Sec. 13a-26. Parkways and freeways.
Sec. 13a-26. Parkways and freeways. (a) Definitions. As used in this section,
"parkway" means any state highway receiving special treatment in landscaping and
marginal planting, especially designed for, and devoted exclusively to, the use and accommodation of noncommercial motor vehicle traffic and to which access may be allowed only at highway intersections designated by the commissioner and designed by
him so as to eliminate cross traffic of vehicles, and "freeway" means any state highway
designed to separate through, high-speed, noncommercial motor vehicle traffic from
all other types of traffic by the use of independent traffic lanes. Connection between
local traffic and through traffic lanes shall be provided at intervals in the discretion of
the commissioner.
(b) Construction. The commissioner shall, upon direction by the General Assembly, lay out and construct any state highway as a parkway or freeway. Said commissioner,
prior to such construction, shall submit to the General Assembly the following information concerning such construction of any parkway or freeway: The approximate cost of
the parkway or freeway and a definite route with an official map showing the towns
through which it will pass. The commissioner shall not alter the route submitted except
with the advice and approval of the Governor and the Attorney General, and changes
therein shall not be approved until a public hearing or hearings are held at which the
towns affected and their residents may be heard.
(c) Service highways. As an adjunct of any parkway or freeway, the commissioner
is authorized to lay out and construct highways and drives, to be designated as service
highways, to provide access from areas adjacent to a parkway or freeway and to provide
for the restriction or elimination of cross traffic on such parkway or freeway, when he
deems the same to be necessary in the public interest.
(d) Acquisition of land. The commissioner may purchase or take any real property
or rights in real property necessary or required for the construction, alteration, extension,
widening, change of grade or improvement of such parkways, freeways or service highways in the same manner as is provided in the general statutes in the case of state
highways. The provisions of the general statutes relating to state highways not inconsistent with the provisions of this section shall apply to parkways, freeways and service
highways.
(e) Alteration. The commissioner, with the advice and approval of the Governor
and the Attorney General, may alter the layout or construction or use of any such authorized parkway or freeway, or designated portions thereof, when, in their opinion, such
change would be in the interests of public convenience, safety and necessity.
(f) Wilbur Cross Parkway and Merritt Parkway. Regulations re vehicle use
of. The provisions of this part restricting the use and accommodation of motor vehicle
traffic on parkways to noncommercial vehicles shall not apply to use of the Merritt
and Wilbur Cross Parkways by (1) taxicabs, as defined in section 13b-95, (2) vanpool
vehicles, as defined in section 14-1, or (3) service buses or two-axle, four-wheeled
type II, registered school buses with a gross vehicle weight rating of nine thousand six
hundred pounds or less, which are owned by or under contract to a public, private or
religious school or public school district and which are engaged in the transportation
of school children to and from school or school activities, provided such service buses
conform to the regulations establishing the maximum weight, length, height or width
of vehicles permitted to use such parkways and such school buses are no more than
ninety-eight inches high, eighty-four inches wide and two hundred three inches long.
The State Traffic Commission shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54
establishing the maximum allowable length and height for any vanpool vehicle using
said Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways and, not later than July 1, 1984, publish in the
Connecticut Law Journal a notice of intent to adopt proposed regulations, as defined in
section 4-166, reducing the maximum weight, length, height or width of, or limiting the
registration classes of, motor vehicles permitted to use such parkways, in order to fully
carry out the prohibition on the operation of commercial motor vehicles on such
parkways.
(1949 Rev., S. 2257, 2258; 1958 Rev., S. 13-139; 1959, P.A. 434, S. 1; 1963, P.A. 226, S. 27; P.A. 79-175, S. 1, 3;
P.A. 80-483, S. 58, 186; P.A. 84-327, S. 1, 3; P.A. 85-255; P.A. 94-94; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 69, 130.)
History: 1959 act removed exception for Merritt Parkway in Subsec. (e); 1963 act replaced previous provisions: See
title history; P.A. 79-175 added Subsec. (f) re taxicabs and vanpool vehicles on Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways; P.A.
80-483 made technical changes; P.A. 84-327 amended Subsec. (f) to substitute state traffic commission for commissioner
of transportation and to require commission to publish notice in Connecticut Law Journal re proposed parkway motor
vehicle regulations; P.A. 85-255 amended Subsec. (f), permitting certain school vans to use the Merritt and Wilbur Cross
Parkways; P.A. 94-94 amended Subsec. (d) by deleting "is authorized to" after "commissioner" in the first sentence and
inserting "may" in lieu thereof, and amended Subsec. (f), to permit single-axle, type II, registered school buses with a gross
vehicle weight rating of 9,600 pounds or less to use the Merritt and Wilbur Cross Parkways, and adding a proviso that
such school buses are to be no more than 98 inches high, 84 inches wide and 203 inches long; May 25 Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1 amended Subsec. (f)(3) to delete reference to "single-axle" and substitute reference to "two-axle, four-wheeled" type II
registered school buses.
See Sec. 13a-58 re public hearing on proposed layout of new highways.
Rules pertaining to abutters on conventional highways are not applicable to a trunk line highway. 144 C. 289. Cited.
180 C. 11.
Conditions outlined under which parkways and freeways may be established. 18 CS 263.
Distinguishing features of parkways discussed. 4 Conn. Cir. Ct. 373.