(The New Haven Register posted the following article by Ann DeMatteo on its website on May 7.)
NORTH HAVEN, Conn. — Sometime in the near future, the train might stop in North Haven.
Officials studying whether Connecticut should invest in a commuter rail line from New Haven to Springfield, Mass., are stopping in North Haven to garner public input. The informational session will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. today at the recreation center on Linsley Street.
First Selectman Kevin Kopetz and town department heads already have met with those who are studying the question to discuss potential sites, he said.
“We pointed to an existing site at State and Devine streets, where there is a platform already in existence and a commuter parking lot. The other site would be farther up along Washington Avenue, possibly by Pratt & Whitney,” Kopetz said. “There is access and land upon which a train station could be built, as well as sufficient acreage for a parking lot to service the commuters using the rail line.”
Kopetz said the latter idea would fit into the town s economic-development plans.
“We see a lot of development occurring at (the former) Pratt & Whitney plant and Valley Service Road behind it and then all along Washington Avenue, as well,” he said.
Kopetz suspects that initially there would be a platform at whatever station was picked until ridership increased.
“I think that one of the things I d like to see happen is people coming out in support of this.
Ultimately, it could get tremendous usage by people,” Kopetz said.
The state s Transportation Strategy Board last year directed the state Department of Transportation to develop an implementation plan for commuter rail service between New Haven and Springfield.
The DOT hired Wilbur Smith Associates of New Haven to study the feasibility, cost and usage associated with a commuter rail service, said Richard Holls, project director for the DOT.
Wilbur Smith Associates is now completing the study and is seeking public input. A draft of the study will be presented at 6 p.m., followed by questions and answers.
One idea is to supplement the number of Amtrak trains that already pass through the corridor, but Amtrak has not been contacted yet, Hollis said.
“We ll be looking at many different alternatives in terms of level and frequency of service and whether it should be one track or two. We re visiting every town to determine the best places for a station,” he said.
The study will have minimum and maximum build alternatives, said Tim Sorenson of Wilbur Smith Associates.
After the study is completed, the governor and the legislature will determine what kind of service the state wants to run, Hollis said.
More information about the plan can be found by visiting www.nhhsrail.com.