Posted on 07/31/2010 6:34:56 AM PDT by Willie Green
HARTFORD, Conn. -- A 20-year transportation proposal to renovate more than 500 miles of passenger rail throughout New England is anticipated to increase speed between stations while unclogging some of the region’s congested highways.
The ambitious project, running through Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont, is designed to improve connection times and spark economic growth throughout the Northeast.
Transportation officials from the three states have coordinated a regional vision to connect major cities and airports, including Bradley International in Windsor Locks in the hopes of doubling passenger rail ridership by 2030.
Vermont would receive a boost in its already expanding ridership on the Amtrak line operating from Franklin County down to Washington, D.C. Estimates from transit representatives indicate travel time could decrease by as much as an hour from central Connecticut to southern Vermont.
"Among many of the outcomes in Vermont will be shaving off an estimated 27 minutes of running time from St. Albans to the Massachusetts border once the project is complete," said Joe Flynn, rail program manager for the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
"In addition to the Massachusetts upgrades, once all three states have completed this first round of projects, the running time from St. Albans to New York City is expected to be reduced by 90 minutes," he said.
News of the passenger rail improvements come at an ideal time -- Vermont’s ridership figures from June 2009 to 2010 skyrocketed by 35 percent. Revenues on Amtrak’s Vermonter also were up 44 percent in June from the previous year.
Ultimately, the goal is to expand rail to support development in the region (local economics will see a boost in construction jobs) and add new capacities for the freight trains that currently dominate the track, said Planning Chief Tom Maziarz with the Connecticut Department of Transportation.
Intermodal connections would also increase from Bradley to bus systems in Hartford and New Britain that are likely to promote energy efficiency and reduce automobile, truck and air congestion, he said.
Maziarz spoke before a packed delegation of commuters, business owners and civic leaders Thursday evening at Hartford’s Union Station.
However, long-term success of this comprehensive, integrated regional rail plan will depend on what was referred to as the project’s "backbone" -- the New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, Mass., portion.
Officials stated the New Haven to Springfield inland route is the first element, eventually leading to improvements toward Boston and the Maine coastline. The Vermonter route through western Massachusetts’s "Knowledge Corridor" towns such as Northampton and Holyoke up to Montreal is the second element of the project, according to Maziarz.
Roundtrips would significantly increase at many stations by 2030 if the project is successful.
Hartford’s station would increase from six up to 25 daily roundtrips. Stations like Brattleboro, Vt., which presently has one northbound and southbound train per day, would expand to three roundtrips.
The rail service project is part of a massive spending initiative kick-started by President Barack Obama as part of his stimulus plan. All three neighboring states have taken federal money for high-speed rail grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Connecticut has received $40 million to add a second track, but has also chipped in more than $200 million in state funds for the project. Massachusetts received $70 million to upgrade the deteriorating Connecticut River line from Springfield to Vermont.
The Green Mountain State received $50 million to improve the Central New England Railroad track from St. Albans southward. The renovation will include 80,000 cross-ties, upgrades to signage along the route and communication improvements for the railroads.
Vermont is close to receiving the greenlight by the Federal Railroad Administration to proceed with the improvements, but the project is fast-tracked and could begin as soon as early August.
"The money’s there, the final paperwork hasn’t been signed between the federal government and the state of Vermont," said Flynn.
Rail travel works well in densely populated areas such as New England and the Mid-Atlantic. However, in order for it to work, it needs to compete with highways in travel time.
These improvements will shave an hour off the travel time from southern Vermont to central Connecticut? It can’t take much more than an hour to drive I-91 from Hartford to Vermont.
Yep, Choo-Choo Willie approves of the Obama spending agenda. Yet he calls himself a conservative. Some folks just can't perceive their own inherent contradictions.
These improvements will shave an hour off the travel time from southern Vermont to central Connecticut? It can’t take much more than an hour to drive I-91 from Hartford to Vermont.
Mapquest tells me that it takes 3 hours 18 minutes to drive 200.11 miles from Hartford to Montpelier.
The same trip on Amtrak takes almost 6 hours and costs $46.
So it's pretty easy to see that this route's performance can be greatly improved by eliminating the bottlenecks that cause delays.
I don't know what kind of traffic congestion exists along the I-91 corridor,
but I can understand why Amtrak travel might be a more desirable/safer choice for commuters during the harsh winter months.
Hmmmmmm.... winter would be a good time for skiers to use Amtrak to travel to Vermont for a getaway weekend as well!!!
Yep, Choo-Choo Willie wants taxpayers to subsidize vacation travel now as well!
I've done Hartford to Springfield (which is just over the border) on I-91 many times and it's 30 minutes in light traffic.From Springfield up to the Vermont border has gotta be another hour...but I'm not sure of that.
Yep, Choo-Choo Willie approves of the Obama spending agenda. Yet he calls himself a conservative.
Hey, it ain't my fault that the GOP is finding itself on the wrong side of this particular issue.
But what the heck... it's pretty obvious that the GOP is void of any credible national leadership... they're just a bunch of sockpuppets for various multinational industries and corporate lobbyists, and are incapable of providing a conservative alternative to the present administration.
I don't think I've ever seen the GOP look so pathetically lame since Nixon resigned.
Wait a minute...St Albans?? I've been there (my aunt and uncle are buried there).The damn town has two traffic lights!! Why do *they* need a new rail line to NYC?
Funny thing is that they never want to subsidize a vacation to where I want to go with a thousand lbs of camping equipment. Then they want to strip the money from the roads I use to get there.
Your understanding or wishful thinking is incorrect. I commutted Bos - NYC and it was frequently sold-out.
Finally, a rail project that actually makes sense.
And a stimulus project that isn’t a waste of money.
Congrats, Willie - this is your first post that I can agree with.
I’ve taken the Vermonter many time from Philly to White River Junction when my kids were young. The train would pull into WRJ in the middle of the night if I recall and we would stay at the Coolidge Hotel...a total flee bag of a hotel....but we loved it....but no way in hell should the tax payers fund something like this...can’t conservatives ever realize that what built this country ( lierally ) was free enterprise...get rid of the smothering regulations and union contracts, sell the damn tracks, real estate, and rolling stock and let the genius of guys trying to make money put the railroads back in business.
Willie, I’m with you about loving train travel, but government money aint no solution!
I commute from New Haven to Hartford daily, takes about 35 minutes and my work is right near the Hartford train station. I would only use a train if the trip took about the same amount of time and didn’t cost much. It’s $6.00 in gas now...Could a round trip ticket match or beat that?
Willie, I’m with you about loving train travel, but government money aint no solution!
It's not about "loving train travel," mick, although that is a beneficial perquisite.
It's about developing transportation infrastructure that reduces our dependence on imported oil.
sell the damn tracks, real estate, and rolling stock and let the genius of guys trying to make money put the railroads back in business.
It takes more than "genius" to break down the market barriers erected by Airline, Highway and Oil Industry lobbyists.
Why do *they* need a new rail line to NYC?
St. Albans is the northernmost terminus of Amtrak in Vermont.
I would think that once they eliminate bottlenecks to NYC,
their long range plan is to restore service to Montreal in Canada.
Wrong, Willie, YOU are on the wrong side of this issue. If I found myself agreeing with Obama on stimulus spending, I would re-examine my premises. But apparently, you being on the same side as Obama fails to give you any pause...
get rid of the smothering regulations and union contracts... The barriers placed on free enterprise
oops...it send too soon...I’ll try to finish it on the next post
oops...it send too soon...I’ll try to finish it on the next post
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