THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE CT COMMUTER RAIL COUNCIL:
The Connecticut Commuter Rail Council will be sponsoring a commuter forum for all Waterbury Branch riders on Sept. 4, 2014 at 7 p.m. at the offices of the Naugatuck Historical Society located within the Naugatuck Train Station at 195 Water St. in Naugatuck.
The purpose of this forum is to allow Waterbury Branch users to ask questions and talk with representatives from the State Department of Transportation and Metro North Railroad.
State Department of Transportation Commissioner James Redeker is expected to be there along with host Mayor Robert Mezzo and state legislators.
For years, the Waterbury Branch Line has watched ridership soar with little in the way of increased service.
The line has often been the fastest growing line on the Metro North New Haven Rail line.
In fact, ridership has more than doubled over the last decade, proving that the line has untapped potential in the way of future riders.
A recent CTDOT Central Connecticut Rail Study indicates that by adding additional service times, the branch could potentially see ridership soar to unprecedented levels, more than double the ridership seen today.
“There are countless Waterbury Branch commuters and potential commuters who rely on the branch line to get them to and from their place of employment or other destinations. Providing safe, reliable service for these commuters is a necessity not only for the Waterbury regional economy, but for the economy of the entire state as well,”
Connecticut Commuter Rail Council Vice Chairperson Jim Gildea said.
“Ensuring that the Waterbury Branch line has steady, reliable and increased service times, both during the weekday commute and also on the weekend where ridership is at the same level, is an achievable goal that should be pursued diligently.”
“The Waterbury Branch is the Naugatuck Valley’s most significant unrealized asset. If the proper investments are made, the train will become competitive with driving for many more people. Not only will getting drivers on trains reduce road congestion, poor air quality, and the need for expensive highway widening, it will also revitalize our community centers and bring to them new investment, vitality, and livability,” Sam Gold, Executive Director of the Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley, said. “Reliable and regular train service will also help us compete for a generation of young workers who increasingly prefer trains to cars.”
As an independent state board that acts as an advocate for commuters on the Metro-North commuter railroad line (including the New Canaan, Danbury and Waterbury branches, Shore Line East railroad and the New Haven to Springfield line), the Connecticut Commuter Rail Council is interested in hearing from commuters who wish to share their experiences.
The Council invites all interested parties and members of the public to attend.
