Over the holidays, I flew to NYC to visit family and then was supposed to fly to Providence. My sister suggested I take her VW GTI and drive instead. What a great suggestion! I left the city and picked up the Hutchinson Pkwy and then on to the Merritt Pkwy. I left the day after Christmas around 10 AM and by the time I hit the Merritt, traffic was very light. I'm envious of the drivers that have the opportunity to take this road on a regular basis. What a great driving road! I was happy to be back in a manual trans even though it wasn't a G35. On my return trip I ht the city at rush hour and the traffic sucks but for a couple of hours, that open road was outstanding.
Anyone in the NY, CT area get out on the Merritt and enjoy it when the road is wide open?

 

yea i live rite off the merritt... its nice on days theirs noone on it but during the week its chaotic. Starting exit 48 going south all the way into the city is bumper to bumper..
but yes. on days like today (sunday) i could really get on the G and enjoy the route and cold air..
you from this area?

 

^ No, my sister lives in the area. I'm in Ft Lauderdale but went up to visit. It was my second time on the Merritt but the first was like 10 yrs ago. Back then, I think it was a toll road and I definitely don't remember the road surface the way it is now. I'll make it a point to try and drive it when I get the chance.

 

The merritt pkwy is pretty good during the daytime. No commercial trucks are permitted so its nice. Actually nothing over 7000 pds is permitted. The saw mill pkwy & taconic in NY state are also good drivers roads, tight, twisty, 55 mph, no lights

 

The Merrit is always hit or miss. Some days the traffic is light and some days it is pretty heavy. Lots of deer/ roadkill at night and I always end up seeing a few cops every time I travel on it.
I used to have a girlfriend that lived off of the Merrit and I would take my old cj7 there 3 times a week..If I didn't get a running start I was not making it up some of those hills faster than 30mph!

 

This is also locally called the Merritt Parking Lot for obvious reasons, 2 lanes, TONS of traffic, few on ramps, and 1 break check too many and this road is closed and i mean for hours on occassion.

It is also the play land for some high end luxury cars on Sunday mornings coming out of Greenwich and Westport and New Cannan, i have been on this road @ 7 AM on summer Sundays, and you cannot drive only looking forwards, because behind you will be a few guys comming up on you faster the tax man on April 15, and you got to get out of the way fast. Fun to watch but not if your in their lane passing someone @ 80 and they are catching up @ over 100...

It used to be really hard to get on 10 years ago when the on ramps were very very short, and no merge lanes whatsoever, but they have spent a lot of money recently making merge and longer ramps, but literally you had to go from a stop sign (no kidding) merging into 80 MPH traffic in about 5 seconds... It was a lot of fun if it were not soo crowded in the mornings.

If you remember all the merge lanes you saw, image this road with none, zero merge lanes, and you will know what i mean.

 

^ I do like the improvements that have been made since the last time I was on this road. I know what you mean about fast moving objects, lol. The day after Christmas, traffic was light and I was mostly trying to stay out of the way. Lot's of fast moving German cars; reminded me of the Autobahn!

 

i've driven on it a few times and i loved it

 

I used to live down in that area in Norwalk, CT and have driven it many a times. Yes, that is a great scenic driving road, and if you enjoyed it that much in the winter, you should experience it in the summer or fall (traffic-free of course).

 

^ Fall on the Merritt is sick.. nice roads, trees leaves changing color and the nice cool air your car just craves..

 

Too funny about the CJ7 but I completely understand. The hills were great but I found myself braking on the crests because I wasn't sure what was going to be on the other side during my ride back in traffic. I'd like to get back up there in fall during the color change. Just a cool driving road!

 

I first discovered the Merritt in 1994, Im unsure what the onramps were like back then ... I was driving an old school 91 Cherokee Limited, and the hydroplaning on the inside lanes kind of sucked.

Dave Letterman commutes the Merritt daily, and he has hyped up the CT troopers there for years. He even had his license suspended for a while. Back in the 90s, he drove it in red sports cars; in 93 he had a Stealth Turbo, and years later he had a 1998 3000GT VR-4. Needless to say, the Merritt is a fast car playground except for when some idiot blocks the inside lane

 

Lots of nice cars in the lower area of Merritt too....I counted 6 Carerra's one day on my 45 minute drive into work....I miss that $hit! (I don't live down there any more though). Definitely don't miss that commute traffic though!