Route 78: A Weird Highway in Connecticut and Rhode Island

Driving on Route 2 Eastbound in Stonington beyond the Exit 92 Interstate 95 interchange and Regal Cinemas, one will see a large green highway sign for the Junction of Route 78 marked "Westerly/RI Beaches".

Merging onto the ramp, drivers quickly realize they are driving underneath the Route 2 underpass, an underpass where piles of dirt lay on top of asphalt to their left.

The underpass was built to handle traffic in both directions but currently only has traffic from Route 2 Eastbound to Route 78 Eastbound.

Going beyond this point, drivers realize that traffic from Route 2 Westbound is merging on the right-hand side onto a highway that slowly narrows to allow only one lane of travel.

A concrete barrier separates Route 78 Eastbound and Route 78 Westbound traffic and that barrier has reflective orange and yellow stripes to guide drivers at night.

Except for the single lane of travel, the creation of exits and exit ramps and overhead exterior lighting near each interchanges makes the road much like a want-to-be highway.

However, the speed limit here is only 50 miles per hour and without a passing lane, traffic can backup easily when slow drivers venture onto Route 78.

The speed limit was not changed when most of Interstate 95 in both Connecticut and Rhode Island was increased to 65 miles per hour.

Those preparing to slow down to exit the Route 78 highway can backup traffic further while those merging onto the highway often must come to a full stop,
rather than just yield as signs would indicate, before merging since on-ramps are much shorter than those typically on a highway.

Along Route 78, there is a sign advising drivers to tune to 1630AM for traffic information.

There is a transmitter near the Connecticut/Rhode Island border in Westerly that transmits the latest construction and maintenance information when the sign beacons are not blinking.

When sign beacons are blinking, it indicates there is a traffic or weather advisory in effect or a special advisory which could impede traffic.
Broadcasts can be heard within 2 miles of the broadcast tower and that they cannot be heard statewide.