The Connecticut Department of Transportation held a groundbreaking ceremony in Stratford on Monday to celebrate the start of construction on the $1.6 billion TIME-1, the largest component so far of TIME FOR CT, a multi-year initiative to rebuild, improve and expand the state’s rail network.
The three-phase TIME-1 project will modernize sections of the New Haven Line, the busiest individual commuter rail line in the United States, through 2035. Workers will upgrade sections of the line to the Federal Railroad Administration’s Track Class 6 standards. Once completed, trains will be able to operate at speeds of up to 90 miles per hour in designated sections.
“Every minute we save on a commute gives people more time with their families, more time in their communities, and more opportunities to enjoy all that Connecticut has to offer,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “Shaving minutes off New Haven Line commute times will have a real impact on the economic future of these towns, bringing new families and investment to communities up and down the line.”
Phase one will focus on a three-mile section of track between Bridgeport and Stratford. Work includes the installation of new catenary structures, a bridge replacement, upgrading track and signal infrastructure, and adding new track connections.