Generic Street Name Types
The assignment of a generic name to a street in Hamden does not follow strict rules, but is not entirely arbitrary. This section will consider all the generic names used in Hamden, beginning with those more commonly used in urban or built-up areas:
Street is the common term for a thoroughfare in an urban area. The term implies that it is lined by buildings more or less continuously on both sides, and those buildings, as well as the pavement, are sometimes considered part of the street. This has had an implication in deciding what streets to include in this listing. Town Line Road is included, although its pavement is entirely in North Haven, because two houses on it are in Hamden.
Avenue is used for urban thoroughfares that are usually more important than streets. In some cities, though only inconsistently in Hamden, Avenues run at right angles to Streets.
Place is typically used for a short street, just one or a few blocks long.
Court is also used for short street, often with a dead end.
Now for those more often in less-developed areas:
Highway is used today to designate a route between populated places. It is often, incorrectly, assumed that a highway has to be a limited access expressway or freeway. However, it can be applied to any route running for some distance between populated places. In the early years of Hamden, the term was applied to very local roads, for example Old Coach Highway and Six Rod Highway.
Turnpike designates a highway on which tolls have to be paid, or, as in the case of Hartford Turnpike, used to be paid.
Road is used for a route in a rural area. Buildings along it would have considerable space between them, unlike a street.
Lane connotes a shorter, narrower, less-important road.
Way is also a less-important road.
Trail is usually a path for foot or bicycle travel, although in Hamden it is used for short residential roads. Elsewhere, it is occasionally used for highways, even expressways.
Finally, some are distinguished by their shape or surroundings:
Circle denotes a road that, if not a complete circular shape like Blake Circle, has a curved shape or ends in a cul-de-sac. Occasionally a Circle can be essentially straight, like East Clover Circle.
Crossing is another term for an intersection, although it can be applied to a short road, as in Partridge Crossing.
Drive is a winding road, intended primarily to be used by motor vehicles.
Parkway is a route in a parklike setting. It could be a local road like Connolly Parkway, or an expressway like Wilbur Cross Parkway.
Terrace is a road that is level but at a high elevation.
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