Original Route 49 (1932-1954), in the Northwest

The origina Route 49 was an 13.3-mile road leading from Route 4 in Torrington to Route 101 (today's US 44) in Norfolk. This numbering was consistent with nearby routes 41, 43, 45 and 47 in northwestern Connecticut. In the 1920s, this road was State Highway 312. Today, it's part of Route 272.

A short segment of North Street in Norfolk, leading from today's US 44 to the Central New England Railroad near Roughland Road, was SR 701. Traces of the rail line are visible from the air. There was apparently a station or depot there as well.

In 1935, Route 49 was extended to the Massachusetts state line, incorporating SR 701, for a length of 18.01 miles.

On May 1, 1954, Route 49 became an extension of Route 72, which became a 56-mile route leading from Middletown to the state line.

In 1963, Route 72 was truncated to Harwinton; the old Route 49 became Route 272.

New Route 49, in the Southeast

The current Route 49 got its number in 1959. At first, this road was called State Highway 216; then in 1932 it became state Route 95.

As the 1950s came to a close, Interstate 95 arrived in southeastern Connecticut, and state route 95, needing a new number, became Route 49. (For the next five years, today's Route 184, formerly Route 84, was redesignated state route 95, to provide number continuity with the completed part of I-95 in Groton and the west. When I-95 was completed in 1964, Route 95 became Route 184.)

Preserving a Scenic Route

In early 2003, work on a Scenic Route 49 and Route 14A Corridor Management Plan was started, funded by the FHWA and ConnDOT. Concerns are speed along Route 49, stone walls, and the surrounding scenery. Since state budget constraints precluded adding more police, one idea floated was to repaint the fog line so that the lanes would 11 feet wide instead of 12 feet.

In October 2003, the state turned down a North Stonington request to lower the speed limit from 45 mph to 35 and 30 mph.