Supercharger - Greenwich CT - Merritt Parkway

[2virgule5]

Thanks !
Well I had to try SC sooner or later: my NEMA 14-50 is not installed yet and there was no 110v plug to survive till then in my UMC kit (apparently they are running out of stock, how could that happened to the supply guys???).

 

[PeterK]

Greenwich, CT - Merritt Parkway Supercharger

From the main Supercharger thread - Greenwich is now official:

We're now up to #83. Greenwich, CT locations are live. Tesla beat us to this announcement somehow!

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/greenwichsouth

http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger/greenwichnorth

Has anyone used Southbound successfully in the past few days? I'm driving down tomorrow evening.

 

[PeterK]

Congrats on your new Model S! I went over 7 months before my first supercharge I think...

Congratulations and welcome!

I supercharged at Milford in a snowstorm on my second day - a couple hours after I was hit at a red light by a car that couldn't stop in the snow.

 

[Enadler]

From the main Supercharger thread - Greenwich is now official:




Has anyone used Southbound successfully in the past few days? I'm driving down tomorrow evening.

i charged on the SB side last Monday.

 

[djplong]

You would have been outraged if you tried it this morning. Driving from NH to VA today and I noticed the Superchargers were mostly blocked by at least 3 or 4 commercial vans parked in front of them.

 

[Robert.Boston]

You would have been outraged if you tried it this morning. Driving from NH to VA today and I noticed the Superchargers were mostly blocked by at least 3 or 4 commercial vans parked in front of them.

But at least the at this site it would be easy to figure out who belongs to the vans. It's a tiny rest area.

 

[juliusa]

Yes, and they were likely doing work there - perhaps even working on the superchargers. No commercial vehicles are permitted on the Merritt Parkway.

 

[djplong]

For what it's worth, when I came by there the next day, the vans were gone and all SC's were vacant.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Went to the NB SC today for a range charge. Got a speeding ticket for 45 in a 30 zone on the way there.

Charged from 40 miles to 263 miles in 90 minutes, a bit longer than I expected.


Also while I was there I spotted two more EV charging units waiting to be installed-- appeared to be chamedo chargers.

 

[Iz]

Looks as if the NB SC is going to be a busy place.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Prepare to be ICEd.

I had to stop here again today to recharge after a long trip to/from north/central NJ. Even without superchargers, this is a very busy rest stop, and to add insult to injury, the parking lot and the flow of people in the building are horrible. Absolutely no thought was put into how cars move into/out of a parking lot, or how people move into/out and through of a building.

Today it was *very* crowded, and when I arrived, 2 of the 4 spots were ICEd, since there were no other normal parking spots open. While I was there, those two cars left, but two others moved in. Another MS showed up and took the last remaining open SC spot (lucky for him there was one spot left open!). Another 5 minutes, and it too would have likely been ICEd. I don't think there's anything TESLA can do about this -- there's just too much traffic and parking demand at this location that ICEing is likely to be a persistent problem.

Also, the building itself it a horrible design. There is just ONE normal sized door on the side of the building, and when it's busy, this is a massive chokepoint, blocking people from getting in or out easily. It should be at least a double-door to allow a flow in and flow out of people. Once inside, though, it's worst, since there is only one narrow channel of space to get through the store shelves.. then there is a line of people waiting to pay for their stuff you have to get through, then there's another like of people waiting at Dunkin Donuts you have to push through (you can't go around).. then ANOTHER line at Subway... THEN, at the FURTHEST POSSIBLE POINT from the side door, are the restrooms, where most people are trying to get to. Then you have to fight all the same lines/crowds getting back OUT Of the building. I just don't know how anyone could design a building so poorly, and these are the brand new designed building for the Merritt Parkway rest stops. I think if they had just but the bathrooms near the doors, it would alleviate 90% of the traffic problems inside.

Anyway, just be aware that this is a very busy and crowded place, and there's a good chance you might have to wait for a SC to get de-ICEd.

 

[PeterK]

Was that the northbound area? I thought the southbound restrooms were fairly close to the entrance, to the right of the dunkin donuts.

 

[HankLloydRight]

This was NB. There is a "Front Door" to the place, but it's actually now "around the side" from the main parking lot area. I've never seen anyone use this door, since it doesn't actually go anywhere other than the access ramp into the rest area.

 

[Enadler]

Actually that is my preferred entrance as it is closest to the bathrooms and DD. By using this door there is no need to walk through the narrow market aisles.

You should also realize that these buildings are historic and were only renovated and not created from scratch. I am sure the DOT had design constraints they needed to work through.

This was NB. There is a "Front Door" to the place, but it's actually now "around the side" from the main parking lot area. I've never seen anyone use this door, since it doesn't actually go anywhere other than the access ramp into the rest area.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Actually that is my preferred entrance as it is closest to the bathrooms and DD. By using this door there is no need to walk through the narrow market aisles.

You should also realize that these buildings are historic and were only renovated and not created from scratch. I am sure the DOT had design constraints they needed to work through.

Well, I didn't know about the buildings being historic, so I understand that constraint. And now I'll use that side door, but the rest of the layout is really a cluster*** of design and human flow. Especially the one-door chokepoint. Idiotic.

 

[Tslagrl]

All southbound spots were ICEd when I passed last Friday around lunchtime. Agree with what's already been said that the parking and facilities are cramped. But hey, I'm just glad we have yet another supercharging option.

On the way home charging northbound I was fortunate enough to encounter two other Tesla owners that I knew! Nice chat in the sunshine, what could be better?

 

[alset]

I've got to wonder if putting a green cone in the front of each parking spot wouldn't help manage it somewhat? I think people would hesitate a bit more to get out of the car and move a cone to use the spot. The cones would need regular replacement but they can't cost that much...

 

[EdA]

We tried cones at the Darien, CT supercharger when it first opened.
They probably didn't last a week...

 

[alset]

Motorized Traffic Spikes / TRAFFIC SPIKES! Access Control Systems / Traffic Control / Tire Spikes (Parking Lot) / Hinges / Security Gate

 

[HankLloydRight]

We tried cones at the Darien, CT supercharger when it first opened.
They probably didn't last a week...

I was thinking cones tethered to each SC pedestal. It would only be up to the departing owner to replace the cone in it's place.

But at the Greenwich stops, there is actually a shortage of parking spots.. so if all the other spots are taken, the chances of getting ICEd are huge, cones or not.