Merritt Parkway (CT 15)

[southshore720]

I drove down the Merritt Parkway this weekend heading down to NJ and I was shocked to see the pkwy in rough shape.  The houndstooth signage was in deplorable condition...sign panels missing (if there was a sign at all!), bent panels haphazardly mended back together, route shields missing from the signs, you name it...  Why isn't CT DOT on top of this?  And why did they construct those signs so cheaply with a thin layer of metal instead of using the standard for BGSs?

Also, lots of shoulder work...are they widening the highway?  It wasn't clear what they were working on in the New Canaan-Stamford stretch.

[roadman]

The houndstooth signage was in deplorable condition...sign panels missing (if there was a sign at all!), bent panels haphazardly mended back together, route shields missing from the signs, you name it...  Why isn't CT DOT on top of this?  And why did they construct those signs so cheaply with a thin layer of metal instead of using the standard for BGSs?

My spies tell me that sheet aluminum was specified for the "houndstooth" signs on the Merritt Parkway instead of the extruded panels normally used by ConnDOT and other agencies for BGS (or in this case, BBHRS - Big Brown Historic Replica Sign) panels so that smaller support posts, and thus smaller foundations, could be used.  This apparently was one of many compromises made on Merritt-related upgrades to satisfy the preservationists and the "it has to look pretty" crowd.

Personally, if I were re-signing the Merritt Parkway, I would have mounted most of the major signs overhead.  Overhead mounting not only improves visibility and reduces potential damage from vehicle impact, but eliminates the need for future clearing of trees and brush to maintain visibility.  Sadly, most of the environmental lobby haven't yet caught on to the idea that this is actually a good thing.

[Duke87]

There are two kinds of work being done. The project tearing up large stretches of the road is to create paved shoulders where currently none exist. Then there is also the ongoing project to redo all the service areas, currently the ones in New Canaan are closed for renovation. The ones in Greenwich recently reopened.

I had noticed that a couple signs had been largely demolished by some unknown force over the winter. They've only been that way for a couple months, though, which does not strike me as being an exceptionally long time to get around to fixing something which is not safety-critical.

[Mergingtraffic]

ugh the Merritt Parkway Conservancy Group strikes again.  Really? Smaller sign posts and foundations were an actual issue?!  Have you noticed the NB service plaza at exit 46 has no on-ramp?  my friend who works for the state says the MPC objected saying it'll ruin the scene around the bridge that's nearby.  he says that's why there's no Subway on the SB side bc they objected to the size

This group and others have repeatedly put looks over safety.  As I get off the pkwy to go to US-7 I'm reminded everytime if it wasn't for them the US-7/CT-15 interchange would've been done by now.  Work stated in 2005, they sued and it's been in limbo since.

[southshore720]

For a group so concerned with how the highway looks, it isn't looking too good right now!   

I too cannot stand this conservancy group standing in the way of progress.  We can make the Parkway look nice for them later.  Clogging the old alignment of US 7 (Main Ave) defeats the point of having a new alignment!

Isn't there a way to "steamroll" over this group?

[Pete from Boston]

With the outside pressure you get the innovative work of the Exit 48 rebuild.  Without, you slap iron grates on the Huntington Tpk overpass and call it a day.  I'll take the outside pressure. 

I'm wary of rationales that use the ever-nebulous idea of "progress." Progress is finding ways to make the Merritt work while keeping it true to what makes it unique, not making excuses and ruining it.

[roadman]

With the outside pressure you get the innovative work of the Exit 48 rebuild.  Without, you slap iron grates on the Huntington Tpk overpass and call it a day.  I'll take the outside pressure. 

I'm wary of rationales that use the ever-nebulous idea of "progress." Progress is finding ways to make the Merritt work while keeping it true to what makes it unique, not making excuses and ruining it.

The problem is when the idea of "keeping the Merritt true to what makes it unique" takes priority over making it safer and more efficient for the people who use it on a daily basis.

[vdeane]

Is it even possible to keep the Merritt unique while making it a commuter road?

[hotdogPi]

Is it even possible to keep the Merritt unique while making it a commuter road?

The New Jersey Turnpike is unique with signage. The Merritt Parkway could be unique in a similar way, if people wanted it unique.

[Pete from Boston]

With the outside pressure you get the innovative work of the Exit 48 rebuild.  Without, you slap iron grates on the Huntington Tpk overpass and call it a day.  I'll take the outside pressure. 

I'm wary of rationales that use the ever-nebulous idea of "progress." Progress is finding ways to make the Merritt work while keeping it true to what makes it unique, not making excuses and ruining it.

The problem is when the idea of "keeping the Merritt true to what makes it unique" takes priority over making it safer and more efficient for the people who use it on a daily basis.

The safety and efficiency of the Merritt will always be limited as long as they don't turn it into a second 95, which is clearly not in the cards. 

[NJRoadfan]

With the outside pressure you get the innovative work of the Exit 48 rebuild.  Without, you slap iron grates on the Huntington Tpk overpass and call it a day.  I'll take the outside pressure. 

Wow, its like they made that bridge ugly on purpose. They could have went with stone faced abutments (see design on Garden State Parkway) if they really wanted to.

I find it funny that they complain about the poles holding the signs up, but have no problems with adding a shoulder.

[roadman]

Is it even possible to keep the Merritt unique while making it a commuter road?

The New Jersey Turnpike is unique with signage. The Merritt Parkway could be unique in a similar way, if people wanted it unique.

The current Merritt signing is indeed unique (see my previous reference to BBHRS panels).  The problem is that it apparently isn't durable enough to last a normal lifespan one should expect from expressway guide signing.

[cpzilliacus]

The current Merritt signing is indeed unique (see my previous reference to BBHRS panels).  The problem is that it apparently isn't durable enough to last a normal lifespan one should expect from expressway guide signing.

The federal (NPS) part of the Baltimore-Washington Parkway has all BBS sign panels, except at I-95, which must be BGS. 

They were fabricated to NPS standards in effect at the time in the early 1990's (Clarendon font) and most have aged pretty well (a few, especially on the northbound side of BWP are now badly faded and should be replaced).

[southshore720]

I never understood why they didn't replace the button copy on Exits 39-40 at the beleaguered 7/15 interchange.  I know they were probably expecting that to be covered under the interchange reconstruction contract, but hell is apparently going to freeze over before that comes to fruition.