The governor made an announcement this morning about plans for faster train service in the state. Time for CT is an $8 billion to $10 million plan intended to save 10 minutes of travel time by 2022 and reduce travel time by 26 minutes by 2035.
The details, according to Gov. Ned Lamont’s office, are based on a recent speed study of the New Haven Line.
Lamont called this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and said getting some cars and trucks off the road will make a difference.
Officials said express trains would start running next year.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
“Connecticut is home to the most used commuter rail line in the country, and it is a key component of our economic growth, supporting the ability of thousands of people every day to get to their jobs and earn a living,” Lamont said in a statement. “But our aging infrastructure is not only slowing our travels, it’s slowing our economic growth. Nobody wants to live and work in a place where they spend hours stuck in their daily commutes. Faster trains and faster highways mean more jobs. The actionable items we put in TIME FOR CT will make these needed improvements a reality.”
The plan is intended to attract more people to get out of their cars as well as improve the resilience of the New Haven Line and generate 45,000 “direct construction jobs” over 15 years, according to signs posted during the news conference Monday morning at the Stratford Train Station.
Read more about the plan here.
About TIME FOR CT
The $8 to $10 billion program would provide additional capacity and improve needs, frequency, and reliability throughout Connecticut, according to the governor's office. Following are the benefits, according to the governor's office.
- Save 10 minutes of travel time by 2022
- Reduce travel time by 25 minutes by 2035
- Use existing assets and stay within existing right-of-way
- Reduce impacts of climate change by attracting more people out of their cars
- Improve the resiliency of the New Haven Line
- Provide a new fleet for faster trip times and an improved passenger experience
- Improve access to education, jobs, and urban centers
- Support economic recovery from COVID through improved service
- Generate an estimated 45,000 direct construction jobs over 15 years
Stories from LX News
LX, or Local X stands, for the exponential possibilities of storytelling in our communities.
