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  • Length 3.60 miles
  • From a 5-way roundabout at Route 74 in Ellington
  • To Route 83 in Ellington

Route 286 is a bit of a strange road. It starts at a five-way roundabout at Route 74 (completed in 2011), which is not that strange; then it comes very close to, but does not intersect, Route 140, at the Ellington town green. Afterward, Route 286 northbound continues east-southeast to end at Route 83.

The number does appear to have been pulled out of a hat; I haven't seen evidence of an old SR 586 or similar that might suggest a reason for it.

It's Astrid, not "Asterisk"

Route 286's 1963 commissioning was early enough for it to be included in that year's official state highway map. Whoever selected the number might have been miffed at how the map turned out:

'CT 282' shown on 1963 official state highway map.The 1963 state highway map spoils Route 286's debut with the wrong number: 282.

CT 286 History

Former Route 140A
Route 140A mapThis very old drawing illustrates what happened to Route 140A.

Route 286 was commissioned in 1963, using a short segment of former Route 140 (Main Street east of Ellington Center) and SR 802, a route relocated away from Frog Hollow Road in 1962. The short-lived SR 802 extended from South Windsor center along Ellington Road, Wappingwood Road (no snickering, please), and Pinney Street to Ellington Center. In 1963, SR 802 was cancelled "from Route 30 to Route 140" and assigned to Route 74 and Route 286.

I haven't found any information on why the road was added to the state highway system, or where the 286 number comes from.

CT 286 Sources