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Connecticut is on track for faster commuter train service

Adam Moss
/
Flickr

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont’s plan to reduce commuter rail travel time between New Haven and New York by 25 minutes appears to be on track. The plan is supported by billions of federal infrastructure dollars for improvements to Amtrak rail lines.

Half of the $60 billion for rail infrastructure improvements included in last year’s federal spending package is for the Northeast Corridor. That would help pay to straighten track, improve electrification and reduce travel time into New York City on the Metro-North commuter line.

All of a sudden Bridgeport is no further away tomorrow than Stamford is today from the global capitol of the world, New York City,” Lamont said, speaking at New Haven Union Station, where he met with Stephen Gardner, the new president and CEO of Amtrak.

Amtrak is partnering with Connecticut to update and improve service on the line, Gardner said. Some hundred year old bridges on the line would be replaced.

“In the process of doing that we are going to create thousands of jobs, we are going to create great demand for domestic products, steel, concrete and in the new are going to have an asset that would be good for the next hundred years in terms of capabilities,” he said.

As WSHU Public Radio’s award-winning senior political reporter, Ebong Udoma draws on his extensive tenure to delve deep into state politics during a major election year.