In the 1920s, state highway 316 followed Shelton Road and Bridgeport Avenue, from Bridgeport to Shelton. In 1932, this became Route 65; then later part of Route 8. Today, most of that road in Shelton is SR 714.

Hebron and Andover

In 1932, a section of Hebron Road in Andover, leading from near Gilead Road to US 6, was added to the state highway system as unsigned SR 816. By 1935, all of Hebron Road was part of SR 816; by 1959, SR 816 extended from US 6A, today's Route 66, in Hebron to US 6 in Andover.

During the 1961 highway reclassification, consultants at Edwards and Kelcey recommended retaining SR 816 as a state secondary highway. In 1963, SR 816 became signed Route 316.

Where's that confounded bridge

Originally, Route 316 narrowed to a single-lane railroad underpass a short distance south of US 6. After the railroad was abandoned, the state removed the bridge, widened Route 316 to two lanes, and relocated the northern end. Monument Lane is the old alignment, and has been marked as "Old Route 316" on some maps.

The rail bed is now part of the 20-mile Hop River State Park Trail for hiking, horseback riding, and cycling. For years, the Route 316 crossing was a dangerous gap that required climbing down an enbankment, crossing the highway, and climbing back up the other side. A pedestrian bridge over Route 316 opened in 2012, after a decade of delays and lawsuits. (See Doug Kerr's photo of the bridge, or the links below.)

Epilogue

In 1960, Andover's Long Hill Road, leading north from US 6 to the Coventry town line, was also an unmarked state highway: SR 808. However, the result of the 1961 highway reclassification was to return the road back to local maintenance. Had SR 808 been kept on the state system, Andover might have had a longer, border-to-border Route 316.