03 January 2009

Commuter Question: Rail Over Busway

Today's Courant story by Don Stacom reports on a brewing change in legislative thinking on public transit in the area led by State Rep. David McCluskey of West Hartford.

McCluskey, disturbed over the lack of progress by the Department of Transportation on the New Britain busway, recently called for dumping the New Britain/Hartford busway as too limited for emerging needs. This would sink New Britain's terminal station planned for the former Greenfield's property and force a change in thinking for downtown development.

From Don Stacom's story:

"The busway was supposed to be a way to keep from building another lane on I-84, but I don't have much faith that people are going to drive into New Britain to take a bus to Hartford," McCluskey said. "But would people in Bristol and Plainville and New Britain use a train to Hartford? And would people in West Hartford welcome a way to get to New York? I think so."


With last summer's gas prices a harbinger of things to come and a surge in demand for rail service (even in Connecticut), McCluskey has a point. Investment in rail on existing tracks may be where we should have started 10 years ago. It's another indication that Connecticut has had more of a highway department than a true Department of Transportation through the years.

Related: Rep. McCluskey's blog frequently reports on transit conferences and meetings at http://ctprogressivedemocrat.blogspot.com/

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

The rail idea would be terrific: It would meet a real need, and would also help upgrade NB's image.

I live in NB, and I can't think of someone in another town who'd say, "hey, let's drive to downtown New Britain to . . . catch a bus."

Light rail, though? Totally different . . . especially if it made it easier to get to NYC without a car. (This would also presumably appeal to CCSU students.)