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Greenwich train station reopens following $30M plaza renovation
GREENWICH — The Greenwich train station reopens to commuters Friday morning, following a major renovation project that is expanding and modernizing the station plaza. Visitors to the station will find a new wood-slatted ceiling, high-end lighting, upgraded restrooms, new flooring, railings and an elevator. The exterior of the station has a new clock, similar to ones at train stations in Europe. “We’re incredibly grateful to the residents, commuters, and local businesses for their patience and support throughout construction,” said Ryan Harvey, CEO and president of The Ashforth Co., the development firm behind the construction. The modernization of the railroad plaza, called Greenwich Crossing, required the closing of the passenger terminal in May. Commuters had to take stairs to reach the train platform. Harvey said the completion of the new station was part of a larger project that will have a lasting impact on the community.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/green-train-station-plaza-reopening-21322093.php
FEMA reimburses CT DOT $4.4M for repair of massive 2021 sinkhole by PGA Tour golf course in Cromwell
CROMWELL — The Federal Emergency Management Administration has reimbursed the state $4.4 million for repairs it made to the Wethersfield Secondary Freight Line after a 2021 hurricane opened a massive sinkhole next to the golf course that annually hosts the PGA Tour Travelers Championship tournament. “It covers emergency restoration following the remnants of Hurricane Ida in September 2021,” said David Bednarz, a spokesman for Gov. Ned Lamont. “Extreme rainfall overwhelmed drainage systems, causing a massive washout … that left the tracks suspended over a collapsed embankment between the TPC River Highlands golf course and the Connecticut River.” Bednarz said the massive sinkhole was 120 feet long, 60 feet wide and 80 feet deep, located near the 13th hole at the golf course. This funding, he said, ensures the structural integrity of this vital freight corridor. The Cromwell site was part of $105 million in FEMA funds to support recovery for past disasters in five New England states, according to a press statement announcing the grants. The projects included debris removal, emergency protective measures and the repair or replacement of public infrastructure damaged by recent disasters. This regional funding is part of a broader effort announced by the Department of Homeland Security. In this past week alone, DHS and FEMA approved more than $2.2 billion in public assistance projects to communities across the U.S.
Wilton Board of Selectmen OKs two bridge replacement projects, each costing more than $5M
WILTON — The Wilton Board of Selectmen approved two bridge projects, each totaling more than $5 million. Last week, the board unanimously approved two state-funded replacement projects for Honey Hill and Cannon Road bridges. The projects are awaiting final approval by the town’s attorneys. Both projects were discussed on Jan. 20 with Director of Public Works Frank Smeriglio, who said the town received the grants around two or three years ago. He said both grants include other incidentals like the design, construction contingencies and inspection services for both projects. “The state requires that there is an inspector on the project eight hours a day, every day,” he said. Smeriglio added that there are also easements and state permits that still need to be completed for both bridges. “Work can’t start until the easements are in place,” he said. “We don’t plan on starting until the beginning of April.”
CT DOT plans new $35 million transportation project. It will be paid for by the state.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation has a $35 million plan for a shoreline train station improvements project. The plan calls for improvements to the Madison Shore Line East Railroad Station that will require acquisition of rights of way and impact local wetlands, records show. The work would include construction that is anticipated to begin in fall 2027, according to the Department of Transportation. The project also is anticipated to be undertaken with 100% state funds, according to the DOT. Connecticut Department of Transportation Project Manager Scott Anderson said, “This project relates directly to CTDOT’s ongoing commitment to improve commuter rail services.” For example, the project would include a new pedestrian bridge over the active rail line that would connect to the north and south side platforms, according to the DOT. “The proposed work at the town’s Shore Line East Station will make commuter rail services modern, reliable and convenient so that the future transportation needs of Connecticut’s residents are met,” Anderson said, in a statement.
Update of Hartford’s underground loop heating system on hold
A contentious plan to heat state office buildings in downtown Hartford with a new generation of gas-powered boilers is on hold due to potential interference from the planned reconstruction of Interstate 84, officials confirmed this week. In an interview Wednesday, Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Michelle Gilman said her agency decided late last year to pause a planned renovation of the Capitol Area System — a network of 15 buildings connected by underground heating and cooling pipes known as the “loop” — following discussions with other state officials about need to utilize space around the loop for highway construction. By agreeing to pause the project, Gilman said the state would avoid wasting money on new equipment that might later need to be removed to accommodate the highway. In addition, she said the pause will give officials more time to consider more climate-friendly alternatives to new gas investments that have been pushed by some advocates. The loop is powered by the CAS thermal plant on Capitol Avenue, which utilizes natural gas boilers to provide heat and hot water for hundreds of state offices, as well as some private buildings such as the Bushnell Performing Arts Center. (The state Capitol building relies on a separate system to heat and cool the 146-year-old building.)
