The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-16

entire season - the Yale-Pri tho New York State Line to ! bull, this magnificent parkws which 1t was designed and built -, the dispatch of commercial traffic and the relief of the long overworked Boston Post Road.
 Overpasses and underpasses for the major intersecting highways, handicapped dividing strip between the double-lane pavement surfaces and landscaping on both sides of the wide right of way are among the outstanding features of this modern highway. Tn addition, the territory 1t traverses has meen classed with the most beautiful in this part of the United States.
 Began Years Ago
 The first steps in the direction of the present Parkway were taken shortly after the World War. Based upon the experiences with the seri- ously overworked Boston Post Road during wartime, the State Highway Department undertook survey to determine means of handling more adequately the rapidly expanding stream of motor traffic, commercial and non commercial, that was using this principal gateway to New Eng land.
 It was determined in 1923 that the mounting use of trucks coupled with !, the fact that the existing U. s. Route No. served the several busi- ness areas along this highway made 1t impossible to close U. s. Route No. 1 to commercial traffic. Tn addi- ton the survey proved that 1t would be impracticable to lay out a new highway between U. s. No. and the shore line. The age of the towns along the shore and the manner in which early building was undertaken made so many potential "bottle- necks" in a shore route that this idea was abandoned.
 New Trunk Line
 Tn 1923 legislation was passed by the General Assembly designating a trunk line road in general terms, while in 1881 further legislation was enacted directing the Highway Commissioner to lay out highway between Washington Bridge in Stratford and the New York State Line at Glenville in the Town of Greenwich. Upon this legislation the Merritt Parkway was based although subsequent acts were passed concerning the issuance of bonds to cover It's cost and providing for a commission to govern its use, when completed. In anticipation of the Parkway some rights of way were acquired as early as 1926.
 During the years since the con- pletion of the first survey, begin ming in 1923 the state highway de- pertinent engaged in the widening of the Boston Post road from New Haven to the New York state line to 36 feet, completing this work in 1891. In spite of this increase in road facilities the demands of traf- fic continued to be more pressing and 1t was not until 1897, when the first stretches of the Merritt Park way were opened, that any substan- tial relief was felt.
 Trap at One End
 While this relief became apparent at the western end of the territory served a new problem appeared al the opposite end in the form of c serious traffic trap at the Washing. ton bridge in Stratford. The wider Post road, the splendid new facilitie! of the parkway and the continually mounting flow of trafiic made 1t ap' parent that Washington Bridge would be entirely inadequate to tn, demands that would be put upon 1t The entire program was broad
 ened in 1887 by the enactment O legislation creating the Wilbur Cros Parkway to connect tn: Merit
 Parkway at Nichols in the town O Trumbull with the northeastern par of the state. The first steps in tn construction of this link are un derway, including the extension O the Merritt Parkway to the Housa tonic river, the construction of thu new Housatonic Bridge about thre, miles upstream from Washington Bridge and the layout and pavemen Of one link east of the river connect ing the new bridge with the Mil ford by-pass. In addition work 1 under way looking to the extension < of the main sections of the Wilbu Cross Parkway from the Housaton Bridge toward the northeast am < east.
 Completed Next Year The bridge and the connectinl z highways to carry trafflc from tn X present terminus of the Merritt Parkway to Milford are schedule Z for completion July l, 1940 and a present all phases of the work ar up to schedule.
 k A plan of trafiic control has bee < worked out to use all of the Merritt \ Parkway between New York an Nichols. pending the completion ( z the Housatonic Bridge and its con \ necting links.
 Through trafflc will enter an Y leave the Merritt Parkway at il K intersection with Nichols avenue ( A Route No. l13. Westbound traff N will leave the Boston Post road {
 the corner of Barnum avenue an