/28    Interurban
91 Forbes Street               X                      New Bus
92 Tower Avenue                L                      New Bus
94 Park Avenue                 H2                     New Bus
95 Glastonbury          O      O        V              9/21/38
96 John Fitch Blvd.     H      H1       O             11/ 4/37
   Zion Street          R               K              4/30/38
   Fairfield Avenue     R               R              4/28/35

Route to New Britain historically included operation over New Britain Division from Newington to New Britain, leased from Connecticut Railway & Lighting Co. (CR&L) from 1905 to 1936.

The Zion Street/Fairfield Avenue route was discontinued some time after 1968.

Replacement interurban bus service to Stafford Springs briefly operated by New England Transportation Co.

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