West Haven | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
General information | |||||||||||||||||||||
Location | 20 Railroad Avenue West Haven, Connecticut | ||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 41°16′16″N72°57′48″W / 41.271142°N 72.963199°W | ||||||||||||||||||||
Line(s) | ConnDOT New Haven Line (Northeast Corridor) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Platforms | 2 side platforms | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tracks | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Construction | |||||||||||||||||||||
Parking | 660 spaces | ||||||||||||||||||||
Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||||||||||||
Other information | |||||||||||||||||||||
Fare zone | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | August 18, 2013 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Passengers | |||||||||||||||||||||
2018 | 1,117 daily boardings [1] (Metro-North) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Services | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||
|
West Haven station is a commuter rail station on the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, located in West Haven, Connecticut. The station was built on Sawmill Road between Hood Terrace and Railroad Avenue, in the Elm Street-Wagner Place neighborhood. West Haven has 660 parking spaces in on-site lots (with the possibility of 300–400 more in a parking garage in a refurbished industrial building north of the station if warranted by future demand) as well as bicycle facilities. The station is accessible. West Haven has full service on the New Haven Line, as well as from the handful of Shore Line East trains which run past New Haven to Stamford. [2]
After a decade of studies, planning, and controversy over the station site, ground was broken for the station on November 10, 2010. [3] The $80 million project included the station, with two 12-car platforms, a glass station building, and an overhead pedestrian bridge, as well as the restoration of the formerly abandoned fourth mainline track through the station. It is only the second new station on the line in a century, after Fairfield Metro in 2011. The station opened to passengers on August 18, 2013. [4] [5]
Shore Line East service at the station was suspended indefinitely on March 16, 2020, due to the coronavirus pandemic. [6] [7]
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, a station stop was located in West Haven between Washington and Campbell Avenues, about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) east of the modern station. The first West Haven station, at Washington Avenue, opened along with the rest of the New York and New Haven Railroad on December 25, 1848. The wood-framed building, located on the south (eastbound) side of the tracks, was moved west halfway to Campbell Avenue in 1895 when the line was quadruple-tracked. [8] At that time, a second station was built on the westbound side across from the older station. The first station burned down on February 26, 1914, and was replaced by a new building by the middle of 1915. [8] As trains grew longer and heavier, closely spaced village stops were retired in favor of more widely spaced downtown stations. West Haven closed in the mid-1920s, though the eastbound station building was not demolished until the 1940s. [8] The station was briefly proposed to reopen in the 1950s following the construction of a Veterans Affairs hospital nearby; however, this did not come to fruition, and the idea was largely abandoned for several decades. [8]
A short-lived station was also located at Front Avenue in West Haven on the New Haven and Derby Railroad. The station was at street level, with stairs to the platform on the elevated tracks. The station opened in 1871 and was closed by 1914. [8]
In the late 1990s, Metro-North began considering adding a station in either West Haven or neighboring Orange to fill the ten-mile (16 km) gap between the Milford and New Haven stations—the longest such gap on the New Haven mainline. Both town governments were supportive of a station, which was then to cost $25–30 million. Support in West Haven was largely rallied by the West Haven Train Station Committee Inc., which circulated a petition eventually signed by 7600 residents. Support in Orange was both local by the Orange Railroad Committee and also aided by several employers, including Bayer Pharmaceuticals, whose employees were likely to use the station. [9] In fall 2001, a site study and a regional transportation committee recommended the Orange site (at Marsh Hill Road) based on cost, time considerations, and highway access. However, in December 2001, the South Central Council of Governments voted instead to support the West Haven site, citing the economic needs of West Haven versus comparatively wealthy Orange. [9]
Orange's first selectman originally planned to appeal the decision, and controversy continued. [9] The sustained bitter animosity between the two towns was cited in a study of bargaining between municipalities. [10] The Final Environmental Impact Statement, issued in June 2007, considered both station sites, noting that "The recommendation of the West Haven site does not preclude the construction of a commuter railroad station at the Orange site in the future, as the demand for additional parking and service warrants, and as additional funding becomes available." [11] In 2011 - even after ground was broken at West Haven - state lawmakers considered a funding deal to build an Orange station. [12]
In February 2005, the City of West Haven released a proposal for the West Haven station that modified the state's current plan, with less land taking adjacent to the station and a pedestrian bridge across Saw Mill Road to a 629-space garage in the Armonstrong North building. The city's proposal also included transit-oriented development, with a 325-unit residential development on the Armstrong South property and mixed-use buildings along Hood Terrace and Railroad Avenue. [13] On June 19, 2006, West Haven Mayor John M. Picard and U.S. Representative Rosa L. DeLauro announced that DeLauro had secured $1.2 million in federal funding for the project, which brought the federal funding commitment as of that date to $3.2 million. [14] [15] The Final Environmental Impact Statement, released in June 2007, estimated the capital cost for the station at $66.56 million including land acquisitions, with a total of 1,074 parking spaces split between lots and a garage. Ridership was estimated at 1,620 daily riders at opening and 1,955 by 2025, with about 20% new transit users rather than diverted from New Haven or Milford stations. [11]
