The construction of the i-84 Viaduct and further downtown urban redevelopment changed hartford’s look drastically. let’s see how.

Front street

front street was widened to accommodate cars, the buildings were torn down to transform the community to a business only zone, and the street was renamed Columbus avenue.

hartford history center, hartford public library

 

morgan street

In the heart of downtown hartford. morgan street today is a small strip of Road alongside interstate 84.

connecticut state library

 
 

chapel street

in today’s layout, morgan street turns into chapel after the road passes main. alongside the highway, two square miles of downtown hartford are taken up by parking lots.

hartford history center, hartford public library

 
 

main street

where windsor and main street used to intersect. redevelopment in this area has just recently begun. though the highway still separates ‘nodo’ from downtown.

hartford history center, hartford public library

 
 

ann street

renamed ann uccello street after hartford’s first female mayor. this is another street that got divided due to the construction of the highway.

hartford history center, hartford public library

 
 

asylum street

looking at asylum from main. the urban renewal project transformed downtown hartford completely.

hartford history center, hartford public library

 
 

farmington avenue

looking towards downtown from farmington ave today looks quite different compared to 100 years ago.

hartford history center, hartford public library

 
 

hopkins street

hopkins street, alongside the old hartford high school were demolished to make way for interstate 84.

the graphics collection, the connecticut historical society

 
 

Capitol avenue

willow street also no longer exists. but it used to intersect with capitol ave near the current on and off ramps to exit 46 on i-84.

hartford history center, hartford public library