List of crossings of the Housatonic River facts for kids

The Housatonic River is a beautiful river that flows through parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut before emptying into Long Island Sound. To get from one side of the river to the other, people and trains need bridges! This article explores the many bridges and other ways we cross the Housatonic River, starting from where it meets the ocean and moving upstream towards its beginnings in the Berkshire Mountains.

Bridges in Connecticut

Many important bridges help people travel across the Housatonic River in Connecticut. These bridges connect towns and cities, allowing cars, trucks, and trains to cross safely. Here are some of the main crossings you might see:

Bridge Name	Route	Location	Built Year	Notes
Washington Bridge	US 1	Stratford and Milford	1921	A key bridge for local traffic.
Moses Wheeler Bridge	I-95	Stratford and Milford	2016 (original built 1958)	Carries a major interstate highway.
Metro North railroad bridge	New Haven Line	Stratford and Milford		Used by passenger trains.
Sikorsky Bridge	Route 15	Stratford and Milford	2006 (original built 1940)	Named after the famous helicopter inventor.
Commodore Hull Bridge	Route 8	Shelton and Derby	1951	Connects two busy towns.
Railroad bridge	CSX/Housatonic Railroad	Shelton and Derby		Used by freight trains.
Derby-Shelton Bridge	SR 712	Shelton and Derby	1918	Connects Route 110 / Route 34.
Stevenson Dam Bridge	Route 34	Monroe and Oxford	1919	Part of a dam structure.
Rochambeau Bridge	I-84 / US 6	Newtown and Southbury	1953 twinned 1977	A large bridge for major highways.
Glen Road Bridge	SR 816	Newtown and Southbury	1936
Southville Bridge	Route 133	Brookfield and Bridgewater	1954
Lovers Leap Bridge		New Milford	1895	A special Lenticular truss bridge.
Marsh Bridge	Grove Street	New Milford	1977
Railroad bridge	Housatonic Railroad	New Milford		Another rail crossing.
Veterans Memorial Bridge	US 202 / Route 67	New Milford	1953
Boardman Bridge		New Milford	1984
Old Boardman Bridge		New Milford	1888	Similar to Lover's Leap, but now closed to traffic.
Gaylord Bridge	US 7	New Milford	1991
Bull's Bridge		Kent	Pre-1900	An older, historic bridge.
Fuller Bridge	Route 341	Kent	1923 (rebuilt 1991)
Cornwall Bridge	US 7 / Route 4	Sharon and Cornwall	1930
West Cornwall Covered Bridge	Route 128	Sharon and Cornwall	1864	A famous historic wooden covered bridge.
Lime Rock Road Bridge	US 7, Appalachian Trail	Salisbury and Canaan	1931	Used by hikers on the Appalachian Trail.
Water Street	Appalachian Trail	Salisbury and Canaan	1903 rebuilt 1985	Another crossing for the Appalachian Trail.
Dutchers Bridge	US 44	Salisbury and North Canaan	1990

Bridges in Massachusetts

As the Housatonic River flows north into Massachusetts, there are more bridges that cross its path. These crossings help connect towns and allow people to travel through the beautiful Berkshire region.

Bridge Name	Route	Location	Built Year	Notes
Rannapo Road		Ashley Falls
Housatonic Railroad		Ashley Falls		A railroad bridge.
Route 7A Bridge	Route 7A	Ashley Falls
Green Bridge	Bridge Street	Great Barrington		A green bridge with two lanes.
Cottage Street Bridge (closed)	Cottage Street	Great Barrington		A rustic bridge, now closed to traffic.
Butternut Bridge	State Rd/Main Street	Great Barrington	Refurbished 2020/21	A red bridge with two lanes.
Division Street Bridge	Division Street	Vandeusenville	2022	A temporary bridge, soon to be replaced.
Park Street Bridge	Park Street	Housatonic	2017	A modern two-lane bridge.

River Branches in Massachusetts

Further north, the Housatonic River splits into different branches, like smaller rivers that feed into the main one. These branches also have their own crossings.

East Branch Crossings

The East branch of the Housatonic River has several crossings, especially around the city of Pittsfield.

• Appleton Ave (Pittsfield)
• Elm St (Pittsfield)
• East St (Pittsfield)
• CSX Berkshire Subdivision (a railroad bridge)
• South St (Pittsfield)
• Route 8 (several crossings)
• The source of this branch is at Muddy Pond.

West Branch Crossings

The West branch also has many crossings, including some near Pittsfield.

• Route 7-20
• Route 20
• CSX Berkshire Subdivision (another railroad bridge)
• West St (Pittsfield)
• Pontoosuc Ave (Pittsfield)
• Hancock Rd
• The source of this branch is at Pontoosuc Lake.

Southwest Branch Crossings

The Southwest branch of the Housatonic River also has bridges.

• Housatonic Railroad (a railroad bridge)
• Route 20 (two crossings)
• The source of this branch is at Richmond Pond.