Design was one-third complete and construction planned for fall 2009 when initial renderings were released in June 2008, with costs estimated at $100 million. [16] The State Bond Commission authorized a $103 million bond for station construction in 2009. [17]
About 12 miles (19 km) of Track 4 - the southbound outside track - was taken out of service for passenger trains in the mid-1980s to reduce maintenance costs. The track was removed entirely between Devon and Woodmont, and reduced to freight use only between Woodmont and New Haven. The West Haven station project involved restoration of the New Haven Line's original configuration of 4 electrified main tracks in the five-mile (8.0 km) stretch from New Haven to Woodmont, leaving Woodmont to Devon as the only remaining triple-track section of the New Haven Line. The fourth track allows Metro-North local trains to stay exclusively on the outer tracks, leaving the inner tracks for passing Amtrak service and Metro-North expresses. The track restoration and re-electrification represented $33.68 million of the project cost. [17] The restoration used new material, while the old rails and ties were reconditioned for use elsewhere in the state on freight-only and museum trackage. [18]
Groundbreaking was held on November 10, 2010, with the presence of outgoing Governor Jodi Rell. At the time, the station was expected to cost $118 million and open by the end of 2012. [3] After a year of site preparation and foundation work, construction began in earnest in early 2012. In April 2012, the state announced that the station was coming in under budget, with a cost of $80 million plus $25 million in previous property acquisition and design work. [17] The majority of station and building construction was completed by the end of 2012, with primarily electrical, interior finishing, and paving work remaining. [19] In March 2013, as the station neared completion, some of the original station advocates began pushing to use money left over from construction to build a parking garage at the site. [20]
In February 2013, Metro-North proposed to include West Haven in the same fare zone as New Haven Union Station and State Street station. The station was originally to open on June 1, 2013, but these plans were derailed by construction delays and the death of a track worker who was struck by a train in late May. [4] [21] The station ultimately opened on August 18, 2013, with a formal ribbon-cutting the next day. [4] [22]
The station has two high-level side platforms, which can accommodate 12-car trains, serving the outer tracks of the four-track Northeast Corridor. [23] : 23
The Red Line is a rapid transit line of the Washington Metro system, consisting of 27 stations in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., in the United States. It is a primary line through downtown Washington and the oldest and busiest line in the system. It forms a long, narrow "U," capped by its terminal stations at Shady Grove and Glenmont.
Wellington station is a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Orange Line rapid transit station in Medford, Massachusetts, near the border of Everett. It is located on the Revere Beach Parkway, slightly east of its intersection with Route 28. Wellington functions as a park and ride with more than 1,300 spaces, and a bus hub with eight routes terminating at the station. The Station Landing development, connected to the station by an overhead walkway, includes residential and retail buildings and additional parking. Wellington Carhouse, the primary repair and maintenance facility for the Orange Line, is located adjacent to the station.
New Haven Union Station is the main railroad passenger station in New Haven, Connecticut. It is the third such station in the city of New Haven, preceded by both an 1848 built station in a different location, and an 1879 built station near the current station's location. Designed by noted American architect Cass Gilbert, the present beaux-arts Union Station was completed and opened in 1920 after the previous Union Station was destroyed by fire. It served the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad for the next five decades, but fell into decline following World War II along with the United States railroad industry as a whole.
Shore Line East (SLE) is a commuter rail service which operates along the Northeast Corridor through southern Connecticut, United States. The rail service is a fully owned subsidiary of the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) and is operated under the CT Rail brand. SLE provides service seven days a week along the Northeast Corridor between New London and New Haven; limited through service west of New Haven to Bridgeport and Stamford has been suspended since 2020. Cross-platform transfers to Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line trains are available at New Haven for service to southwestern Connecticut and New York City. Pre-COVID, around 2,200 riders used the service on weekdays.
Route 128 station is a passenger rail station located at the crossing of the Northeast Corridor and Interstate 95/US Route 1/Route 128 at the eastern tip of Dedham and Westwood, Massachusetts, United States. The station is shared by Amtrak and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA). It is served by most MBTA Commuter Rail Providence/Stoughton Line trains, as well as by all Amtrak Northeast Regional and Acela intercity trains. The station building, platforms, and parking garage are all fully accessible. It is the 23rd busiest Amtrak station in the country and the fifth busiest in New England.
Stamford station, officially known as the Stewart B. McKinney Transportation Center or the Stamford Transportation Center, is a major railroad station in the city of Stamford, Connecticut, serving passengers traveling on Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line, Amtrak's Northeast Corridor, and CT Rail's Shore Line East. In addition, it is also a major bus terminal for Greyhound, Peter Pan, and CTtransit buses. In 2018, the station averaged over 15,000 Metro-North boardings on weekdays, making it the busiest station on the system aside from Grand Central Terminal. Its official name honors politician Stewart McKinney.
