Connecticut to apply for funds for New Haven-Springfield line

The Connecticut Department of Transportation plans to apply for $400 million to $500 million in federal grants this summer to upgrade the New Haven to Springfield rail line, the Hartford Courant reports. Should the project receive funding, it would be a potential bonanza for central Connecticut residents who use I-91 to commute to Fairfield County or New York City.

The money would advance a
high-speed rail network for the Northeast, but could more quickly jump-start a
Metro North-style commuter train system through the heart of the state.

"We’re looking at
something [to start] fairly soon," said James Redeker, a senior official
with the DOT.

Even if funding and
construction move quickly, the actual start of commuter service along the
61-mile route wouldn’t be for five or six years. But that’s dramatically less
than the more ambitious and costly high-speed network that’s proposed to link
Boston, Montreal and New York. Planning documents for that are entitled
"2030 Vision for Rail."

DOT officials and their
counterparts in Massachusetts and Vermont are hosting public information
sessions about the project this month. Redeker led an hour-long presentation
Thursday at Union Station in Hartford.

Starting commuter service
on the Springfield to Hartford to New Haven line would benefit the state, even
if the high-speed network isn’t completed right away, said Ryan Lynch, a
coordinator with the non-profit Tri-State Transportation Campaign, a mass
transit advocacy group.

"It’s heartening to
see the project continue to move forward. Getting it up and running will do a
world of good for Connecticut," Lynch said.

Redeker said trains would
run between Springfield and New Haven as frequently as every half-hour during
weekday peak periods. In New Haven they would connect to Metro North service to
Fairfield County and Manhattan, and to Shoreline East trains to New London.

Last year, the state asked
for $40 million when the Obama administration handed out $8 billion for
high-speed rail projects nationally. The state is using that money to restore
double tracking along part of the route.

An additional $400 million
to $500 million would pay for the rest of the double tracking, upgrade small
bridges along the route, rebuild grade crossings and install a more modern
signal system. The Obama administration is expected to award $2.5 billion more
this year, and Connecticut’s congressional delegation has made a pitch for a
substantial share of that. The DOT also plans to seek $200 million to $260
million in state funds as Connecticut’s share of the construction costs.

Redeker said that would be
enough to accommodate commuter train service. Adding high-speed service on the
same tracks would also require rebuilding the Union Station viaduct, reconstructing
the Connecticut River bridge in Enfield and installing power lines above both
sets of tracks. Redeker said the projected cost for that work isn’t available.