Governor Lamont Proposes Service Cuts to New Haven Line

MTA budget woes continue as Connecticut proposes cuts to Metro-North’s New Haven Line
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Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has proposed to cut state subsidy for the railroad by about 14%, which would reduce the number of trains running in the Nutmeg State daily from 309 to 260 if approved by Hartford lawmakers ahead of the July 1 start of the Connecticut fiscal year.
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“The Governor’s FY24-FY25 budget proposal is based on the understanding that ridership numbers and travel patterns have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic, and those changes should be reflected in the services provided,” said Morgan. “The legislature’s budget contains similar funding levels in FY24. CTDOT is working in consultation with MTA Metro-North to analyze current ridership patterns and possible schedule adjustments to reflect available funding.”
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“This is purely a Connecticut budget issue that affects transportation within the state of Connecticut and to and from the state of Connecticut,” said Rinaldi. “So there really should not be any ripple effects to the other lines that are operated by Metro-North.”

What remains unclear is exactly how service can be maintained at static levels in New York while being cut in Connecticut, given the tightly-wound integration of operations on one line in two states. Rinaldi said she and her team have been in talks with CT DOT, though the talks have not reached the highest level of New York Governor Kathy Hochul engaging directly with Lamont, a spokesperson for Hochul said.
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