The state Bond Commission approved $26 million Friday for the design of a double-track rail on the existing New Haven-Hartford-Springfield [NHHS] line, according to a spokesperson for Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
Amtrak currently runs passenger and freight trains along the 62-mile line, but the development of double-tracking will allow for an efficient commuter rail that will take some of the load off of other modes of transportation, according to Kevin Nursick, spokesperson for Connecticut's Department of Transportation.
"The NHHS line will serve commuters traveling between the towns and cities along the often crowded Interstate 91 corridor, easing that congestion while providing a comfortable, convenient alternative," Gov. Rell said in a press release.
"The service will also provide a connection to Bradley International Airport, multiple links to Amtrak's Intercity service and a direct link to existing Metro-North and Shore Line East service in New Haven," Rell said.
Much of the southern part of the state already enjoys the luxury of commuter rail service. This new service will open up transportation options for many other areas.
Although there are already trains running along the line, double-tracking is necessary for the commuter line to be able to compete with car travel times, according to Nursick.
It's important to have another option for public transportation, especially with higher gas prices, he said.
"The [transportation] department as a whole advocates a multi-modal approach to moving people and goods in the state and throughout the region," Nursick said. "Ridership numbers in public transportation increased when gas prices ballooned. That really put the nail in the coffin for most folks."
Nursick said the DOT appreciates Rell's help in giving those people a better way to travel.
"For our part, we have now had the ability, under the leadership of Gov. Rell, to start pursuing other options, like beefing up existing lines and providing new services where there aren't any," he said.
A lot of expensive work must be done before "a reliable, effective, efficient rail service that will attract riders," can be completed, Nursick said.
"We're still a ways away. We're looking at 2015, 2016," he said.
The upgrades to the line also include the potential for building a high-speed rail on the corridor, which the DOT is currently pursuing federal stimulus funding for, Nursick said.
The approval of the funding is another step in providing residents with better public transit, according to Rell.
"This is a 'crown jewel' project - a long-time goal that we are taking another step toward making a reality," she said in the press release. "Like the new rail cars that are coming to Metro-North's New Haven Line and the improvements we have made - and continue to make - across the rest of Connecticut's transportation infrastructure, the NHHS line is a major leap forward for mass transit in our state."
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