Since 2016, when southeastern Connecticut learned of a plan by the Federal Railroad Administration to construct a high-speed rail bypass through several historic towns in the region between Old Saybrook and Charlestown, RI, town officials and members of the public have been paying closer attention to rail projects along the Northeast Corridor. Last Friday, CT Examiner talked by phone with Amtrak’s Jason Hoover, Assistant Vice President of Major Programs–Bridges, who is overseeing the replacement of the century-old Connecticut River Rail Bridge, and Joseph Barr, Director of Network Development in the East Coast, who is working on the New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study. Our overall goal nationally is to double ridership by 2040 as well as to get to net zero emissions by 2045. The NEC is our strongest ridership corridor to start with, so when we’re looking at doubling ridership on a national basis, obviously the NEC is a big part of that although I also want to make sure that we never downplay the importance of our long distance routes as well.
Amtrak Talks Connecticut River Bridge Replacement, High-Speed Rail Planning