Hands down one of the most pleasant drives in existence, especially during the fall outside rush times. I live right near here and drive it and the Hutch (that it turns into), frequently. I really want to find out the idea and intent beyond the overpasses. Each one has a slightly different (to very different) aesthetic. They did that on purpose and it is unique to the highway itself. I don't think any of the other parkways do this in the area.
Agreed, the road was engineered during a time when travel was to have function and form. I'm from Wilton and have always been a huge fan of the road - love hearing your enthusiasm for it as well, considering it has mainly turned into a commuter experience that can often detract so much from what it originally was built as. Read the book "The Merritt Parkway: The Road that Shaped a Region" - it has all of the info you're inquiring about regarding the bridge designs, the activism, the backdoor politics of it all...lol. Enjoy
Oh man, can’t believe I didn’t see this video until now. I really don’t get to drive on the Merritt often enough. It’s *such* a gorgeous highway to drive on. 😁
I live in VA where the speed limits on rural interstates is 70. People coming south from Maryland and PA on 81 go flying through WV bc it's the first 70 zone after a bunch of 55's and 65's
@@ErinS06 Yep. I also live in Virginia. I was so happy when the speed limits went to 70 in 2009. I’ve been to the Midwest where the speed limit is 75-80. Love it!
Can be frustrating at times, but with this road, the often short entrances/exits and subsequent merge space coupled with antiquated horizontal and vertical geometry make 55 sensible. However I will say that up to 80 is generally acceptable, though over you're sure to get stopped and ticketed (happened to me lol)
I must have been unlucky on this route. When I was there in July of 2021, it was a Friday afternoon and it took us about 4 hours to get through CT, most of which was on this road. Even the Tappan-Zee around rush hour was better.
Super weird at the beginning! King St is a NY state route. But Google maps has the road mostly in CT by a few feet. The border goes right over the Merritt overpass (not the Welcome to CT sign). And the first half of the cloverleaf is exit 19A with NY signs, then the other half is exit 27 with CT signs.
That's right. The state line is just past the NY 120A bridge. NY 120A has a substantial portion of its routing in CT, but is maintained by NYSDOT in its entirety.
Armonk NY is really the only thing you'd exit onto Round Hill Road for. That first 2 or 3 miles on the southwest end of the Merritt run pretty close to due north/south, and since you are in the Connecticut panhandle, NY is both to your west and to your north. It's technically the northern part of Greenwich, but there's nothing much out there. You probably wouldn't exit there to go to downtown Greenwich, and the only thing on that road in the other direction is Armonk.
the original signs were made of wood with that rigid sawtooth design, so the new metal ones represent that small detail. same way the barriers are still made of wood but have steel running along the back of it
Hands down one of the most pleasant drives in existence, especially during the fall outside rush times. I live right near here and drive it and the Hutch (that it turns into), frequently. I really want to find out the idea and intent beyond the overpasses. Each one has a slightly different (to very different) aesthetic. They did that on purpose and it is unique to the highway itself. I don't think any of the other parkways do this in the area.
It’s a beautiful road, but I would describe it more as “white knuckle” when most of the traffic is going 70+ over the hills and around the curves.
Agreed, the road was engineered during a time when travel was to have function and form. I'm from Wilton and have always been a huge fan of the road - love hearing your enthusiasm for it as well, considering it has mainly turned into a commuter experience that can often detract so much from what it originally was built as. Read the book "The Merritt Parkway: The Road that Shaped a Region" - it has all of the info you're inquiring about regarding the bridge designs, the activism, the backdoor politics of it all...lol. Enjoy
As a truck driver not living on the east coast, this would be the only way I'd be able to see parkways like this.
Oh man, can’t believe I didn’t see this video until now. I really don’t get to drive on the Merritt often enough. It’s *such* a gorgeous highway to drive on. 😁
this is such a beautiful drive in fall season. have done this in the past, and all the overpasses along this route are unique !
I love your videos! It’s crazy how ultra low the speed limits are on interstate highways in the northeast. I’d go crazy!
I live in VA where the speed limits on rural interstates is 70. People coming south from Maryland and PA on 81 go flying through WV bc it's the first 70 zone after a bunch of 55's and 65's
@@ErinS06 Yep. I also live in Virginia. I was so happy when the speed limits went to 70 in 2009. I’ve been to the Midwest where the speed limit is 75-80. Love it!
Can be frustrating at times, but with this road, the often short entrances/exits and subsequent merge space coupled with antiquated horizontal and vertical geometry make 55 sensible. However I will say that up to 80 is generally acceptable, though over you're sure to get stopped and ticketed (happened to me lol)
Yes, things are a lot more cramped up here. Makes you appreciate all the space and room to breathe in the South.
9:04 A reminder: NO TRUCKS ALLOWED!! 4 seconds later you can see the State Trooper walking toward the 18-wheeler.
Lol😂
Awesome drive along Merritt Parkway in Stamford CT
Merritt pkwy - home of the right lane pass and the follow-too-close driver that taps their brakes every 4-5 seconds!
Nice ride along Merritt parkway from Greenwich to Milford CT
I must have been unlucky on this route. When I was there in July of 2021, it was a Friday afternoon and it took us about 4 hours to get through CT, most of which was on this road. Even the Tappan-Zee around rush hour was better.
Trust me…not just unlucky. Stamford to Milford in PM is the commute from hell. Second only to Milford to Stamford in the AM.
DEADLY HIGHWAY
Super weird at the beginning! King St is a NY state route. But Google maps has the road mostly in CT by a few feet. The border goes right over the Merritt overpass (not the Welcome to CT sign). And the first half of the cloverleaf is exit 19A with NY signs, then the other half is exit 27 with CT signs.
That's right. The state line is just past the NY 120A bridge. NY 120A has a substantial portion of its routing in CT, but is maintained by NYSDOT in its entirety.
Armonk NY is really the only thing you'd exit onto Round Hill Road for. That first 2 or 3 miles on the southwest end of the Merritt run pretty close to due north/south, and since you are in the Connecticut panhandle, NY is both to your west and to your north. It's technically the northern part of Greenwich, but there's nothing much out there. You probably wouldn't exit there to go to downtown Greenwich, and the only thing on that road in the other direction is Armonk.
Is there a reason why the edges of the road signs have sawtooth shapes
the original signs were made of wood with that rigid sawtooth design, so the new metal ones represent that small detail. same way the barriers are still made of wood but have steel running along the back of it