Some Worried About New Rail in Old Lyme

Some people in Old Lyme worry their town will not be the same if a new rail line is built there.

And they’re demanding the federal government find another solution to fix the tracks.

"We’re a small community but we have really, really strong voices and people united on this effort," said Rep. Devin Carney, R-23rd District.

The Federal Railroad Administration said new tracks would help improve service and reliability on the Northeast Corridor.

Instead of the current route by the shore in Old Lyme, one of the proposed options would lay a new path that hugs I-95.

People in Old Lyme worry about the new track’s possible effects on the environment and on their community.

It might include trains rumbling right through the campus of the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts.

“It would cut through the town of Old Lyme, right through the heart of Old Lyme. It would destroy businesses, destroy homes, destroy the historic district,” said Carney.

The railroad administration said the current Northeast Corridor is old and cannot keep up with growing demand.

The stretch from Washington D.C. to Boston is the busiest in the nation.

“We would all like to see improvements to the rail system but it can’t take too costly a toll on one community,” says Bonnie Reemsnyder, D-Old Lyme First Selectwoman.

Old Lyme leaders hope the federal government considers other alternatives to improve service.
People can weigh in on this part of the process through February 16th .

Contact Us