$2.8M Stamford train station project begins

Construction is beginning on a new $2.8 million project to build a pedestrian bridge over Washington Boulevard at the Stamford Transportation Center tonight, according to Connecticut Department of Transportation officials.

The state Department of Transportation will shut down Washington Boulevard between South State Street and Station Place for the next three weekends. Roads will close from 9 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday on the weekends of March 28, April 4 and April 11.

The 190-foot-long and 10-foot-wide bridge will be built 40 feet above the roadway. The project is a joint effort between the city, state and Stamford developer Building and Land Technology.

There are two more planned projects related to the transportation center, said Robin Stein, interim director of economic development in Stamford. One project would be funded by a $10.5 million federal grant. The improvements would include fixing the platforms, canopies and signs at the Stamford train station. Another project would invest $500 million to redevelop the train station’s parking garage to include a hotel and retail space.

“If you look at the vacancy rate in commercial buildings in Stamford, it’s down to 22 percent, which is still high,” Stein said. “If you look at commercial buildings close to the transportation center, more than 90 percent are occupied, so having a thriving transportation system is critical to economic development.”