The Connecticut Department of Transportation is poised to start developing the site of Bridgeport’s second train station.
Gov. Dannel Malloy on Wednesday announced the state Bond Commission at its next meeting will approve $2.75 million to go toward hiring a consultant to complete the engineering, design and environmental permitting process for the new Barnum Train Station on the city’s East Side.
Malloy said in a statement the investment aims to improve people’s quality of life and encourage transit-oriented and economic development.
“Moving this project forward demonstrates our commitment to helping municipal partners and stakeholders make their communities more accessible, more walkable centers of cultural and economic activity,” Malloy said. “In the process, we are also building a foundation to make Connecticut a stronger and more regionally competitive state by growing jobs for residents and providing more flexible, convenient transportation options for employers and employees alike.”
Malloy’s office said in the announcement the project has the potential to provide a market for new residential, retail and office spaces, attracting investors to redevelop vacant land near the station.
The design phase is estimated to take 18 months. Soil remediation can begin in spring 2016, and construction is scheduled to take place in 2017. The train station is anticipated to be operational by fall 2018.
