CT: Here's how ongoing railroad work could be West Hartford's ticket to getting a Hartford Line train station

Ongoing work to add more tracking to the Hartford Line train route will eventually lead to more trains, better efficiency and potentially more train stations, including one planned in West Hartford.

"Ridership is doing extremely well," said Benjamin Limmer, the public transportation bureau chief for the state Department of Transportation. "We are above pre-pandemic levels. We've seen economic development around those sites. The future is bright for serving communities along the Hartford Line."

One of those communities could be West Hartford, which Limmer said the DOT has identified as a potential site for a new train station, along with North Haven.

But before they can do that, the DOT needs to finish its double tracking project in West Hartford, Hartford, Windsor, Windsor Locks and Enfield, which is key to enable expansion.

"We are approaching the last package of track that needs to be converted from one track to two tracks," Limmer said. "(Double tracking) allows the trains to operate in a completely more efficient manner. The trains can operate at higher speeds and it provides additional capacity, which means you can have more trains. If a train has its own track and doesn't have to share, it does allow a more efficient ride."

In the DOT's recently released five-year transportation infrastructure capital plan, the agency does make mention of a West Hartford train station at 285 Newfield Ave. in the Elmwood neighborhood right near one of the town's existing CTfastrak station. The project, which has an estimated cost of $70.5 million, would include the construction of two platforms and a parking lot, according to the plans, as well as improvements to the Flatbush Avenue bus station.

Limmer confirmed the DOT is indeed looking at West Hartford as one way to expand its Hartford Line services.

"Those stations are in design and once those are completed the design for those ... we are going to be actively looking for funding opportunities, federal grants, to help support the construction of those," Limmer said. "We do see tremendous opportunity to provide more access to all of the communities along the Hartford Line."

In West Hartford, a train station in Elmwood would be seen as a major boost to the town's existing transit-oriented development district it established a few years ago along the New Britain Avenue and New Park Avenue corridor. The designation was intended to encourage developers to build housing near public transportation in exchange for incentives, like reduced parking requirements. That decision has already attracted interest, with two developers planning new multifamily housing developments in the area — one at the former Puritan Furniture site and another on New Park Avenue, which together would bring over 180 new homes to the area.

"We have experienced increased economic development in our transit-oriented district, including residential and commercial near the CTfastrak stations, especially in Elmwood," Mayor Shari Cantor said. "A train station will be a benefit to the whole community and our region significantly improving connectivity for this thriving area in town as well as the broader region — especially with proximity of the CTfastrak stations."

Cantor said she sees a train station driving business in the area — which has been thriving recently with the popularity of places like the GastroPark and the recent reinvestment into the former Corner Pug restaurant, which former Millwright's chef Ashley Flagg turned into The Laurel. It could also support further redevelopment of buildings in the area, Cantor said.

"We know that this will be an economic driver and will attract businesses, residents, restaurants and more," Cantor said. "As we look to build our new community center, a future train station will be a tremendous asset for redevelopment of the existing Elmwood Community Center."

Limmer said the proposed train station's proximity to the CTfastrak stations puts West Hartford in a good place, as bus service would serve the train station and vice versa.

"West Hartford is very much in an advantageous position today," Limmer said. "They are very well served by the CTfastrak bus services. That certainly provides the existing ridership market today. People do have the opportunity to use the bus services and that will only help to support the success of a new West Hartford rail station down the road."

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