| State: | CT |
| Type: | CT |
| Route: | 161 |
| Map Custom: | yes |
| Map Notes: | Map of New London County in southeastern Connecticut with Route 161 highlighted in red |
| Length Mi: | 8.03 |
| Length Round: | 2 |
| Length Ref: | [1] |
| Established: | 1932[2] |
| Direction A: | South |
| Terminus A: | in East Lyme |
| Junction: | in East Lyme |
| Direction B: | North |
| Terminus B: | in Montville |
| Counties: | New London |
| Previous Type: | Route |
| Previous Route: | 160 |
| Next Type: | Route |
| Next Route: | 162 |
Route 161 is a state highway in southeastern Connecticut, running from the shoreline village of Niantic in East Lyme to the village of Chesterfield in Montville.
Route 161 begins as Pennsylvania Avenue at an intersection with Route 156 in the village of Niantic in East Lyme. It proceeds north for 1.1miles, curving left then turning right onto Flanders Road. Route 161 continues north for another 1.8miles until it reaches the interchange with I-95 (at exit 74). After crossing under I-95, it continues for another 0.4miles to the Boston Post Road US 1 in the village of Flanders, where it becomes Chesterfield Road. In this area, one can access East Lyme High School and the Flanders Shopping Plaza from Route 161. The road continues north through the northeastern portion of the town of East Lyme for 3.5miles before entering the town of Montville, where the road name changes to Flanders Road. The road turns northeast for another 1.1miles to end at an intersection with Route 85 in the village of Chesterfield.[1]
The Niantic-Flanders-Chesterfield road was a primary state highway in the 1920s known as Highway 188. In the 1932 state highway renumbering, Route 161 was created from the northern half of old Highway 188, running from US 1 in Flanders to Route 85 in Chesterfield. In 1950, Route 161 was extended south to Niantic along former SR 669. At an unconfirmed time after 1965, a section near East Pattagansett Road in East Lyme was rerouted for safety reasons.[3]