90 mph trains? They’re coming to Metro-North – in almost a decade
State and federal leaders broke ground on the $1.6 billion TIME-1 project on Monday. It promises to shave 25 minutes off the trip from New Haven to New York City, after previous upgrades cut the commute by 11 minutes.
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Metro-North trains could travel 90 mph – shaving 25 minutes off the trip from New Haven to New York – under a major upgrade that got underway on Monday.
But the $1.6 billion TIME-1 project will take nearly a decade to complete, and riders are likely to experience delays in the meantime.
“ENTIRELY TOO LONG”
Katie Rimkus takes the train from Milford to Manhattan several times a week.
She wishes it was faster.
“Entirely too long,” Rimkus said. “I think it should be cut down at least by a half hour or so.”
Just feet away, state and federal leaders broke ground on TIME-1 at the Stratford train station. To date, it’s the largest part of the state’s multiyear TIME FOR CT plan, which officials said has already shaved 11 minutes off express trains from New Haven to Grand Central Station.
“Very soon, Stratford and Bridgeport will be as close to New York City as Stamford is today,” said Gov. Ned Lamont.
PACK YOUR PATIENCE
But don’t get too excited. Riders won’t see a significant cut to their commute until 2035.
“Nine years?” said Rimkus. “I wish I could take nine years to finish a project.”
TIME-1 takes so much “time” because it’s actually dozens of smaller fixes that will eventually let trains run at 90 miles per hour in spots.
“The first phase is the building block to Phase 2 and 3, so you have to complete all of that and do the bridge next to it,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “And then, once you finish all of those phases, that’s when people will be able to fly right through here.”
Phase 1, which begins now, focuses on three miles of track between Stratford and Bridgeport. Aging electrical lines and signals will be replaced, as well as the Longbrook Avenue Bridge in Stratford.
The first phase comes with a $340.7 million price tag, split roughly halfway between state and federal fund. Amtrak is also chipping in $11.2 million.
“Faster trips, greater reliability, and a better experience for every passenger are three major reasons why Amtrak is thrilled to support the improvements being made,” said Jennifer Mitchell, Amtrak’s vice president of strategy and planning.
During Phase 2, starting in 2030, the Stratford train station will be replaced along with additional track and electrical upgrades. The last phase starts in 2031.
“This railroad was built in the 1850s, 60s, 70s, throughout the 1890s and 1900s, and it follows the curve of the coast,” Eucalitto said. “So the only way to get to what a lot of people would say is true high-speed rail, you would have to build a completely new alignment."
In the meantime, work is already underway to replace the 130-year-old Walk Bridge in Norwalk, which requires trains to slow down and sometimes gets stuck.
Trains should also run faster through New York City, thanks to new elevated tracks in East Harlem. On Monday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the project was completed five years ahead of schedule and $196 million under budget.
“We said to the contractors, ‘Show us the fastest, cheapest way of getting done,’ and it led to innovation,” said MTA CEO Janno Lieber. “The innovation is what yielded those incredible time savings.”
FUTURE FUNDING CONCERNS
So far, only Phase 1 is paid for. The rest could be at risk if Congress cuts funding.
“This is personal to me,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-New Haven), the top Democrat on the U.S. House Appropriations Committee. “I ride the train; I ride the rails twice a week.”
Lamont and Eucalitto said they have met with U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy about the project’s importance. But earlier this year, President Donald Trump proposed steep cuts to rail grants and Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor.
“The President likes big projects – big projects that he can take credit for,” Lamont said. “This is obviously a big project that will make a real difference in people's lives.”
