America's Eleven Most Endangered Historical Sites-- Part 4

Being a Road Person, I Saved the Merritt Parkway for last. I'll copy what the Preservation Magazine had to say.

MERRITT PARKWAY-- FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CONNECTICUT:

Since its completion in 1940, the Merritt Parkway has provided a pastoral setting--a dense canopy of green-- for a 37-mile drive through suburban Connecticut. In pleasing counterpoint to the landscape of indigenous trees and shrubs are bridges in various architectural styles--Art Deco, Gothic, French Renaissance, and Art Moderne. But times have changed since the 1940s, when much of Fairfield County was verdant farmland.

Now it's the most populous county in the state, and up to 80,000 vehicles travel the route each day. Because of safety concerns, the parkway has, over time, been "modernized," though some preservationists contend that certain state projects--such as road realignment and interchange redesign--have not followed established guidelines.

Furthermore, many of the bridges are in disrepair, with parapets crumbling, ironwork rusting, and pieces of concrete breaking off.

With millions of dollars coming in via the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the state transportation department has embarked on a massive tree removal program that could undermine the aesthetic vision of the parkway's creators.

Local preservationists argue that safety concerns can be addressed without compromising the essence of the historic road.

The original article had no paragraphs.

The article in the Preservation Magazine had a night time picture of a bridge, probably Art Deco, that is lit up and quite impressive.

Save That Parkway. --RoadDog