Governor Rell Announces $103 Million for

New Metro-North Station in West Haven

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that $103 million for the construction of a new Metro-North Railroad commuter station in West Haven is expected to gain approval when the state Bond Commission meets September 25.

            “We may be standing on the future home of a train station, but what I see here are jobs and a huge catalyst for Connecticut’s economy,” Governor Rell said during a news conference in West Haven. “Not only will construction of this new station create jobs, the presence of the station just two blocks from the center of West Haven will have major economic implications for miles and miles around the area. And building the station continues our efforts to reduce congestion on Connecticut highways, making our roads safer and keeping our economic lifeblood flowing now and in the future. The investments we are making will have a ripple effect on our families and employers for years to come.

            “Tens of thousands of passengers count on Metro-North every day,” the Governor said. “However, the 11-mile stretch between New Haven and Milford is the longest portion of the New Haven Line without a station. We expect hundreds of additional passengers will begin enjoying the convenience and savings of the train when the West Haven station is up and running – many of them commuters who will no longer be using the highways, emitting exhaust and contributing to traffic tie-ups. That’s good financial news for commuters, good clean air news for the environment and good rush hour news for our crowded roads and highways.”

            Governor Rell also thanked the state Department of Transportation for its efforts to move the West Haven project forward.

            The plans for the West Haven station call for more than 700 new parking spaces, as well as a 3,000-square-foot station building with a waiting room, restrooms and a newsstand. Construction is to begin in 2010 and be completed in 2012.

            Since taking office, Governor Rell has made modernizing and improving the state’s transportation system a top priority. A fleet of more than 300 new M-8 rail cars is being built for the New Haven Line and both the New Haven Line and the Shoreline East Railroad have seen enhanced weekday and weekend service.

            “I am proud of the enormous improvements we have made across our entire transportation network – highways, trains, buses, ports and airports – but few have been as visible as the changes to Connecticut’s commuter rail system,” Governor Rell said. “The New Haven Line is not only one of the busiest commuter railroads in the world, it is an essential part of our economic landscape. Investments like this new station simply make sense.”