[Stylo]

95 needs widening and improvements in a lot of spots between Stamford and Fairfield.

[MetsNY]

They need to build another highway that doesn't run parallel. I mean, a majority of the commuters who sit in traffic are coming home from work and many don't live along the coast, yet these two highways run directly across the coast (I understand the Merritt is inland, but let's be real: Greenwich, Stamford, Westport, Fairfield are coastal communties).

A highway connecting say Stamford to 84 directly instead of having commuters sit on 95 or the Merritt to hop on 25/Route 8 or 7 would be excellent. Thing about the amount of people taken off the highway who live in say Newtown, Ridgefield, Monroe, Oxford, etc.)

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by MetsNY

They need to build another highway that doesn't run parallel. I mean, a majority of the commuters who sit in traffic are coming home from work and many don't live along the coast, yet these two highways run directly across the coast (I understand the Merritt is inland, but let's be real: Greenwich, Stamford, Westport, Fairfield are coastal communties).

A highway connecting say Stamford to 84 directly instead of having commuters sit on 95 or the Merritt to hop on 25/Route 8 or 7 would be excellent. Thing about the amount of people taken off the highway who live in say Newtown, Ridgefield, Monroe, Oxford, etc.)

That will never happen. A highway was supposed to be created where 7 is now, and towns like Wilton blocked it from happening. The state had the land and everything.

http://www.kurumi.com/roads/ct/us7.html

It would've been great, but will likely never happen at this point. Fairfield County is too developed and the land is too expensive for something like that to happen. On the other hand, widening key areas of 95 is totally doable and feasible. They added a lane between exits in Darien and should do the same elsewhere. They can also reduce the number of exits, especially in Fairfield, or add the timed red lights at onramps like they do in California.

The Merritt would be expandable, but again - will never happen. There's too much interest around maintaining the rural and "historic" feel of the highway. I don't necessarily agree with it, I don't think our residents should suffer for a couple sculpted bridges built in the 30's. But that's just me.

And also against your point, most of the population IS most certainly along the 95/Merritt corridor. That's where the most populated towns in Fairfield and New Haven counties are. Danbury is the only exception, but the greater Danbury area is much less dense than lower Fairfield.

[DawnMTL]

Originally Posted by AnonChick

Probably because every time someone posts in this forum saying "I'm Moving to CT where Should I Live," everyone says "Live near Merritt/Wilbur Cross So U No Have 2 Drive Long Wharf LOLOLOL."

Stop telling people to drive on a highway that was built for only 20% of the traffic it has now, and maybe you won't see so much traffic.

15 used to be such an awesome road. It's a pity to see it so gunked up. They should definitely bring back the tolls and weed out the people who are in such an all-fired rush to take their combination panel-vans around the steep curves at 70 mph.

There was no reason for me to even read this thread -- I work from home, so there's no commute for me -- but I'm so glad that I did. I needed a giggle today and the line that I bolded made me choke from laughing so hard.

I just read it again... HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!

[ctcommuter82]

MetsNY-----spot on. The reason that traffic is horrific traces right back to the cost of living. People (like me) don't want to spend 1600 on a 1br, or 800g's for a ranch so they go to the next best area: Newtown, Oxford, Monroe, Derby. That's where a lot of this traffic originates.

I commute to Stamford from Ansonia, and grew up in California. Mondays are no fun, but it gets progressively worse as the week goes on. By Thursday, I'm in tears when I arrive home. It takes me over two hours to go 38 miles M-W and closer to 150 minutes on Thursday and Friday. That's not normal for a county with less than a million people without a major city. Sure, sure, NYC is hovering over, but I don't know ANY other 40 mile stretch on suburban highway that is as nightmarish as the twin devils (95 & 15).

It doesn't help when people use exit only lanes to cut back in, and when you have to tail the car in front of you for fear of consistently getting cut off. Those stragglers who leave 15 car lengths between them and the car in front of them are equally contributing to the lowering of the Connecticut commuter's quality of life.

Make this a sticky. It's a big deal.

[davwve]

Originally Posted by ctcommuter82

I commute to Stamford from Ansonia, and grew up in California. Mondays are no fun, but it gets progressively worse as the week goes on. By Thursday, I'm in tears when I arrive home. It takes me over two hours to go 38 miles M-W and closer to 150 minutes on Thursday and Friday.

Really? I typically make it from Southington to Stamford in just over a hour. Lately traffic has been picking up so about 90 minutes for the trip. I always find it strange that the congestion is generally linked to the weather. The nicer weather tends to bring more traffic. Where were all these people during the winter months?

[Mike 75]

60 min from Southington to Stamford? On a weekday? What time do you leave?

[Mike 75]

Originally Posted by MetsNY

They need to build another highway that doesn't run parallel. I mean, a majority of the commuters who sit in traffic are coming home from work and many don't live along the coast, yet these two highways run directly across the coast (I understand the Merritt is inland, but let's be real: Greenwich, Stamford, Westport, Fairfield are coastal communties).

A highway connecting say Stamford to 84 directly instead of having commuters sit on 95 or the Merritt to hop on 25/Route 8 or 7 would be excellent. Thing about the amount of people taken off the highway who live in say Newtown, Ridgefield, Monroe, Oxford, etc.)

287 is only a few miles from Stamford, which is probably why a direct road to 84 was never built. It would have made more sense for 287's terminus to be Stamford as opposed to Port Chester, but I'm sure the politicians had their reasons.

[davwve]

Originally Posted by Mike 75

60 min from Southington to Stamford? On a weekday? What time do you leave?

6:30AM and normally at my desk between 7:30-7:45. In the evening, I hit the gym after work so I'm jumping back on the merritt between 6:30-7. The past 1.5 wks the traffic has been picking up in the AM but always sitting at my desk by 8:00.

Edit: I should mention that I work in north stamford (springdale)

[ctcommuter82]

Originally Posted by davwve

6:30AM and normally at my desk between 7:30-7:45. In the evening, I hit the gym after work so I'm jumping back on the merritt between 6:30-7. The past 1.5 wks the traffic has been picking up in the AM but always sitting at my desk by 8:00.

Edit: I should mention that I work in north stamford (springdale)

That makes sense. Mornings I leave at 6 and hit Stamford by 6:40. Volume with a few brake taps. Home is different, I leave by 4:45. 95 is a parking lot and takes me 2 hours. You take 15?