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Route 203 approaching Route 14 in Windham. Photo taken Sept. 2002 by Kurumi.
Route 203 is one of a handful of state highways that do not cross a town line.
On January 26, 1999, the 1.7-mile segment between Routes 32 and 14 was designated a state scenic road. A portion of Route 14 was also designated that day.
Commissioned in 1932, Route 203 was originally a quarter-mile longer than it is today, extending 5.58 miles from Route 32 to Old Willimantic Road, which was part of US 6 at the time.
In the late 1930s or early 1940s, Route 203 was realigned in North Windham. Jordan Lane is the old alignment.
In 1954, US 6 was moved to its southern alignment in the area; old US 6 became unposted SR 682, where Route 203 still had its northern terminus.
In 1962, the state truncated Route 203 to modern US 6, where it ends today.
Two traffic issues affect Route 203 in South Windham. First, motorists increasingly used residential Tuckie Road to get to the US 6 expressway; officials wanted to redirect this traffic to Route 203, which has better design characteristics. Second, there had been talk, around 2001, of an alternate route or 203 bypass around historic Windham Center, especially for truck traffic.
"Regional Transportation Plan for the Windham Region / 2001 Update." Windham Regional Council of Governments, August 29, 2001.