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STATE OF CONNECTICUT EXECUTIVE CHAMBERS HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT 06106 |
M. Jodi Rell Governor |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 29, 2010
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Contact: 860-524-7313
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Governor Rell Announces Agreement to Speed
Completion of Third Fairfield Train Station
Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced a breakthrough in negotiations with the Town of Fairfield and developer Blackrock Realty that will allow the completion of the Fairfield Metro Center commuter rail station with full parking facilities and accompanying vehicle and pedestrian access.
“We have an innovative solution to help finish this project despite an extraordinarily difficult economy,” Governor Rell said. “That solution will benefit the state and the community, as well as the thousands of commuters who depend on Metro-North’s New Haven Line to get to and from work every day.
“We are taking a once-blighted ‘brownfield’ and turning it into positive, transit-oriented development – along with open space for a park and improved protections for wetlands,” the Governor said. “And, of course, the project itself keeps and creates construction jobs, which are always welcome. I want to commend everyone involved for making this happen.”
In January, the State Bond Commission, chaired by Governor Rell, approved $19.4 million for the acquisition of Blackrock’s property at the site, the construction of the access road and the installation of a drainage system. Under the new, three-way agreement, Blackrock is turning over its parcel to the state, which will receive revenues from the planned, 1,200-space parking lot.
Fairfield First Selectman Ken Flatto said, “I am thrilled that the parties have come together to enable and accomplish the completion of this historic transportation and brownfield revitalization project, which will benefit our community in many positive ways forever. I applaud the leadership of the Governor and state and town officials who worked so very hard to succeed at finalizing this process so that Fairfield’s new station and parking will soon make commuting easier and better protect the environment.”
The new station, to be completed in the summer of 2011, will be Fairfield’s third New Haven Line station. In addition to state-of-the art facilities and the parking lot, it will also include a new bridge to and from the lot for vehicular traffic and an “up-and-over” pedestrian walkway to allow commuters to get from one platform to the other. Further commercial development is also envisioned at the site in the future.
“We have made the best of a situation that would have prevented us from completing the station as originally envisioned,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph F. Marie. “Now, everyone can move forward on a station that all of us can be proud of.”