Open for Business: Renovated Northbound Merritt Parkway Rest Stop

The newly renovated Merritt Parkway Greenwich Northbound Service Plaza reopened at noon Friday.

This plaza is the 13th of 23 Connecticut highway service plazas to be completely renovated. Project Service LLC, which has a 35-year contract with the state to renovate and operate the service plazas, started the renovation work in Greenwich on Nov. 27, 2012.

The 23 service plazas are open 24 hours a day, and offer a variety of food options, including Subway, McDonald’s, and Dunkin’ Donuts, Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon and others. The Greenwich Northbound plaza includes Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, an Alltown Convenience Store, an ExxonMobil gas station and a Connecticut Welcome Center.

Greenwich Northbound, as well as all the other plazas that have been or will be renovated, has a series of “green” features. The Service Plaza will qualify to operate to “Silver LEED” standards.  The Greenwich facility will utilize photovoltaic solar panels, which decreases its dependence on traditional power sources. Each service plaza will also have facilities for single-stream recycling and idle-reduction technology for tractor-trailers. Other environmentally conscious features include water-efficient rest rooms, energy-efficient insulation and lighting, state-of-the-art and super-efficient heating and air conditioning units.

“We are committed to providing great food choices, clean restrooms, fuel and convenience at our environmentally friendly service plazas,” said Paul Landino, President and CEO of Project Service. “We have completed half of the service plazas so far, and look forward to continuing to serve those traveling on Connecticut’s highways as we work to renovate the remaining service plazas in the state.”

It is expected that the Merritt Parkway Greenwich Southbound plaza will open in the next several weeks.