View source for U.S. Route 7

{{Short description|Highway in the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox road
| country = USA
| type = US
| route = 7
| map = {{maplink-road|from=U.S. Route 7.map}}
| map_custom = yes
| map_notes = US&nbsp;7 highlighted in red
| length_mi = 308.36<!--78.22+53.8515+176.287-->
| length_ref = <ref name="ctlog">{{Cite web |date=December 31, 2014 |title=Highway Log - Connecticut State Numbered Routes And Roads |url=http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/Documents/dpolicy/hwylog/hwylog.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304002221/http://www.ct.gov/dot/LIB/dot/Documents/dpolicy/hwylog/hwylog.pdf |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=February 28, 2023 |publisher=[[Connecticut Department of Transportation]]}}</ref><ref name="massgis">{{cite web |url=http://www.mass.gov/mgis/ftpeotroads.htm |url-status=dead |date=October 16, 2009 |title=Executive Office of Transportation - Office of Transportation Planning Roads |work=Mass.gov |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120224225605/http://www.mass.gov/mgis/ftpeotroads.htm |archive-date=February 24, 2012 |access-date=October 6, 2014}}</ref><ref name="vtlog">{{cite web |url=http://www.aot.state.vt.us/Planning/Documents/TrafResearch/Publications/2004RouteLogAADTs.pdf |url-status=dead |date=July 2005 |title=2004 (Route Log) AADTs State Highways |publisher=[[Vermont Agency of Transportation]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060921003043/http://www.aot.state.vt.us/Planning/Documents/TrafResearch/Publications/2004RouteLogAADTs.pdf |archive-date=September 21, 2006 |access-date=February 28, 2023}}</ref>
| established = 1926<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bepler |first1=Laurie J. |last2=Bepler |first2=Virginia B. |title=Route 7, the Road North: Norwalk to Canaan |date=1999 |publisher=Arcadia Publishing |isbn=9780738502564 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vxS1jbQA8rAC&q=route+7+1926&pg=PA7 |access-date=July 17, 2018 |language=en}}</ref>
| direction_a = South
| direction_b = North
| terminus_a = {{jct|state=CT|I|95}} in [[Norwalk, CT]]
| junction = {{plainlist|
*{{jct|state=CT|US|1}} in [[Norwalk, CT]]
*{{jct|state=CT|I|84|US|6|US|202}} in [[Danbury, CT]]
*{{Jct|state=CT|US|202}} in [[New Milford, CT]]
*{{Jct|state=CT|US|44}} in [[North Canaan, CT]]
*{{jct|state=MA|US|20}} in [[Pittsfield, MA]]
*{{jct|state=VT|US|4}} in [[Rutland (city), Vermont|Rutland, VT]]
*{{jct|state=VT|I|189}} in [[South Burlington, VT]]
*{{jct|state=VT|US|2}} in [[Burlington, VT|Burlington]] and [[Colchester, VT|Colchester]], [[Vermont|VT]]
}}
| terminus_b = {{jct|state=VT|I|89}} near [[Highgate Springs, VT]]
| states = [[Connecticut]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Vermont]]
| browse = {{Us browse|previous_type=US|previous_route=6|next_type=US|next_route=8|route=[[List of United States Numbered Highways|US]]}}{{ct browse|previous_type=US|previous_route=6|route=[[list of Connecticut numbered highways|CT]]|next_type=Route|next_route=8}}
{{ma browse|previous_type=Route|previous_route=6A|route=[[list of Massachusetts numbered highways|MA]]|next_type=Route|next_route=7A}}
{{vt browse|previous_type=VT|previous_route=5A|route=[[List of Routes in Vermont|VT]]|next_type=VT|next_route=7A}}
{{New England browse|previous_route=3|next_route=5}}
}}
'''U.S. Route&nbsp;7''' ('''US&nbsp;7''') is a north&ndash;south [[United States Numbered Highway]] in western [[New England]] that runs for {{convert|308|mi|km}} through [[Connecticut]], [[Massachusetts]], and [[Vermont]]. The highway's southern terminus is at [[Interstate 95]] (I-95) exit&nbsp;15 in [[Norwalk, Connecticut]]. Its northern terminus is at [[Interstate 89|I-89]] exit&nbsp;22 near the village of [[Highgate Springs, Vermont]], immediately south of the [[Canada–United States border]].