https://hartfordbusiness.com/article/update-of-hartfords-underground-loop-heating-system-on-hold/
Site at Waterbury-Middlebury line eyed for apartments or hotel
A Washington, Connecticut-based company is seeking permits to construct either a new apartment complex or hotel on roughly 7 acres at the border of Middlebury and Waterbury. In June, a Waterbury wetlands agent approved Credit Resources of Connecticut Inc.’s plan to excavate rock outcrops on the site and install drainage and parking, creating a development pad partially framed by a rock wall. The work would involve blasting and removal of 3,805 cubic yards of material, according to application materials. Now, Credit Resources — whose principals are Philip and Gretchen Farmer, of Washington — is seeking an excavation permit from Waterbury’s Zoning Commission. A public hearing is scheduled during a commission hearing Wednesday evening. About 4 acres of the development site sits in Waterbury. Land records show that portion was acquired in a $1.06 million transaction in 2009. According to a Jan. 16 memo from Waterbury City Planner Robert Nerney, the project depends on the State Department of Transportation moving forward with its plan to realign the Exit 17 interchange from Interstate 84 onto Chase Parkway, which quickly crosses from Waterbury into Middlebury.
https://hartfordbusiness.com/article/site-at-waterbury-middlebury-line-eyed-for-apartments-or-hotel/
CT town has concerns about planned 4.65-megawatt solar array. A treasured scenic view is one of them
Citing concerns about views from the Heublein Tower, potential environmental damage and more than $300,000 in unpaid property taxes, Simsbury has successfully asked state regulators for a public hearing on Lodestar Energy’s plan for a solar array on Nod Road. The company is proposing a 4.65-megawatt solar facility on about 19 acres at the former Tower Ridge Country Club. The state Siting Council must decide by June 2 whether to declare the project needs no certificate of environmental compatibility and public need; Lodestar wants that designation because it would streamline the approval process. Simsbury First Selectman Wendy Mackstutis this winter was able to secure a hearing so neighbors and other residents can offer their opinions before the council votes. “As drafted, the application raises serious concerns about potential harm to both the wetlands and the flood zone,” she told the Siting Council in a Dec. 30 letter. “We recommend relocating all development outside these sensitive areas and outside Simsbury’s local Upland Review Area.”
East Lyme to embark on $17 million PFAS removal
East Lyme — It’ll take $17 million to upgrade a town water treatment plant near East Lyme Middle School so it can remove PFAS, or forever chemicals, from three wells that provide drinking water for residents. If all goes according to plan, Water and Sewer Department Chief Operating Officer Ben North said Monday the project should be done in fall or winter 2027. North said he hopes the final cost will end up being less. Unfortunately, he said, there’s no grant funding available, and the town will have to borrow to pay for the project. Last week the Board of Selectmen voted to let the town use about $165,000 in funding left over from other projects to pay for preliminary engineering and equipment and to help with the down payment on the loan the town will eventually need to get. The town will start paying back the loan when the work is complete, and when it makes its first payment, it also has to pay the accrued interest all at once.
https://theday.com/news/845516/east-lyme-to-embark-on-17-million-pfas-removal/
In New Haven, state plans $113M State Street Station upgrade, Court Street Bridge closure to cars
NEW HAVEN — A more than $100 million project to upgrade aging infrastructure at State Street Station received mixed feedback at a recent public information session with the state Department of Transportation. During last week’s session at High School in the Community, DOT officials, as well as representatives of engineering and architectural firms, said they’re looking to elevate the overall landscape bridging State Street and Wooster Square. The officials specifically talked about two related projects: upgrading the platform, elevator and stairs at State Street Station and narrowing the Court Street Bridge and closing it to vehicular traffic. According to DOT Project Manager Jonathan Kang, the combined projects are estimated to cost $113 million from state and federal funding. Kang said the narrowing of the Court Street Bridge is required for track alignments to support plans to replace and elongate the currently deteriorated center platform. Doing so, he said, will allow for passengers to enter and exit trains more quickly as more doors will be serviced and will improve access to the station through Court Street. Currently, an average of 40 trains stop at State Street Station on weekdays, officials said.
https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/new-haven-ct-dot-state-street-station-21306706.php
Congress advances transportation funding bill
The legislation largely maintains funding for public transportation and passenger rail but slashes a program to add intercity passenger trains. U.S. House and Senate appropriators agreed Tuesday on bipartisan legislation to fund transportation through the remainder of fiscal year 2026, which ends Sept. 30. The bill “provides the overwhelming majority of public transit and passenger rail investments” funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, according to the American Public Transportation Association. The House passed the bill Thursday and the Senate is expected to vote on the measure this week to prevent a partial federal government shutdown on Jan. 30. The bill is “a really good-news story for our industry,” APTA President and CEO Paul Skoutelas said in a hastily arranged webinar for its members Wednesday. When combined with advance appropriations from the IIJA, the bill provides $21.1 billion to public transportation, a $168 million increase over the Fiscal Year 2025 level, according to APTA. However, more than $500 million was cut from a capital investment grant program for fixed-guideway transit, including light rail, subways, commuter rail and bus rapid transit.
https://www.constructiondive.com/news/congress-thud-transportation-appropriations-fy2026/810465/
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