[rubygreta]

My wife commuted from lower Westchester County to Norwalk for several years in the early 2000's. She has just started a new consulting assignment in Norwalk, and claims that the traffic is much worse today than it was then. And this is August, with school is not in session and many people are on vacation.

Was it just a week of bad luck, or has the traffic situation worsened considerably in the last 10 to 15 years?

[Raider111]

I have coworkers from WC that take the merrit to merrit 7 and say its a breeze in that direction. Take the merrit.

[BeyondtheHorizon]

Originally Posted by rubygreta

My wife commuted from lower Westchester County to Norwalk for several years in the early 2000's. She has just started a new consulting assignment in Norwalk, and claims that the traffic is much worse today than it was then. And this is August, with school is not in session and many people are on vacation.

Was it just a week of bad luck, or has the traffic situation worsened considerably in the last 10 to 15 years?

Traffic is much worse now than then. That being said the real disaster is going south towards nyc from Bridgeport to stamford in the MORNING. Reverse in the afternoon BOTH 95 and the Merritt are a complete disaster in that direction. No real difference.

BUT...You're doing a reverse commute so I agree with previous poster that you should take 15. When doing a reverse commute, 15 is much better than 95 and you shouldn't have a lot of problems.

BUT AVOID THE HUTCHINSON(the section of 15 in westerchester county south of 287). It's a total mess going north in the morning or south in the afternoon. You're NOT on a reverse commute on that section of the hutch in the direction you're going. Many people are heading into stamford from westchester county.

Morning commute route:
Take I-95 north through new rochelle/mamaroneck ect to 287 to route 15 north.

[BeyondtheHorizon]

Originally Posted by Raider111

I have coworkers from WC that take the merrit to merrit 7 and say its a breeze in that direction. Take the merrit.

Agreed, but take 95 in new york part of trip. Avoid the hutch(15 in ny) south of 287 like the plague.

If coming from lower westchester county you will hit a lot of traffic. It will not be a breeze in the ny section if coming from new rochlle/mt vernon area

[Raider111]

Bridge to Stam in the mornings has always been bad, nothing new. I reverse commuted to shelton in the 90s. Both were parking lots in the opposite direction even back then.

[BeyondtheHorizon]

Originally Posted by Raider111

Bridge to Stam in the mornings has always been bad, nothing new. I reverse commuted to shelton in the 90s. Both were parking lots in the opposite direction even back then.

It's always been bad. It's simply gotten worse since the 90s. Increase in average traffic daily counts prove that.(they literally count the cars that pass by daily) More cars on the road equal more congestion.

[SeaDoo342]

It's always been bad during rush hour....but now there's traffic on Saturdays and Sundays... so yes, it's gotten worse in the past 5 years..

[Raider111]

Originally Posted by BeyondtheHorizon

It's always been bad. It's simply gotten worse since the 90s. Increase in average traffic daily counts prove that.(they literally count the cars that pass by daily) More cars on the road equal more congestion.

Yeah, I have no clue what the daily counts are. All I know is that I witnessed 3 lanes jam packed on 95 or 2 lanes jam packed on the Merrit on my way up to Shelton everyday for 8 years back then - same old story. I remember thinking I'll never be that person.

[clutchrider]

What's funny is that there is a long stretch of 15 in Fairfield that is the "no exit zone" because they skip exit 42 I believe, and no idea why.

But that sometimes turns out to be the worst part of the trip when I commuted from Milford to Norwalk years ago. I would actually get off at 41 or sooner, and take backroads all the way to Norwalk. I didn't care if it ended up being 5-15 min longer someday's or snowy even. The less irritating and stressful drive made it worthwhile and I was always "moving".

Now I drive to Hartford everyday (until wfh kicks in) and it is nowhere near as bad as that commute was. Even with traffic, people still move and your never stopped for long unless there is an accident or some other hazard. I make it there and back in a half hour no issues.

[CTartist]

Originally Posted by rubygreta

My wife commuted from lower Westchester County to Norwalk for several years in the early 2000's. She has just started a new consulting assignment in Norwalk, and claims that the traffic is much worse today than it was then. And this is August, with school is not in session and many people are on vacation.

Was it just a week of bad luck, or has the traffic situation worsened considerably in the last 10 to 15 years?

I moved to Trumbull from Stamford in the 1990's. I have been going down to the Norwalk and Stamford areas since the 1990's. Yes, I think the traffic is much worse now.