==Route description==
{{lengths table|length_ref=<ref name="ctlog" /><ref name="massgis" /><ref name="vtlog" />}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 7 in Connecticut|CT]]
|{{convert|78.22|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 7 in Massachusetts|MA]]
|{{convert|53.85<!--53.8515-->|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|[[U.S. Route 7 in Vermont|VT]]
|{{convert|176.29<!--176.287-->|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|Total
|{{convert|308.36|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}

===Connecticut===
{{Main|U.S. Route 7 in Connecticut}}
US&nbsp;7 in [[Connecticut]] (also known as Route&nbsp;7, Ethan Allen Highway, and Super 7) is mostly a surface road but has two short expressway sections in the [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]] and [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]] areas. US&nbsp;7 begins in Norwalk with a {{convert|4|mi|km|adj=on|spell=in}} expressway to nearly the [[Wilton, Connecticut|Wilton]] town line. There are three exits on this short section, signed as "The Forty Third Infantry Division Memorial Highway", named after the [[43rd Infantry Division (United States)|43rd Infantry Division]]. Exit&nbsp;1, just past [[Interstate 95|I-95]] (the southern terminus), leads to the Central Norwalk Business District and [[U.S. Route 1|US&nbsp;1]]. Exit&nbsp;2 leads to [[Connecticut Route 123|Route&nbsp;123]] which extends from US&nbsp;1 in Norwalk to the [[New York (state)|New York]] state line, passing through the town of [[New Canaan, Connecticut|New Canaan]]. After exit&nbsp;2, the expressway reduces to four lanes from six. Exit&nbsp;3 leads to [[Connecticut Route 15|Route&nbsp;15]] southbound, also known as the [[Merritt Parkway]]. This interchange was half built and only allows southbound access from the expressway; northbound access is gained via Route&nbsp;123 at exit&nbsp;2. The expressway section ends at Grist Mill Road in Norwalk, about {{Convert|1/2|mi|km|spell=in}} past exit&nbsp;3. US&nbsp;7 then passes through [[Wilton, Connecticut|Wilton]] as a four-lane highway until just after [[Cannondale, Connecticut|Cannondale]], where it becomes a two-lane highway. It continues through [[Ridgefield, Connecticut|Ridgefield]] as a two-lane highway.

Near Danbury, another expressway section was built beginning {{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}} south of [[Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts)|I-84]] near [[Danbury Municipal Airport]]. This section is also signed as "The Forty Third Infantry Division Memorial Highway". Through Danbury proper, US&nbsp;7 overlaps with I-84 for about {{convert|4|mi|km|spell=in}}. Through this section of expressway, I-84, US&nbsp;7, [[U.S. Route 6|US&nbsp;6]], and [[U.S. Route 202|US&nbsp;202]] are concurrent. US&nbsp;7 and Route&nbsp;202 then leave I-84 at exit&nbsp;7 and travel on their own expressway for approximately {{convert|8|mi|km|spell=in}} to just south of the [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]] town line. On this section there are two exits. At exit&nbsp;11 (Federal Road), US&nbsp;202 exits the expressway and at exit&nbsp;12, US&nbsp;202 crosses back over US&nbsp;7. On southbound US&nbsp;7, the exit for I-84 eastbound is signed as exit&nbsp;10. There is no exit number for I-84 west because of the concurrency. The US&nbsp;7 expressway then bypasses [[Brookfield, Connecticut|Brookfield]] to the west and terminates at an intersection with US&nbsp;202 at the [[Fairfield County, Connecticut|Fairfield]]–[[Litchfield County, Connecticut|Litchfield]] county line. Construction on the section between I-84 and exit&nbsp;12 began in 1974 and completed in 1976. The Brookfield bypass segment between exit&nbsp;12 and the current expressway terminus opened in November 2009, after two years of construction. The former US&nbsp;7 route through Brookfield is now signed solely as US&nbsp;202.

