Bantam Businesses Remain Fully Open Amid Route 202 Closure!

Route 202 is closed just below Bantam center through Aug. 31 for a bridge replacement project – but the businesses in Bantam are fully open for business and easily accessible.

Drivers heading from Litchfield into Bantam on Route 202, or coming into Bantam center on Route 209, can simply proceed past the road closure warning sign and down the hill to access businesses between the Route 202/209 intersection and the road closure.

These businesses include:

Arethusa Farm (ice cream shop)

Arethusa a mano (coffee shop and café)

Bantam Bread Company

HTC Home Store

Jackie’s Restaurant

Zini’s Restaurant

Bantam Arts Factory businesses (i.e. Bantam Blooms and Dumais Made)

Bantam Country Liquors

The Wellness Center

The Clothes Tree

Bantam Salon & Spa

Washerwoman of Litchfield

Drivers coming from the west (New Preston/New Milford area) who want to access Bantam center businesses can take an easy 6-minute detour, as shown in our graphic and map: Turn right on West Morris Road, left on Stoddard Road, left on Benedict Road, and left on Route 209, which takes you to Bantam center. Turn left there to access the businesses listed above, or right to head toward Litchfield center.

Drivers coming from Litchfield center who want to go to Merritt Clarke’s Store, amArtHouse gallery, Gooseboro Drive-In LLC., Mt. Tom State Park and points west, can utilize that detour in reverse: Take a left on Route 209, a right on Benedict Road, a right on Stoddard Road, and a right on West Morris Road to rejoin Route 202.

Please be careful and courteous, and respect the speed limit, while using this detour on residential roads.

It’s important to note that the detour marked with signs by the state Department of Transportation is different and longer – taking drivers on Routes 209 and 109 between Bantam and Washington. That detour is officially in effect for truck and commercial traffic.

The Route 202 project, being done by Dayton Construction Company, Inc., is replacing the bridge over Still Brook, just east of Merritt Clarke’s store, near the intersection of West Morris Road. Route 202 is currently scheduled to be closed through Aug. 31.