The 69 original bridges were designed by George L. Dunkelberger. Each bridge had a unique design that represented various 1930s architectural styles, such as Art Deco, Art Moderne, French Renaissance, Gothic, Neoclassicism, and Rustic. Some of the bridges have been reconstructed in recent years, and three of the original bridges have been torn down and replaced. The presence of these artistic bridges is one of the reasons that the Merritt Parkway has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places and documented by the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER).
Below is a list of the 42 bridges that cross over the Merritt Parkway and another list of the 39 bridges that the Merritt Parkway uses to cross over another road or major waterway. The lists are arranged from south to north.
Art Deco. Double-arched rigid frame steel span resting on steel center piers. Abutments faced with random ashlar stone.
Center piers and spans carry cast-iron ornament of grapevines and classicizing urns. Metal parts originally polychromed, and previous painted bright blue. As of Oct 2019 the bridge is now black with gold accents.
Art Deco. Rigid frame concrete with cast-concrete ornament. Single span, segmental arch on piers, 63 ft (19 m).
Crenellated parapet. Cast panels with floral motifs ornament abutments. Grooved striations follow vertical and horizontal lines of abutments and span. Original 1937 bridge replaced.
Moderne/Modern Classicism. Rigid frame concrete with cast-concrete ornament. Single span, segmental arch on piers, 63 ft (19 m).
Inset panels with high relief urns on blue backgrounds near tops of abutments. Parapets have bas-relief panels imitating Roman grilles. Abstracted outlines of urns also inscribed under bridge. Original 1937 bridge replaced.
Moderne/Modern Classicism. Concrete rigid frame bridge. Single span, segmental arch on piers, 60 ft (18 m).
Sgraffito panels at top of abutments depict neoclassical griffons flanking Connecticut State Seal. Classicizing grille design forms metal railing. Chain-link fence added along parapet.
French Renaissance Revival. Concrete rigid frame bridge, 60 ft (18 m). Double span, rounded arches.
Concrete cast and treated to imitate random ashlar stone facing. Apparently inspired by fortified bridge; historicizing details include solid parapet which, at the center of span, juts out around corbelled bracket or platform.
Art Deco. Concrete rigid frame bridge. Single span, segmental arch on piers, 60 ft (18 m).
Fiddle-head fern motif appears in two-toned concrete sgraffito within vertical stepped panels on abutments and in wrought-iron railing. Ferns, flowers, and snail are depicted in sgraffito panels that terminate parapets. Sgraffito undercourse is aggregate of Wisconsin black onyx and Swedish emerald pearl. Chain link fence added to parapet.
Art Deco. Concrete, double span with segmental arches on piers.
Concrete of center pier and abutments cast in horizontal layers that resemble overlapping clapboards. Sculptural, free-standing concrete butterflies on abutments. Metal railing: spider webs in panels with cast spider applied in different place on each panel.
Moderne. Concrete, cast-concrete ornament. Single span, segmental arch on piers.
Abutments vertically striated with deep grooves and have cast bas-relief panels depicting engineers working on Parkway. Concrete parapet is crenellated and pierced. Chain-link fence added to west side parapet.
Art Deco. Concrete, cast-concrete ornament. Double span, segmental arches on piers.
In cast concrete, grid of recessed lines suggests structure made of square blocks. Within squares, geometric patterning that features concentric quarter circles is concentrated on stepped, pierced parapet. Chain link fence added to parapet.
Moderne. Concrete, single span, segmental arch on piers.
Concave vertical panels, each with a small recessed ornament centered near top, make up facing of bridge, including span. On each abutment, 2 panels fold out to form pier carrying, near top, flowers and scrolls.
Concrete cast and treated to resemble random ashlar stone facing and chamfered voussoirs. Buttressed center pier. Solid parapet pierced with small square openings, suggesting fortified bridge.
This bridge would carry Berkshire Division trains if the branch was to be reactivated. Its panels and rivets seem to be designed at least partially for decorative appearance.
Concrete cast to resemble rusticated masonry. Monumental pillars on each side of center pier support freestanding clusters, each made up of 4 sculpted wings. Pierced parapet suggests a balustrade. Cartouche on each abutment bears initials CHD, for "Connecticut Highway Department".
