Multi-State Effort Necessary for a 21st Century Commuter Rail System

Establishing high frequency commuter rail service between the metropolitan areas of Springfield, Hartford, and the New York-bound MetroNorth station in New Haven is a necessary step in reducing our state’s massive dependence on global-warming-causing foreign oil and in channeling urban development away from farms and forestland and into accessible, livable communities.

But creating such a system will require billions of dollars that our uniquely budget-less state lacks. Most local rail proponents have advocated that we look to the federal government for the bulk of such funds, but with at least 40 states seeking about 13 times the actual $8 billion set aside for commuter rail projects, Connecticut faces stiff competition, with the likes of California and Chicago vying for big cuts of those funds.

Our best hope is to create a New England-scale proposal by coordinating with Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Together, the New England states would become the 20th largest “state” in the country and overtake Illinois as the fifth most populous. Indeed, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, are the second, third and fourth most densely populated states respectively. A commuter rail project designed to serve the New England region is our best bet for submitting a competitive application for federal money.

Thinking on a New England scale, we wouldn’t only connect Hartford and Springfield to the New York region, but we would also create connections to cities like Worcester, Boston, Portland, and even Montreal. A regional rail plan could also provide better service to underserved rural areas and smaller cities in New Hampshire and Vermont, without straying far from the main track.

Luckily, Connecticut and all five of our regional counterparts are starting to see the light. Recently, Joe Marie, Connecticut’s Commissioner of Transportation, was a featured speaker at the New England Rail Summit in Burlington, VT. Marie has agreed to host the next conference in our state.

In addition to the obvious transportation benefits, if a New England-wide approach is successful, Connecticut may begin to move away from the balkanized policy structure that so paralyzes us.