Officials are giving serious consideration to including a passenger rail station as part of a revitalized downtown mall property.
The draft package for potential developers prepared by the Bristol Downtown Development Corp. includes a provision urging them to consider including “a multi-modal transportation center” as part of their proposal.
State economic development officials have told city leaders they would like to see passenger rail included in the city’s plan for the 17-acre site.
Frank Johnson, the chairman of the BDDC’s board, said state officials have a “high level of interest” in seeing something done with the rail line that runs between the mall site and Summer Street.
He said that one option might be to have a small passenger rail station alongside the tracks on the Summer Street side.
Both Johnson and Edward Krawiecki, Jr, the city attorney, said the state might be more likely to invest money in the city’s plan if passenger rail was included.
State leaders, including Gov. Jodi Rell, are pushing the extension of commuter rail lines as one way to relieve congested highways and encourage energy conservation.
The Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency, which has long advocated pursuit of passenger rail for the area, is planning this spring to carry out a feasibility study of the idea.
Mayor Art Ward said that the regional planners will work with the city to gather information.
The rail line that borders the mall property is part of the Guildford Line of the Boston and Maine Railroad, based in Massachusetts. Decades ago, it offered passenger service, but for many years it has only had freight trains using it.
The city “has recently engaged the rail company in discussions as to future use of the rail line,” according to the draft BDDC package, which is slated to go out to developers on February 25.
City leaders recently agreed to push for a new commuter rail line to Waterbury and Hartford as part of this year’s legislative agenda.
State Rep. Frank Nicastro, a Bristol Democrat who represents the 79th District, said he would love to see commuter rail come to town because it would make Bristol more accessible.
Nicastro said that the legislature’s transportation committee would look into the idea as well. He said that if the line can be used for freight, “why not use it for commuters” as well.
Mayor Art Ward said that with energy prices rising and development efforts about to get underway, this is a good time to try to get passenger rail service for Bristol.
Ward said there hasn’t been a passenger train serving Bristol in “a long, long time,” but perhaps it can come back.
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
13 comments:
ahhhhhh hahhhhhh. Now the real reason comes out as to why the city wants to take 11 Summer St. I actually think that passenger service to the city is a great idea but I think the city is trying to sezie this property by condeming it vs. using eminent domain.
Regardless of whether passenger rail is viable, which I doubt; 11 Summer Street is still a dump. Although coincident in location, I don’t think the two are in any way connected. 11 Summer Street was boarded up before Ward met with DECD.
Dangerous electrical wiring that the electrical inspector deemed “a fire waiting to happen,” sewage bubbling into the basement, cracked foundation walls, porches disconnecting from the building and more treats lie within 11 Summer Street.
Is the alternative to turn a blind eye and risk the lives of tenants? Will you be happier when one of these rat infested cockroach motels burns down and the city is sued for allowing people to live in such squalor to the benefit of the slumlord?
Light rail freight? Absolutely a good idea.
Passenger rail? Possibly a good idea.
Slums? Never a good idea.
Why do you dignify these vandals as graffiti "Artists"
They are vandals who damage the property of others to mark their territory. Like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant.
Once caught we should break their fingers (accidentally) and ship them off to Harlem or the Bronx where the real taggers will rip them a new one.
Artists, I don't think so.
Busses are and will be more relevant in the future.
Build the Parking garage so that it can accomadate the Busses and the parkers.
Once they are downtown, they are likely to shop downtown.
NB
Perhaps a few stores may pop up if this train station ever comes to life. I guess the city "visionists" are looking at Union Station in Hartford as an example which is surrounded by a lot of activity rather than the Berlin stop or the Waterbury stop which are surrounded by nothing.
To me it seems that the downtown is basically a loser in regards to marketability. No one seems to have any interest in it otherwise a developer would have done something there years ago (such as they did at the old Naugatuck Valley Mall site, where no tax payer money was spent). There is of course hope that after the tax payers paid for the mall, pay for the leveling and clean up of the mall site and create an empty lot, then some private developer will erect some sort of tax paying enterprise there.
Perhaps if city leaders can convince the state to build a passenger rail station there (although no passenger rail system exists yet in this area except Amtrak, which is a Federal organization). At least that way there will be something at this parcel of land except grass.
Great idea! Bravo all!!
Just misdirection for lack of real progress on the Mall.
The more they add, the longer it will take to do anything.
Do one thing and do it well, and more will fall into line.
What does Ken Johnson have to say about this?
Should be interesting.
Make the Summer Street property into a holding area for transfer into the new PRISON erected on the old mall site .
Keep Mc Donalds there for supplying food and training for the prisoners .
This assures a constant use of the property and solves the difficulties in reaching the area .
Convenience to the Court House is a plus .
Bail Bonds and Attorney offices etc ... would make use of much of the vacant property in the area .
Taxpayers would achieve relief and employment .
Makes sense , so it ain't got a snowballs chance in hell .
Why aren't women on this BDDC Committee?
.....9:06pm - hey stupid, attend a BDDC meeting or better yet, enroll in a Sylvan Learning course so that you'll be able to read and you'll be able to learn that the BDDC does have a very active, contributing woman member in Jennifer Janelle.
There is one, and she is treated like most other womaen are treated in Bristol politics.
Think back of what who was originally suggested for the board, and how the council changed it.
Hopefully it will all work out.
Jennifer Janelle, a lawyer, is on the BDDC.
A rail service would be good, but don't you think it will force the other cities to make adjustments of thier own to allow this service?
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