By Joseph Morales

The New Haven Line(NHL) of the MTA’s Metro-North Railroad(MNR) is one of the busiest commuter rail lines in the New York area. The NHL is the line that connects Connecticut and parts of Westchester County near the Long Island Sound to New York City. In addition to getting to NYC, many use the line to travel to other growing cities such as New Rochelle, Stamford, and Bridgeport. The line has three branches in addition its main branch that run to Waterbury, New Canaan and Danbury, making the line essential for commuter travel across the state of Connecticut. The operating costs for the main NHL are split between the Connecticut Department of Transportation(CTDOT) and the MTA by a 65%/35% split, respectively. The CTDOT fully bears the cost of operating the line’s branches. In 2023, the NHL was the MTA’s busiest Metro-North Line, with 26.1 million trips despite many people still working from home. 

                   With this high ridership in mind, the MTA and the Connecticut Department of Transportation(CTDOT) worked together to make major service improvements to improve commutes for riders.  The most significant of which was the addition of super express trains from New Haven to Grand Central Terminal. These trains run three times during the AM and PM peak periods in the peak direction and only make stops at New Haven, Bridgeport, Stamford and Grand Central. This turned a trip that would almost always take over two hours to one that could be completed in just an hour and 39 minutes when people need to get into Manhattan the most.  In comparison, a transit trip from many parts of NYC to Grand Central could take a similar amount of time. 

                   In addition to express trains, the Metro-North added seven more trains a day to the Waterbury Branch, a 47% service increase as a result of infrastructure improvements made to the branch. These new trains have led to service beginning earlier in the morning and there being more trains available during the off-peak hours. This flexibility makes it easier for those with nontraditional work schedules and other obligations in New York City to get there using mass transit. Infrastructure improvements that allowed for the service increase included new signals and tracks, replaced railroad ties and repaired grade crossings.

                    With both projects being almost two years old, riders definitely seem to be benefiting from the added rail services. A ridership overview given by the MTA during their most MNR/LIRR joint committee meeting partly attributes increased Metro-North ridership to both the new Super Express Trains and Waterbury Branch trains running on the NHL. It is clear that when riders have service options that fit their needs, they utilize them and reap the benefits of faster, easier, and cheaper commutes. This is especially true for Manhattan-bound commuters, given the challenges and costs of driving into the Central Business District. According to a report from the NYC Department of City Planning in 2011, 35% of those who drove into Manhattan did so because of transit schedules, and another 13% did so due to transit stops. These were both among the leading reasons for driving into Manhattan amongst suburban drivers. Hence, the recent Metro-North improvements can go a long way toward continuing to increase transit ridership and reducing congestion in Manhattan as well as major roads such as the Connecticut Turnpike(I-95). Since congestion pricing is on the way, the new services will likely also help CT residents save money on congestion pricing tolls. 

                      Despite these additions being a game-changer for riders, there are numerous signs that even more substantial service upgrades are coming. Both Super Express service and increased Waterbury Branch service were included in some of Governor Ned Lamont’s state budgets and are a part of Lamont’s TIME FOR CT rail initiatives. TIME FOR CT is Governor Lamont’s plan to save CT riders 25 minutes by 2035 through a massive $10-12 billion investment throughout Connecticut’s rail infrastructure. 

                    The plan is split into three major components: service, infrastructure, and “a rail fleet for everyone”. Service essentially includes projects like the Super Express service and the increased Waterbury branch service that provide more travel options to commuters. Infrastructure improvements enhance the systems necessary for quality train service to operate, including tracks, signals, and bridges. Projects under this category include several bridge replacements on the NHL along with the addition of a fourth track near the Milford station. Connecticut’s goal is to allow for train speeds of 90-110 mph while sparking employment and economic growth throughout the state. While 90-110 mph is not the speed of high-speed rail seen across the world, it is still substantially better than the line’s current top speed of 80 mph. Hence, riders will be able to travel much further faster, allowing them to get to more places and access more opportunities. Lastly, “a rail fleet for everyone” will allow for better trains that fully serve the needs of those riding them. This will include ensuring that all trains are fully accessible to riders along with adding dual-mode locomotives to run on NHL branches that would allow for more one-seat rides between branch lines and NYC. 

                  The Time for CT plan has the potential to dramatically change rail travel in the state of Connecticut. As the most recent service changes have already had a major impact on riders, there is no telling how much better the system will become once all projects in the plan are completed. In addition to travel improvements, Connecticut is likely to see transformative economic benefits, too. According to the American Public Transportation Association, every $1 invested in public transportation results in $5 in economic value. Additionally, every $1 billion in transit investment creates about 50,000 jobs. The economic impact could be recognized through various means, such as increased sales for small businesses, new corporations moving into the state, and new transit-oriented developments. Transit-oriented developments are mixed-use developments that include commercial and residential spaces within walking distance of a transit station. Some transit-oriented developments include Darien Commons near the Noroton Heights NHL station and Avalon Harrison, located near the Harrison NHL station, three stops from the CT state line. 

                   Connecticut has and is continuing to show how commuter rail investment can lead to great things on so many levels. It will be interesting to see the full effects of the Time for CT plan, given how it is such a large-scale, comprehensive investment into the New Haven Line. Given the early successes of the plan, optimism is brewing for a new era for commuter rail and enhanced economic activity in the state of Connecticut.

Works Cited

Connecticut Department of Transportation. “Governor Lamont Announces New Express Trains on the New Haven Line and Increased Services on the Waterbury Branch Line.” ct.gov, 11 July 2022, https://portal.ct.gov/dot/ctdot-press-releases/2022/new-express-trains-on-the-new-haven-line-and-increased-services-on-the-waterbury-branch-line. Accessed 8 May 2024.

CT.GOV. Time for CT – TimeForCT, 2022, https://timeforct.com/. Accessed 8 May 2024.

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CT.GOV. “A Rail Fleet for Everyone – TimeForCT.” Time for CT, 2022, https://timeforct.com/about/rail-fleet/. Accessed 8 May 2024.

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Metropolitan Transportation Authority. “MTA By the Numbers in 2023.” MTA, 27 December 2023, https://new.mta.info/press-release/mta-numbers-2023. Accessed 8 May 2024.

MTA Live. “MTA Committee Meetings – 04/29/2024.” YouTube, 29 April 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNKf9WJvDLs&t=8667s. Accessed 8 May 2024.

NYC Department of City Planning-Transportation Division. “Manhattan Core Parking Study.” NYC.gov, December 2011, https://www.nyc.gov/assets/planning/download/pdf/plans/manhattan-core-public-parking/mncore_study.pdf. Accessed 8 May 2024.

“Public Transportation Facts.” American Public Transportation Association, 28 September 2023, https://www.apta.com/news-publications/public-transportation-facts/. Accessed 8 May 2024.