This story has been updated to clarify CTDOT’s position on the monopole plan.
In advance of today’s Connecticut Siting Council meeting to reconsider UI’s plan to install monopoles throughout Fairfield and Bridgeport, the state Department of Transportation has issued a letter saying it would be beneficial to the railroad for the transmission lines to be removed from the catenaries.
In the letter to the Siting Council, DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto wrote that the agency’s position remains unchanged on the utility’s plan to remove the transmission lines from CTDOT railroad catenaries and rebuild them on steel monopoles along the Metro-North Railroad corridor from Fairfield to Bridgeport.
Specifically, Eucalitto wrote: “The design UI put forth in its application aligns with CTDOT’s vision and objective on efficiently improving transportation infrastructure.
“CTDOT also indicated that other alternatives, such as the underground alternative within the railroad ROW supported by many of the intervenors, would not be feasible for the Department. … [It] would add time, cost, and significant adverse impact to railroad operations, in addition to unnecessary and substantial risk to the rail infrastructure.”
He goes on to describe how CTDOT is engaged in historic efforts to modernize and improve the infrastructure along the entire New Haven Line with the ultimate goal of increasing train speeds – a regional and national priority.
These improvements will include, but are not limited to, rebuilding tracks, adding new catenary structures, installing track sidings, building additional bridge spans and adding wayside equipment to support this high-speed rail initiative.
The CSC had to reconsider its prior approval of United Illuminating’s project to install several large overhead monopoles through both municipalities as part of a plan to update the transmission line near the Congress Street substation. That was because New Britain Superior Court Matthew Budzik ruled in April that CSC should not have approved the monopoles north of the Metro-North train tracks.
UI applied for a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need for the Fairfield to Congress Railroad Transmission Line 115kV Rebuild project last year. That project calls for relocating and rebuilding the existing electric transmission lines from the railroad catenary structures to new steel monopole structures along about 7.3 miles of the Metro-North Railroad corridor.
The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. To watch on Zoom, click on this link. The Meeting ID is 816 7109 0607. The Passcode is Eqc7Ty. To join the meeting via phone, dial +1 929 205 6099 US (New York). Meeting ID is 816 7109 0607. Passcode is 825434.
