The 2.8-mile (4.5 km) section from the western terminus at the Litchfield green to the village of East Litchfield, and the 0.1-mile (0.16 km) section within the town center of Harwinton have both been designated by the state as scenic roads.

It then crosses the Naugatuck River into the town of Harwinton where it immediately has a junction with Route 8 (exit 42).

[1] The Litchfield and Harwinton Turnpike company was chartered in October 1798 to improve and maintain the road between the villages of Litchfield, Harwinton, and Burlington, where it connected to the Farmington and Bristol Turnpike.

In 1956, the rest of the old turnpike alignment to the Litchfield green was added to Route 116.

This section of Route 116 was upgraded to a partially access controlled road in 1961.