US&nbsp;7 is cosigned with US&nbsp;202 until central New Milford, where US&nbsp;202 turns east with [[Connecticut Route 67|Route&nbsp;67]] while US&nbsp;7 continues north. Recent construction has also made large parts of US&nbsp;7 between the terminus of the expressway and New Milford a four-lane divided highway with at-grade intersections. North of New Milford center, US&nbsp;7 remains a two-lane road through the rest of Connecticut and leaves Connecticut in the town of [[North Canaan, Connecticut|North Canaan]].

===Massachusetts===
{{Main|U.S. Route 7 in Massachusetts}}
US&nbsp;7 enters Massachusetts in the town of [[Sheffield, Massachusetts|Sheffield]] and remains a two-lane road until [[Lenox, Massachusetts|Lenox]]. There, a four-lane bypass of Lenox was built in two pieces, and the old US&nbsp;7 is now [[Massachusetts Route 7A|Route&nbsp;7A]]. US&nbsp;7 continues on as a four-lane road to [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]], where it is then a three-lane road, narrowing to two lanes for a short time, then widening to four lanes in downtown Pittsfield. US&nbsp;7 leaves downtown Pittsfield as a two-lane surface arterial and continues as a rural highway with occasional three-lane stretches for climbing the grades along the [[Berkshires]]. It passes west of [[Mount Greylock]] before passing through [[Williamstown, Massachusetts|Williamstown]], connecting the [[New York State Route 2|Taconic Trail]] with the [[Mohawk Trail]]. The road passes [[Williams College]] before entering [[Vermont]].

Like Connecticut, Massachusetts planned a US&nbsp;7 expressway from the existing bypass in Lenox all the way to [[Lanesborough, Massachusetts|Lanesborough]]. This plan was never initiated, although land takings occurred. The highway was ultimately canceled due to environmental and community opposition.

In Massachusetts, US&nbsp;7 passes through the towns of Sheffield, [[Great Barrington, Massachusetts|Great Barrington]], [[Stockbridge, Massachusetts|Stockbridge]], [[Lee, Massachusetts|Lee]], Lenox, Pittsfield, Lanesborough, [[New Ashford, Massachusetts|New Ashford]], and Williamstown, before crossing into [[Pownal, Vermont]].

===Vermont===
{{Main|U.S. Route 7 in Vermont}}
[[File:US7 CharlotteLakeChamplain ViewWest 20161011.jpg|thumb| Westward view of [[Lake Champlain]] from US 7 in Charlotte]]
[[File:2024-08-01 12 22 13 View south along U.S. Route 7 from the overpass for Houghton Lane in Bennington, Bennington County, Vermont.jpg|thumb|US 7 southbound in Bennington]]

