The Merritt Parkway is The MVP of Connecticut Roads, Do Not Abuse

While the multi-day closure of I-95 in Norwalk disrupts the lives millions of Fairfield County residents and commuters, could you imagine if the Merritt Parkway didn't exist? Even more so, Connecticut needs to protect that roadway even more so going forward.

At this point, the State of Connecticut has let everyone in the world that may have to pass through know that our most essential highway is going to be shut down for an undetermined length of time in both directions. Fairfield County has three main arteries East to West along the shoreline, I-95, Rt. 1/Post Rd, and Rt. 15/Merritt Parkway.  The tanker exploded on 95 South basically right where it runs parallel to Rt. 1 in Norwalk, and the traffic of I-95 is being diverted onto the Post Road. The Merritt Parkway was backed up 13 miles this morning, all the way from Stratford/Trumbull to the Stamford exits. I also noticed an incredible increase of volume of tractor trailers and oversized-commercial vehicles along I-84 between Danbury and Waterbury today.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation has designated the Merritt and Wilbur Cross as Parkways. Commercial vehicles are prohibited, no trailers of any kind are allowed, and if your vehicle weighs over 7,500 pounds, over 8 feet tall, over 7.5 foot wide, or over 24 foot long, it is prohibited. Why? To help protect and preserve the remaining 42 of the original 69 low-hanging bridges and overpasses that pass over the Parkway along it's 37 miles. An incredible number of commercial drivers found out the hard way that the bridges are unforgiving.

Could/Should commercial vehicles, be prohibited from traveling on commuter-essential roadways during crisis like Norwalk's?