William H. Putnam Memorial Bridge

Bridge in Connecticut and Glastonbury, Connecticut

41°42′51″N 72°38′27″W / 41.71417°N 72.64083°W / 41.71417; -72.64083Carries4 lanes of

Route 3CrossesConnecticut RiverLocaleWethersfield, Connecticut and Glastonbury, ConnecticutOfficial nameWilliam H. Putnam Memorial BridgeCharacteristicsDesignSteel girder bridgeClearance below80 ft (24.3 m)StatisticsDaily traffic50,800Location Map

The Putnam Bridge is a bridge in the state of Connecticut carrying the Route 3 freeway over the Connecticut River, connecting Interstate 91 in Wethersfield and Route 2 in Glastonbury. It is the southernmost crossing of the Connecticut River in the Hartford Area and carries an average of 50,800 vehicles per day.^[1]

The bridge was built in the late 1950s as part of the Route 3 freeway between Interstate 91 and Route 2. It originally terminated at Main Street in Glastonbury, rather than at Route 2. It was expected to be expanded to a double-decker in the early 1970s as part of the planned Interstate 491, a southeastern bypass around Hartford from Wethersfield to East Hartford. However, the project was cancelled in 1973. In the late 1980s, the freeway portion of Route 3 was extended to terminate at Route 2.

In 2013, the bridge underwent a $15 million rehabilitation project, which repaved the roadbed, repainted the girders, added new lighting fixtures and a new pedestrian walkway.