Richmond station is an Amtrak intercity rail and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) station located in downtown Richmond, California. Richmond is the north terminus of BART service on the Orange Line and Red Line; it is a stop for Amtrak's Capitol Corridor, San Joaquins, and California Zephyr routes. The accessible station has one island platform for the two BART tracks, with a second island platform serving two of the three tracks of the Union Pacific Railroad Martinez Subdivision for Amtrak trains. It is one of two transfer points between BART and Amtrak, along with Oakland Coliseum station.
Quincy Center station is an intermodal transit station in Quincy, Massachusetts. It is a transfer station between the MBTA Red Line subway, MBTA Commuter Rail's Old Colony Lines and Greenbush Line, and a number of MBTA bus routes. It is located between Hancock Street and Burgin Parkway in the Quincy Center district. Opened in 1971, the station was covered by a large parking garage which was closed in 2012 due to structural problems and removed several years later. The station is accessible on all modes.
North Quincy station is an MBTA subway Red Line station in Quincy, Massachusetts. It is located in North Quincy, off Hancock Street. A major park-and-ride stop, it has over 1200 parking spaces for commuters. The station is fully accessible.
New Rochelle station is a Metro-North Railroad and Amtrak train station located in New Rochelle, New York. The station serves Metro-North's New Haven Line and Amtrak's Northeast Regional; Bee-Line Bus System buses serve a bus stop just outside the station. As of August 2006, weekday commuter ridership was 4,020, and there are 1,381 parking spots. It is the busiest New Haven Line station in Westchester County.
Mamaroneck station is a commuter rail station on the Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line, located in Mamaroneck, New York.
Noroton Heights station is a commuter rail station on the Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line located in the Noroton Heights neighborhood of Darien, Connecticut.
Old Greenwich station is a commuter rail station served by the Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line, located in the Old Greenwich neighborhood of Greenwich, Connecticut. The station has two side platforms, each ten cars long, which serve the outer tracks of the four-track Northeast Corridor.
Westbrook station is a regional rail station on the Northeast Corridor, located off Connecticut Route 153 just north of the village center of Westbrook, Connecticut. It is served by the CT Rail's Shore Line East commuter rail service; Amtrak's Acela and Northeast Regional services run through the station without stopping.
Springdale station is a commuter rail station on the New Canaan Branch of the Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line in Stamford, Connecticut. The station opened in 1868, and was rebuilt in 1972.
North Leominster station is an MBTA Commuter Rail station in Leominster, Massachusetts. It serves the Fitchburg Line. It is located at 34 Nashua Street, east of Main Street. The station, which is accessible, has two side platforms to serve the line's two tracks. There is a small freight yard adjacent to the parking lot and mainline tracks on the south end of the inbound platform. A garage opened in 2014 to nearly triple parking capacity at the station, which serves as a park-and-ride stop for Route 2 and I-190, to a total of 436 spaces.
Kent station is a train station in the city of Kent, Washington, United States, served by the S Line of the Sounder commuter rail network. It is located in downtown Kent and consists of two train platforms connected via a pedestrian overpass, a parking garage, and several bus bays. The station also has 996 parking stalls and is served by King County Metro and Sound Transit Express buses. Train service to Kent began in 2001 and the station's garage opened the following year. King County Metro began service from the bus bays in 2005, after a third phase of construction. Sound Transit plans to build a second parking garage in 2027 to accommodate additional demand at the station.
Back Bay station is an intermodal passenger station in Boston, Massachusetts. It is located just south of Copley Square in Boston's Back Bay and South End neighborhoods. It serves MBTA Commuter Rail and MBTA subway routes, and also serves as a secondary Amtrak intercity rail station for Boston. The present building, designed by Kallmann McKinnell & Wood, opened in 1987. It replaced the New Haven Railroad's older Back Bay station – which opened in 1928 as a replacement for an 1899-built station – as well as the New York Central's Huntington Avenue and Trinity Place stations which had been demolished in 1964.
Barnum station is a planned regional rail station to be located on the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line in East Bridgeport, Connecticut. The station will be named after the circus showman and former Bridgeport mayor P. T. Barnum, and will be located on the south side of Barnum Avenue between Seaview Avenue and Pembroke Street. A feasibility study was released in July 2013, followed by preliminary planning funding in July 2014 and an application for planning funding in June 2015. By January 2017, the station was planned to open in 2021. However, the project was indefinitely postponed in January 2019.
Orange station is a planned commuter rail stop that would serve the Metro-North Railroad's New Haven Line in Orange, Connecticut. The station will be located at Marsh Hill Road and a new access road. In early 2017, the station was planned to open in fall 2021, but budget difficulties at the end of the year canceled the plan for the time being.