Berlin Turnpike

One of Connecticut's first turnpikes (1798), the Berlin Turnpike evolved into 'Gasoline Alley' by the 1940s-60s with 32 gas stations, 200+ businesses, and 40,000 daily travelers. When I-91 opened October 27, 1965, traffic dropped 75% overnight, earning nicknames 'Death Valley' and 'Torch Alley.' Big box retailers revitalized the corridor in the 1990s-2000s.