Conn. looks into building rail line from Springfield to New Haven
HARTFORD, Conn. --With no commuter rail service in central Connecticut, Dan Haim takes Amtrak to work most days.
He leaves his car in Hartford and takes a 46-minute train ride to the New Haven station, just a quick walk from his job at the city's education department.
Connecticut is counting on dedicated rail riders like Haim as plans progress to offer weekday commuter rail service between New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, Mass., for the first time in more than 35 years.
"I know it's going to take time, but I really do think it's going to happen," said Haim, who pays $252 for his monthly Amtrak pass. "It makes sense in so many ways."
The General Assembly included $146 million for the project in a recent $2.3 billion transportation package, a move seen by rail enthusiasts as a good first step.
Connecticut officials and their western Massachusetts counterparts believe the commuter line could ease highway congestion and create jobs by boosting the region's economic development.
It's 64 mile between Springfield and New Haven, and can take longer than an hour to make the trek down Interstate 91.
Commuter rail service linked central Connecticut with New York and Springfield for decades, but it ended more than 35 years ago with the demise of the former New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad.
Amtrak has owned and controlled the tracks since 1971, so planning for the new commuter service includes negotiating a deal to let the commuter trains use them.
No firm start dates have been set, although state leaders are aiming for sometime in 2011. They envision trains running every 30 minutes during rush hour, with about 2,400 daily riders by 2025.
Trains would stop at stations in New Haven, Wallingford, Meriden, Berlin, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Springfield, Mass. New stations would be built in North Haven, Newington and Enfield.
A shuttle bus would connect the Windsor Locks station with Bradley International Airport.
State officials say the start date depends on environmental impact studies, the location of new stations, and how long it will take to add a second set of tracks on about 18 miles of single-track stretches.
Carmine Trotta, a planner for the state Department of Transportation, said the state would spend about $300 million for equipment, stations and other capital items. The line would cost about $10 million a year to run.
Fares have not yet been set.
Timothy Brennan, executive director of the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, which is based in West Springfield, Mass., and represents 43 communities in the region, said his group is urging Bay State leaders to allocate about $30 million in startup costs and $1 million a year in operating expenses for the part of the line that will connect to Springfield.
"We, Massachusetts, cannot depend on Connecticut to pay for our share when it comes time to implement this, and we wouldn't expect them to," Brennan said.
Connecticut can move forward with a 55-mile stretch of commuter line between New Haven and Enfield even if Massachusetts lawmakers do not fund their part of the project.
But the line faces other hurdles.
In addition to adding tracks in some areas, the state would have to create schedules that don't conflict with the Amtrak and freight trains already using the line.
Also unknown is whether homeowners near the commuter line will be comfortable with more trains.
The environmental studies under way are expected to offer more detail on noise and other factors. Residents will have a chance to weigh in at public comment sessions are held next spring or summer.
"Certainly, as the project progresses and more people become aware of it, there's potential for public concerns. But right now the reaction we've been receiving has been very positive," said Thomas Maziarz, transportation director for the Capitol Region Council of Governments in Hartford.
In its earliest stages, fares are expected to cover about 11 cents of every $1 spent to operate the line. The remaining 89 cents -- or $8.9 million yearly -- would come from state coffers.
By comparison, Connecticut's subsidy for Metro-North's New Haven Line -- the nation's busiest commuter line, with 120,000 trips daily -- is about 30 cents for every dollar spent. The remaining 70 cents is covered by passenger fares.
"Basically, all public transportation is essentially subsidized, some to a greater extent than others," Trotta said. "With transportation being a public service, none of these services that I'm aware of are real moneymakers."
----
On the Net:
Pioneer Valley Planning Commission: http://www.pvpc.org/
