2004-08-29
LOCAL SCENE || HISTORIC PRESERVATION
The Merritt Parkway was built during the 1930s during the Great Depression | Seen as visionary at the time, it was the first major highway from New York City to Connecticut, and helped ~ no doubt ~ to usher in the automotive culture we know today |
Perhaps less known was that the Parkway was to have a trail system running alongside it for pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrian use [no doubt, a nod to those still used horses for transport; now, perhaps, an inadvertent nod to indulgent wealthy who need some place to walk their horses]
When John "friend of the rich" Rowland sat in the Governor's mansion, he was able to procure contracters willing to upgrade and improve the Parkway | He got the Department of Transportation behind the effort as well | One of the endeavors discussed with quiet passion was to re-establish the trail system along the Parkway route | Now DOT is getting antsy about it, and isn't certain they want to support the effort |
A case of short-sightedness due to empty state coffers? or is it 'cuz Johnboy is not there to hand pick the contractors any more?
Whatever the reason, it seems vital that the effort be put forth to get this project going | As our Northeast Quadrant becomes ever more pressed for public recreational spaces, adapting edges of open space corridors we already have seems vital | Further, there's the historic importance of the creation of the Parkway | Whatever one thinks of suburban
sprawl and automotive culture, this is a vital link to the days when all that culture got started | Not only does it need to be preserved, people need to be able to walk along it, safely and at their own pace, to gather some sense of that historic construction endeavor |
In October, on the 24th of that month, the Parkway Trail Association plans on sponsoring the first annual Merritt Parkway Trail Day from Noon to 5 pm • Rain or shine | Click on their website to find out more |
SITE MAP: from the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance website
The Merritt Parkway was built during the 1930s during the Great Depression | Seen as visionary at the time, it was the first major highway from New York City to Connecticut, and helped ~ no doubt ~ to usher in the automotive culture we know today |
Perhaps less known was that the Parkway was to have a trail system running alongside it for pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrian use [no doubt, a nod to those still used horses for transport; now, perhaps, an inadvertent nod to indulgent wealthy who need some place to walk their horses]
When John "friend of the rich" Rowland sat in the Governor's mansion, he was able to procure contracters willing to upgrade and improve the Parkway | He got the Department of Transportation behind the effort as well | One of the endeavors discussed with quiet passion was to re-establish the trail system along the Parkway route | Now DOT is getting antsy about it, and isn't certain they want to support the effort |
A case of short-sightedness due to empty state coffers? or is it 'cuz Johnboy is not there to hand pick the contractors any more?
Whatever the reason, it seems vital that the effort be put forth to get this project going | As our Northeast Quadrant becomes ever more pressed for public recreational spaces, adapting edges of open space corridors we already have seems vital | Further, there's the historic importance of the creation of the Parkway | Whatever one thinks of suburban
sprawl and automotive culture, this is a vital link to the days when all that culture got started | Not only does it need to be preserved, people need to be able to walk along it, safely and at their own pace, to gather some sense of that historic construction endeavor |
In October, on the 24th of that month, the Parkway Trail Association plans on sponsoring the first annual Merritt Parkway Trail Day from Noon to 5 pm • Rain or shine | Click on their website to find out more |
Parkway photo credit: Steve Anderson ©2004 | FOR MORE ABOUT THE PARKWAY here's a couple of sites: Steve Anderson's unofficial Merritt Parkway website | Gribble Nation's Connecitcut Road Trips | Roadfan's Merritt Parkway Bridges | Connecticut's Historic Bridges | and, finally, a written history of the Parkway on the Trumbull [CT] History website |You might also want to visit Steve Anderson's New York Area Roads site |
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