Connecticut broke ground on the construction of a new $33 million train station in Naugatuck on Friday.
It’s part of major upgrades to the Metro-North Waterbury Branch Line funded 80% by federal money, and 20% by state money.
The train station will serve as an anchor for transit-oriented development in downtown Naugatuck and help spur residential housing in an area that had previously been the site of a Uniroyal tire factory.
“That’s brownfields turned into housing,” Governor Ned Lamont said.
“That’s going to be hundreds of units of housing right there. Maybe some down there in the future as well, right around a train station. A walkable, livable city,” he said.
Lamont said it’s an example of how cities and towns can take the lead in the development of more affordable housing in the state.
“This new station brings public transportation closer to the heart of downtown, creating new opportunities for economic development, housing, and walkable neighborhoods. It’s an investment in infrastructure that connects people to jobs and strengthens communities,” he said.
The new station is being relocated about one-third of a mile south of the existing station, placing it closer to Naugatuck’s downtown and aligning it with the borough’s vision for a transit-oriented development. It’s part of a $140 million statewide program to upgrade all stations on the Waterbury Branch Line, including Waterbury, Naugatuck, Beacon Falls, Seymour, Ansonia, and Derby-Shelton.
The station is scheduled for completion by 2027.
