Merritt Parkway | |
|---|---|
 Merritt Parkway highlighted in red | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by CTDOT | |
| Length | 37.67 mi[1] (60.62 km) |
| Existed | June 29, 1938–present |
| Tourist routes |  Merritt Parkway |
| Restrictions | No commercial vehicles[2] |
| Major junctions | |
| South end |  Hutchinson River Parkway at the New York state line in Greenwich |
| North end |  Route 15 / Wilbur Cross Parkway / Milford Parkway in Milford |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Connecticut |
| Counties | Fairfield, New Haven |
| Highway system | |
| |
Merritt Parkway | |
| Architect | Connecticut Highway Department; et al. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Classical Revival, Modern Movement |
| NRHP reference No. | 91000410 |
| Added to NRHP | April 17, 1991[3] |
The Merritt Parkway (also known locally as "The Merritt") is a controlled-access parkway in Fairfield County, Connecticut, with a small section at the northern end in New Haven County. Designed for Connecticut's Gold Coast, the parkway is known for its scenic layout, its uniquely styled signage, and the architecturally elaborate overpasses along the route. As one of the first, oldest parkways in the United States, it is designated as a National Scenic Byway and is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[4][5] Signed as part of Route 15, it runs from the New York state line in Greenwich, where it serves to continue the Hutchinson River Parkway, to Exit 54 in Milford, where the Wilbur Cross Parkway begins. Facing bitter opposition, the project took six years to build in three different sections, with the Connecticut Department of Transportation constantly requiring additional funding due to the area's high property value. The parkway was named for U.S. Congressman Schuyler Merritt. In 2010, the National Trust for Historic Preservation called the Merritt Parkway one of "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places".[6]
Trucks, buses, trailers, towed vehicles, and all vehicles 8 feet (2.4 m) tall or taller are not allowed on any part of the parkway due to its low bridges, narrow lanes, and tight curve radii.
The roadway sign of the Merritt features a blue shield with white lettering, along with the foliage of Kalmia latifolia, commonly known as the mountain laurel, the state flower of Connecticut.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
routelogwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
restrictionswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
- ^ "Connecticut: Fairfield County Historic Places". National Register of Historic Places. Archived from the original on August 17, 2017. Retrieved August 24, 2007.
- ^ Shannahan, John W. (April 17, 1991). "National Register of Historic Places in America". Retrieved March 14, 2020.
National Park Service Certification I, hereby, certify that this property is: entered in the National Register [signed Beth L. Savage] 4-17-91[...]The Merritt Parkway, Connecticut's ALL-YEAR GATEWAY TO NEW ENGLAND, Welcome to our State. We want you to enjoy your stay here and to come again. [signed Raymond E. Baldwin ] Governor
- ^ "America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places". National Trust for Historic Preservation. Archived from the original on May 22, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2010.