DOT Studies Trails along Merritt Parkway

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is undertaking a $1.3 million study to evaluate the feasibility of a multi-use trail along the Merritt Parkway, funded in part by a grant of $1.1 million from the National Scenic Byways Program.    

Public Workshops have been scheduled for the following Cities/Towns:

• Westport - Tuesday, May 1, 2012, Westport Police Headquarters 6:30 p.m.
• Trumbull - Monday, May 14, 2012, Trumbull Library 7:00 p.m.
• Norwalk - Thursday, May 17, 2012, Norwalk High School 6:30 p.m.
• Stratford - TBD

 (For more  information on public workshops and meetings: http://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=4185&Q=491882.)    

The study will consider a trail running the entire 37.5-mile length of the parkway from Greenwich to the Sikorsky Bridge in Stratford. The trail would be located primarily in the wide right-of-way along the south side of the roadway and would be buffered by woods from both the parkway and abutting properties.            

Proposals for a trail along the Merritt date almost to the beginning of construction, in the 1930s. The roadway is located in the northern half of the 300-foot right-of-way, leaving a wide swath of land undeveloped. This area was originally intended for future expansion, but DOT has made a commitment not to widen the parkway.

Early brochures mention bridle trails like the ones along some of the parkways in Westchester County, New York. However, the Merritt trails never were built, although walkers and hikers have been known to use existing pathways in the woods.

Another proposal came in 1993, when the tri-state Regional Plan Association (RPA) presented a recommendation for a pedestrian and bicycle trail along the parkway. Again, nothing came of the plan.            

Since 2000, a new organization, the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance, has advocated actively for a trail, with support from the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, RPA, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

The alliance says that a trail would ease traffic congestion and air pollution by permitting bicycling and walking as alternate methods of transportation and provide connections to other trails as a part of the East Coast Greenway. The organization notes that the Sikorsky Bridge, at the northern end of the Merritt, was rebuilt in 2006 with a bicycle/pedestrian lane. Another advantage of a trail, according to alliance materials, would be the opportunity to view the parkway’s landscape and bridges up close and at a slower speed than is possible from moving autos.

However, building a trail would present a number of difficulties. In the past, DOT engineers have expressed concerns about the wisdom of building a pedestrian trail so close to high-speed traffic. Abutting property owners are worried about their security and privacy. And, of course, there is the cost of construction and maintenance. Alliance members say that Stamford has offered to pay for upkeep along its portion of the trail, but there is no indication that other towns would offer similar support.            

For preservationists, the chief concern is the potential impact on the Merritt’s historic landscape. The parkway passes through hilly terrain and crosses numerous streams, wetlands, and side roads. A trail, particularly a fully accessible trail as is being discussed, would require many cuts and fills to create manageable grades. Bridges would have to be built over roads that cross the Merritt and over streams and wetlands. There might have to be fences or other barriers to separate trail traffic from vehicles. Certainly, many trees would be cut, and it is not certain that the trail actually would be screened from the roadway and adjoining properties.

While preservationists recognize that it may be possible to do all this without harming the parkway’s historic character, they want to be sure. In meetings of the Merritt Parkway Advisory Committee and in a letter to the Commissioner of Transportation, the Connecticut Trust has urged DOT to have detailed plans in place and reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office before committing to any construction.

As part of the study, DOT will meet with town officials and hold public information sessions in the eight towns along the parkway. This input will be used to develop a conceptual design for the trail. Citizens who are interested in the preservation of the Merritt are urged to participate in these meetings.  

This article originally appeared in the January/February, 2012, issue of Connecticut Preservation News.

For more information, contact William Britnell at the Connecticut Department of Transportation, (860) 594-3274 or by email to William.Britnell@ct.gov or attend a public meeting.

For information on the Merritt Trail Alliance, visit http://www.ctwoodlands.org/merritt-parkway.