A new train station is coming to Bridgeport and is expected to open in the fall of 2018, according to a press release from Gov. Dannel Malloy’s office.
The new Barnum Train Station will be located in the city’s East Side at the former Remington Arms factory, which has fallen into disrepair. The State Bond Commission is expected to approve $2.75 million for the engineering, design and environmental permitting of the site at its next meeting July 25, the governor’s office said.
A feasibility student conducted on the site of the new station says it has the potential to help stabilize neighborhoods and improve roadways in the area and provide an economic boost by drawing in businesses and retailers, according to the release. It could also lead to the redevelopment of the Yellow Mill Channel.
The design phase will last 18 months and preparations of the site will begin in the spring of 2016, the release says. Construction will get underway in 2017 and should be completed by 2018. The station is expected to open in the fall of that year.
“With this investment in the Barnum Train Station, we are improving the quality of life for residents in Bridgeport’s East Side and East End while at the same time encouraging transit-oriented and economic development in our largest city,” Malloy said in a statement Wednesday. “Moving this project forward demonstrates our commitment to helping municipal partners and stakeholders make their communities more accessible, more walkable centers of cultural and economic activity. In the process, we are also building a foundation to make Connecticut a stronger and more regionally competitive state by growing jobs for residents and providing more flexible, convenient transportation options for employers and employees alike.”
The Bond Commission will meet at 10:30 a.m. July 25.