US&nbsp;7 remains a rural two-lane highway from the Massachusetts line to [[Bennington, Vermont|Bennington]], where it becomes a grade separated freeway {{One2a|{{convert|1|mi|km|spell=in}}}} north of Bennington. Once complete, US&nbsp;7 will utilize this new bypass, while the existing two-lane road into town will become part of [[Vermont Route&nbsp;7A]] (VT&nbsp;7A). North of town, the highway then again returns to expressway status. For {{convert|3|mi|km|spell=in}}, it is a four-lane freeway with a grass median. US&nbsp;7 then narrows down to an undivided [[two-lane freeway]], with brief passing lanes in each direction. Just north of [[Manchester, Vermont|Manchester]], the expressway ends. From Manchester to [[Wallingford, Vermont|Wallingford]], the road is two lanes and rural. North of Wallingford, US&nbsp;7 becomes a four-lane divided highway with at-grade intersections, until its southern junction with [[U.S. Route 4|US&nbsp;4]], south of the city of [[Rutland (city), Vermont|Rutland]]. From Rutland north, the road is either two-lane or four-lane undivided, uncontrolled road all the way to the Canada–United States border, except between [[Shelburne, Vermont|Shelburne]] and [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]], which is a four-lane divided highway. US&nbsp;7 and [[U.S. Route 2|US&nbsp;2]] run concurrently from Burlington to Chimney Corners in [[Colchester, Vermont|Colchester]]. It is known as the Ethan Allen Highway for much of the path through Vermont.

In Vermont, it passes through the towns of [[Pownal, Vermont|Pownal]], Bennington, [[Shaftsbury, Vermont|Shaftsbury]], [[Glastenbury, Vermont|Glastenbury]], [[Arlington, Vermont|Arlington]], [[Sunderland, Vermont|Sunderland]], Manchester, [[Dorset, Vermont|Dorset]], [[Danby, Vermont|Danby]], [[Mount Tabor, Vermont|Mount Tabor]], [[Wallingford, Vermont|Wallingford]], [[Clarendon, Vermont|Clarendon]], and [[Rutland (town), Vermont|Rutland]]; the city of Rutland; the towns of [[Pittsford, Vermont|Pittsford]], [[Brandon, Vermont|Brandon]], [[Leicester, Vermont|Leicester]], [[Salisbury, Vermont|Salisbury]], [[Middlebury, Vermont|Middlebury]], [[New Haven, Vermont|New Haven]], [[Waltham, Vermont|Waltham]], [[Ferrisburg, Vermont|Ferrisburg]], [[Charlotte, Vermont|Charlotte]], and Shelburne; the cities of [[South Burlington, Vermont|South Burlington]] (at which point [[Interstate 89|I-89]] begins to parallel it), Burlington, and [[Winooski, Vermont|Winooski]]; the towns of Colchester, [[Milton, Vermont|Milton]], [[Georgia, Vermont|Georgia]], and [[St. Albans (town), Vermont|St. Albans]]; the city of [[St. Albans (city), Vermont|St. Albans]]; and the towns of [[Swanton (town), Vermont|Swanton]] and [[Highgate, Vermont|Highgate]] before ending at I-89 just south of the customs offices at the Canada–United States border.

==History==
[[Image:New England 4.svg|left|75px]]
Prior to the U.S. Numbered Highway System, the alignment of US&nbsp;7 from [[Great Barrington, Massachusetts]], to the Canada–United States border north of [[Highgate Springs, Vermont]], was part of the [[New England road marking system]]'s Route&nbsp;4. When first commissioned in 1927, US&nbsp;7 ran along the entire length of Route&nbsp;4, continuing south from Great Barrington along current [[Massachusetts Route 41|Route&nbsp;41]]. [[Connecticut Route 41|Route&nbsp;41]] continues into Connecticut up to the town of [[Sharon, Connecticut|Sharon]]. Route&nbsp;4 then went west along [[Connecticut Route 343|Route&nbsp;343]] to the New York state line, where the road continues along [[New York State Route&nbsp;343]] (NY&nbsp;343) to [[Amenia (town), New York|Amenia]]. US&nbsp;7 originally extended further south of Amenia all the way to [[New York City]] along [[New York State Route 22|NY&nbsp;22]] but was never signed within the city. By 1929, the southern terminus had been shifted to [[Norwalk, Connecticut]]. The previous designations of the new alignment south of Great Barrington were: [[New England Route 17|Route&nbsp;17]] to [[North Canaan, Connecticut|North Canaan]], State Highway&nbsp;134 to [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]], State Highway&nbsp;128 to Danbury, [[New England Route 3|Route&nbsp;3]] to [[Ridgefield, Connecticut|Ridgefield]], and State Highway&nbsp;126 to Norwalk.

