Connecting the Merritt Parkway and Route 7—An Update

Improving the connections between Merritt Parkway and Route 7 and enhancing local roads—particularly safety and mobility are the two main goals of Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Route 7/15 project. 

The project has been discussed for more than 20 years, but state officials say it's finally getting close to shovels in the ground. 

“The project will now proceed to preliminary and final design,” a statement from CTDOT reads.

Members of the public will get a chance to look at the latest plans for the $162 million project at a public information meeting in Norwalk on June 24 at 6:30 p.m. 

A Look Inside the Plans

The plans call for adding traffic lights to Route 7 and creating a connector road between Route 7 and Main Avenue that would bring traffic on and off the Merritt Parkway. The project eliminates the tight exits and entrances on Main Avenue that are the source of more than 300 crashes in a three-year period, according to CTDOT data. 

The plans would:

• Add two signalized intersections on Route 7 to provide connections at Interchange 39 between Route 7, Route 15, and Main Avenue
• Replace the two historic bridges over Main Avenue
• Add two new traffic signals to Main Avenue for “a total of three-closely spaced signalized intersections”
• Eliminate the four existing tight-loop ramps at Interchange 40
• Enable connections between Route 7 and the Merritt Parkway in all directions
• Add wider sidewalks and space for turn lanes to make it safer along Main Avenue
• Align the Glover Avenue and Creeping Hemlock Drive intersection

According to state officials, the plan is to receive design approval this summer from the Federal Highway Administration. Then the state plans to finalize its designs and complete all permitting by summer 2027, with a goal of starting construction in late 2027/early 2028. The construction is projected to last three to four years. 

Attendees will get the latest look at the designs, which show how Route 7 and Main Avenue would change under the proposed plan. 

Why is this project needed? 

CTDOT officials said there are three main areas this project plans to address: 

• Roadway system linkages, which include connecting the missing links between Route 7 and the Merritt Parkway
• Safety, including fixing substandard acceleration/deceleration lanes, sharp curves, and limited site distances
• Mobility, including improving the local roads around the project, such as Main Avenue, Glover Avenue, and Creeping Hemlock Drive, as well as enhancing bicycle, pedestrian, and transit facilities. 

However, some local transportation advocates have said the project doesn’t go far enough in making the roads safer for all users. In particular, advocates are voicing their frustration that the plans don’t incorporate an off-road trail for the Norwalk River Valley Trail.

“Although we’re excited that ConnDOT is reimagining the highway interchange between the Merritt and Route 7 with plans that they’ve been working on for over a decade, the current proposal ignores all of the requests we submitted in August 2023 and does nothing to accommodate the Norwalk River Valley Trail,” a statement from Sustainable Streets Norwalk, a local advocacy group, reads. “Instead, they’re looking to route the trail onto Main Avenue to get under the Merritt with a painted bike lane, which is inaccessible for many people who ride on the NRVT, including children.” 

Next Steps

As noted, members of the public will get a chance to look at the latest plans on June 24 at 6:30 p.m. at a public information meeting in Norwalk.

You can also check out the project’s website for the latest information, including a presentation featuring the latest designs.