Gov. Ned Lamont announced today that Connecticut will receive $291 million from the Federal Railroad Administration to be used in five railroad improvements projects across the state.
“The projects these grants are funding will help pull Connecticut’s rail system into a new era and boost reliability while supporting the economic growth of our state,” said Lamont. “We thank the Biden-Harris administration for delivering this investment for Connecticut and supporting our region’s rail system.”
The $291 million was released today as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, passed on Nov. 15, 2021. Connecticut’s grants are being disbursed to the state’s Department of Transportation (DOT) and Amtrak, and are funded through the Northeast Corridor Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Program. Connecticut’s $291 million, representing 20% of the $1.4 billion in total released by the FRA for rail projects along the Northeast Corridor, will be matched by $120 million in state DOT funding and $11.7 million in funding from Amtrak.
The majority of the state’s funding, $172 million, will go towards the improvement of railroad tracks along the New Haven Main Line, including the replacement of the Longbrook Avenue Roadway bridge, located in Stratford, along a three mile segment of the line. $102 million will be used for improvements along a 6.7 mile stretch of the Hartford Line. A double-track will be established for the purpose of providing more frequent service to Hartford and Springfield. The money will also go towards various track, signal, and gate and road crossing upgrades.
Another $8 million of these funds will go towards a planning study for the replacement of the 117-year old Connecticut River Bridge, that connects Old Saybrook and Lyme. This represents only the latest influx of funding for the bridge’s replacement; in November of last year, Amtrak was awarded approximately $826 million for its replacement. The project was projected to cost $1.3 billion in total, and is expected to be finished in 2031.
An additional $6.4 million will fund replacement planning for the 120-year old Cos Cob Bridge, located over the Mianus River in Greenwich. The remaining $2.56 million will be used for the construction of a new Hartford train station and transit hub, which will require realignment and double-tracking of 2.1 miles of the Hartford Line in Hartford.
Connecticut’s U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, as well as U.S. Representatives John Larson, Rosa DeLauro, Jim Himes and Jahana Hayes all spoke in support of the grants, highlighting the economic, environmental and infrastructural benefits the rail projects would provide. Connecticut’s Transportation Commissioner, Garrett Eucalitto, echoed their sentiments.
“These grants present an historic opportunity to improve track reliability and set the stage for increased rail service across the Northeast Corridor,” said Ecualitto. “Thanks to the FRA, Governor Lamont, and our state and federal partners, we are ready to build modern infrastructure that will better connect our communities and spur economic development for generations to come.”
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