Until the 1970s, US&nbsp;7 reached the Canada–United States border, with the road continuing as provincial route 7. US&nbsp;7 was then cut back to the I-89 interchange mentioned above, with I-89 continuing to the Canada–US border and becoming [[Quebec Route 133|Route&nbsp;133]].

==Major intersections==
;Connecticut
:{{jct|country=USA|I|95}} in [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]]
:{{jct|country=USA|US|1}} in [[Norwalk, Connecticut|Norwalk]]
:{{jct|country=USA|I|84|dab1=Pennsylvania–Massachusetts}} in [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]]. The highways travel concurrently through the city.
:{{jct|country=USA|US|6|US|202}} in [[Danbury, Connecticut|Danbury]]. US&nbsp;6/US&nbsp;7 travel concurrently through the city. US&nbsp;7/US&nbsp;202 travel concurrently to [[Brookfield, Connecticut|Brookfield]].
:{{jct|country=USA|US|202}} in [[Brookfield, Connecticut|Brookfield]]
:{{jct|country=USA|US|202}} in [[Brookfield, Connecticut|Brookfield]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[New Milford, Connecticut|New Milford]].
:{{jct|country=USA|US|44}} in [[North Canaan, Connecticut|North Canaan]]. The highways travel concurrently through the town.
;Massachusetts
:{{jct|country=USA|US|20}} in [[Lenox, Massachusetts|Lenox]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Pittsfield, Massachusetts|Pittsfield]].
;Vermont
:{{jct|country=USA|US|4}} in the [[Rutland (town), Vermont|Town of Rutland]]. The highways travel concurrently to the [[Rutland (city), Vermont|City of Rutland]].
:{{jct|country=USA|I|189}} on the [[South Burlington, Vermont|South Burlington]]–[[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]] city line
:{{jct|country=USA|US|2}} in [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]]. The highways travel concurrently to [[Colchester, Vermont|Colchester]].
:{{jct|country=USA|I|89}} in [[Colchester, Vermont|Colchester]]
:{{jct|country=USA|I|89}} in [[Georgia, Vermont|Georgia]]
:{{jct|country=USA|I|89}} in [[Highgate, Vermont|Highgate]] 
<ref name=randmcnally>{{cite book |author = Rand McNally |year = 2014 |title = The Road Atlas |edition = Walmart |location = Chicago |publisher = Rand McNally |pages = 23, 48, 104|isbn = 978-0-528-00771-2}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[New York State Route&nbsp;22]], parallels the state line on the New York side
*[[Connecticut Route&nbsp;41]] and [[Massachusetts Route&nbsp;41]]
*[[State Route 343 (New York−Connecticut)]]
*[[Massachusetts Route&nbsp;7A]]
*[[Vermont Route&nbsp;7A]]
*[[Vermont Route&nbsp;7B]]
*[[New England road marking system]]

===Special routes===
*[[U.S. Route&nbsp;7 Alternate (Burlington, Vermont)|U.S. Route&nbsp;7 Alternate]], an [[alternate route]] of US&nbsp;7 through [[Burlington, Vermont]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Attached KML}}
{{Commons category|U.S. Route 7}}
*[http://www.nycroads.com/roads/US-7_CT/ US 7 Expressway @ NYC Roads.com]
*[https://www.eastcoastroads.com/states/ct/state/us7 US 7 (East Coast Roads)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234051/http://www.greaternyroads.info/ctstate/us7/index.htm |date=March 3, 2016 }}
*[http://usends.com/7.html Endpoints of U.S. Highway 7]

{{US Highways}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:U.S. Route 7| ]]
[[Category:United States Numbered Highway System|07]]
[[Category:U.S. Highways in New York (state)|07]]