UPDATE, 8:42 a.m.: The biggest congestion issues — both on I-95 and the Merritt Parkway – continue to be in and around Norwalk. Southbound traffic on I-95 is stop-and-go from around exit 16 to exit 12, while Merritt traffic is slow in both directions from around exit 40 to exit 38.
UPDATE, 8:15 a.m.: I-95 southbound is crawling through Norwalk, with most traffic bumper-to-bumper and very few areas where cars are traveling at more than 15 miles per hour. … The Merritt Parkway is slow in both directions between New Canaan and Westport.
UPDATE, 7:58 a.m.: Southbound traffic on the Merritt Parkway is worst right now between exits 40B and 37. Still no reported accidents, but volume is causing drivers to slow down.
UPDATE, 7:47 a.m.: I-95 southbound is now congested from exit 26 in Bridgeport to exit 13 in Darien. Traffic is moving, and there are no reported accidents or lane closures, but cars are mostly traveling between 20 and 35 miles per hour.
UPDATE, 7:42 a.m.: In addition to congestion from Bridgeport down to Westport, 95 south is also congested between exits 16 and 13 in Darien. … The southbound Merritt Parkway is backed up from exit 47 to 41.
UPDATE, 7:35 a.m.: Old Stamford Road near Lapham Road in New Canaan was the site of three accidents just after 7 a.m. Monday morning. On the hill leading down to the Merritt Parkway, police are calling for state or town sanders and salt. Police said the road is a sheet of ice this morning. No word on injuries at this time.
UPDATE, 7:28 a.m.: Congestion keeps building on I-95 southbound. It’s worst right now between exit 26 in Bridgeport and exit 18 in Fairfield. … On the Merritt Parkway, traffic southbound traffic is backed up from exit 47 in Trumbull down to exit 42 in Westport. Traffic is clear on 95 and the Merritt through Stamford and Greenwich, and traffic is moving smoothly so far on Route 25 and Route 8 in both directions.
UPDATE, 7:14 a.m.: Congestion is building on the southbound Merritt Parkway between exit 47 in Trumbull and exit 44 in Fairfield. … There’s also congestion on I-95 south between exits 51 and 47 in New Haven.
UPDATE 6:49 a.m.: There have been no major traffic incidents reported in the Greater Danbury area so far this morning.
Overall, traffic is flowing freely along all major arteries in the region, though there is some minor congestion on Route 7 northbound heading into New Milford.
For those commuters traveling along I-84W into Southington officials are reporting an overturned tractor trailer between exits 27 and 28: the accident is not expected to be cleared for up to six hours.
Below are views from several state DOT traffic cameras in the area:
CCTV# 152 Newtown EB E/O Exit 9 – Tunnel Road
CCTV# 157 Danbury WB E/O Exit 6 – Rockwell Road
CCTV# 158 Danbury WB Exit 6 – Route 37 (North Street)
CCTV# 160 Danbury EB Exit 4 – Lake Avenue
CCTV# 161 Danbury Route 7 NB S/O I-84 – Park Avenue
6:20 a.m.: Good morning Southwestern Connecticut.
Starting today, we’re going to starting something new on BlogJam: An open thread for each day’s commute that will provide updates on everything from Metro-North schedule changes to congestion on I-95, the Merritt Parkway, I-84 and other highways and local roads throughout the region.
We’ll keep the open thread open until 10 a.m.,. updating each time something comes up that will affect commuters.
You’ll get all the updates here, but you can also follow us on Twitter @ConnPost, @StamAdvocate, @NewsTimes and @GreenwichTime.
Most importantly, if you have an issue that’s not on our radar — if your train is delayed or overcrowded, if there’s an accident blocking traffic or if anything else comes up — send us a tweet or leave a comment here so we can include it in the open thread.
As for today’s commute, we’ll start with two important Metro-North notices:
First, today is the first day on which the New Haven line will run on its new reduced schedule. Service across the line will be reduced by 10 percent.
This story from Martin Cassidy details the schedule changes.
Train service on the Waterbury branch is suspended again today, with bus service being provided instead.
