Metro-North Railroad”™s New Haven line is one of the busiest commuter rail lines in the nation, linking more than 39 million passengers annually across Connecticut”™s Gold Coast corridor with the nation”™s economic epicenter, New York City.
But despite daily ridership around 125,000 people, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and his administration envision a faster and more frequent commuter rail capable of carrying thousands of additional commuters and possibly generating billions in economic activity and savings for commuters and state economy over the next few decades.
“Inaction is not an option,” Malloy said in a recent statement. “Improving the New Haven Line is critical to our economic success, not just because it will attract new businesses and grow jobs, but improve quality of life. Everyone should be able to live in Connecticut with a car or without one.”
As part of Malloy”™s “Let”™s Go CT!” transportation initiative, $3.9 billion in major upgrades have been proposed to speed up and increase service on the line. In particular, the plan focuses on increasing the track capacity to full service by using all four tracks, as opposed to the current two to three tracks that are in service at any given time. The proposal also calls for a reconfiguration and upgrade of the Connecticut system including upgrades to sections of track, the signal system, the communication system and reconfiguration of several stations to provide express train service on the two inner tracks, plus local train service on the two outer tracks
According to the study, future benefits amount to $5.8 billion in reduced travel time and improved travel reliability for both rail highway commuters ”” a return of $2.51 for every dollar spent to reconfigure and upgrade the rail line.
In addition, the study found that on a long-term basis extending to the year 2050, the improvements will yield more than $6.2 billion in business sales and output over a 25-30 year period after it is constructed as well as $3.9 billion in additional gross state product and $2.8 billion in additional wage income.
Construction spending will generate another $9.1 billion in business sales and 4,000 to 6,000 jobs during the period of construction.
Should the upgraded rail line become a reality the study predicts 2,00 to 3,100 jobs for the life of the reconfigured transportation system.
The direct impact on commuters will be significant, including a doubling of peak-hour service; increases in the number of express trains per hour between New Haven and New York City; a reduction of express-service travel time between New Haven and New York City by an average of 15 minutes; and an increase in local service from the current rate of approximately every 20 minutes during peak service, to about every four to eight minutes.
The infrastructure that supports the rail line, such as bridges, tracks and electric power, was created in the mid-1800s and is in frequent need of repair. That is why only two to three of the line”™s four tracks are in use at any time. Some of the line”™s bridges are also well over 100 years old, and often require repairs, which causes slower operating speeds for trains, according to the study.
As one of the major lifelines of the region, state Department of Transportation Commissioner James P. Redeker is urging the state to continue supporting the line which he said has benefited greatly from billions in investment over the last several years.
“[We] have an excellent system on which to build,” he said. “Now is not the time to pull back. Now is the time to maintain and enhance these investments.”
One successful past improvement Redeker speaks of is the completion of the Fairfield Metro station in December.
That upgrade has has been a great improvement for the town of Fairfield, said First Selectman Michael C. Tetreau.
“We have gone from 4,500 on a waitlist to park to 1,500 at the downtown station and virtually no waitlist for somebody to park at the new Metro-North station,” he said.
He called the governor”™s proposed upgrades crucial for economic health of the state.
“I think if you look at the state overall one of our strategic weaknesses is transportation whether it is the lack of mass transit, poor condition of railroads or congestion on our highways,” he said. “If our No. 1 goal is to make Connecticut a state that is job friendly and business friendly ”” businesses aren”™t going to locate here if their employees can”™t get to work.”
