Investment builds Connecticut jobs
Posted on November 27, 2015
Investing in a new commuter rail is helping build more Connecticut jobs.
An economic analysis on the proposed upgrades to the New Haven Line demonstrates that the economic benefits of replacing the commuter rail system is more than twice the cost of the project upgrades, and will be a major factor in being able to attract and retain businesses and grow jobs.
The investments will result in over $6.2 billion in long-term cumulative business sales and output – $3.9 billion in additional gross state product and $2.8 billion in additional wage income. The project is expected to support 4,000 to 6,000 construction jobs during the construction phase.
For every year following the opening of the new structure, the improved transportation efficiency and lower travel and shipping costs will support the creation of 2,000 to 3,100 jobs over the life of the new facility.
As part of Governor Malloy’s “Let’s Go CT!” transportation initiative, he has proposed major upgrades to service on the New Haven Line, in order to provide more frequent and faster service. This includes increasing the track capacity to full-service of four tracks, as opposed to the current two to three tracks that are in service at any given time. He’s also proposed a reconfiguration and upgrade of the Connecticut system to improve the frequency and speed of service, including upgrades to sections of track, the signal system, the communication system, and reconfiguration of several stations to provide express train service on the two inner tracks, and local train service on the two outer tracks.
The resulting upgrades will lead to:
- Doubling peak-hour service
- Increasing the number of express trains per hour between New Haven and New York City from two to at least four and possibly as many as eight express trains per hour
- Reduction of express service travel time between New Haven and New York City by an average of 15 minutes
- Increasing local service (non-express) trains from the current rate of approximately every 20 minutes during peak service, to about every four to eight minutes