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Discussion relating to the operations of MTA MetroNorth Railroad including west of Hudson operations and discussion of CtDOT sponsored rail operations such as Shore Line East and the Springfield to New Haven Hartford Line

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, nomis, FL9AC, Jeff Smith

 #1489619  by nomis
 
DOT reveals early plan for Stamford train station garage
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/ ... 318758.php
It’s best described with a two-word rhyme: Tight site.

That’s what state transportation officials had to say about construction of a 960-space train station parking garage on South State Street.

The eight-story structure must be squeezed into a spot circled by the station, railroad tracks, catenary wires, Washington Boulevard, Interstate 95 and Mill River, Department of Transportation officials told members of the Connecticut Commuter Rail Council Wednesday night.
 #1489622  by nomis
 
State Link: https://www.ct.gov/dot/cwp/view.asp?a=3403&Q=606094

STAMFORD STATION PARKING GARAGE | STATE PROJECT NO. 0301-0047

There will be a public open house for this project:

Public Open House Flyer
DATE: Tuesday, October 30, 2018
TIME: 4:00 – 8:00 p.m.
PLACE: Stamford Transportation Center, Lower Level Meeting Room (near CTTransit)
Stamford, CT

Project Description: The Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) is proposing to construct a new parking garage for the Stamford Transportation Center (STC) on South State Street in the City of Stamford. The new garage will be connected to the station via an enclosed pedestrian bridge over Washington Boulevard. The proposed project site is State of Connecticut property bounded on the south by Metro-North Railroad right-of-way, on the east by Washington Boulevard, on the west by the Rippowam River, and on the north by I-95. The project site is partially occupied by an existing surface parking lot for the STC.

The purpose of the proposed project is to replace the aging original garage structure (currently located on Station Place) with a low maintenance, long service life facility that meets the demand for State-owned commuter parking spaces located proximate to the STC. The needs for the project include:

Addressing the poor condition and continued degradation of the original garage structure that have precipitated closing of two levels of the garage to traffic and parking;

Satisfying existing commuter parking demands at the STC;

Replacing the potential loss of private commuter parking supply for the STC with State-owned and maintained parking spaces that provide similar convenience and commuter amenity as the existing private parking facilities;

Meeting customer expectations for availability, accessibility, and convenience of commuter parking accommodations of the STC; and

Minimizing and managing commuter disruption and commuter parking impacts during the construction of the proposed parking garage.

The proposed garage will provide approximately 960 commuter parking spaces, resulting in a net increase of approximately 130 State-owned spaces at the STC. The proposed parking garage and pedestrian bridge to the station will be advanced to design and construction as a design-build project, which is planned to begin in 2019. Parking will be maintained in the original garage structure throughout construction of the proposed garage to help minimize commuter parking impacts. The original garage will be closed upon completion of the proposed garage and will be demolished in the future under a separate construction contract.

The Department previously pursued a new parking project for the STC as part of a transit-oriented development (TOD). The current proposal is not a TOD project. Under this previous effort, the Department completed an Environmental Impact Evaluation in accordance with the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) to evaluate and document the potential environmental impacts of the project and to outline recommended mitigation for those impacts.

The EIE (dated August 2012) is available HERE for information (pdf 6.1Mb).

As part of the current project effort, the Department is conducting a new early public scoping process in accordance with CEPA.

Information Packet (pdf 5.8Mb)

October 24, 2018 Public Information & Scoping Meeting Materials:

Public Meeting Presentation (pdf 19.2Mb)
Public Meeting Handout (pdf 361Kb)
Traffic Simulations (pptx 35.3Mb)
Public Meeting Exhibits (pdf 6.3Mb)

Written comments should be sent to:

NAME: Ms. Kimberly Lesay – Transportation Assistant Planning Director
AGENCY: State Department of Transportation
Bureau of Policy and Planning
E-MAIL: [email protected]
ADDRESS: 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, CT 06131

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on: Wednesday, November 7, 2018.
 #1495013  by Jeff Smith
 
StamfordAdvocate.com: Stamford train station gets $22.9M for improvements
STAMFORD — A combined $22.9 million will next year be put to work improving the Stamford Transportation Center’s elevators, escalators and so-called internal circulation, or how people navigate the station.
...
It is unclear, however, what exactly upgrades to the “internal circulation system” means, and what the grant will fund. DOT spokesman Judd Everhart said in an email that “the upgrades are designed to improve flow within the facility through faster and more reliable people-moving equipment. Other enhancements to the Stamford Transportation Center are being explored as part of a multi-phased program, but we do not have specifics at this time.”
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The money will fund upgrades to 17 escalators and several elevators, which will ensure the station can operate in a state of good repair for the next 25 years and beyond, according to the release. The DOT will administer the grant, and construction on the improvements is expected to begin next year.

In addition, and independent of this project, the DOT launched a multi-year improvement initiative that includes canopy, lighting, restroom and communications upgrades, the release said.
...
 #1600748  by Jeff Smith
 
The garage is moving along fast; it will be nice to see the crumbling garage demolished.

The station is also being studied for improvements. They could start by maintaining the escalators and fixing the leaks.
 #1620909  by Jeff Smith
 
Work on the new garage has slowed it seems. It's been almost a year since my previous post, and they have not yet finished items such as the pedestrian bridge to the station, railings. It seems they're so close, yet there's been no apparent recent work.

Also, the Track 3 platform is closed while they do necessary access repairs: https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/ ... 908393.php
Commuters at Stamford train station angry over never-ending repairs. CTDOT says they'll be done by 2024.
...
Officials and riders alike agree that upgrades to the transit hub are badly needed. Connecticut’s busiest passenger rail station has received an influx in funds to make repairs in recent years. Spokespeople from the state's Department of Transportation say the garage is nearing completion and other projects are coming along.

CTDOT spokesperson Shannon King Burnham said the $81.7 million, 928-spot commuter garage will be finished by the end of summer. When it opens, she said, it will operate under the same parking pass structure as the previous garage.
...
Finicky escalators and elevators have been another ongoing problem at the train station. The platform serving tracks three and five is closed while crews upgrade the elevators and escalators that service it; once it's finished, work will commence on the utilities serving tracks two and four, closing that platform.

King Burnham said the entire project will be completed by the end of summer 2024. Previously, officials said it would be done this August. Commuters say the track closure has led to crowding during the peak morning hours. On Thursday, an older woman attempting to find a working elevator or escalator for her two suitcases appeared to be lost, asking people how to safely get to the street to catch an Uber.
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 #1622562  by MNCRR9000
 
STAMFORD — State officials want to know if people who use the Stamford train station are good with a central plaza and covered bike parking. Or if they have objections to making Station Place a one-way street going west.

Since last year, the Connecticut Department of Transportation has been working on a master plan that will guide future improvements to the state-owned station. The ultimate goal is to increase access and public transit ridership by turning the station into a "best-in-class facility," according to a news release.
https://www.stamfordadvocate.com/local/ ... 105265.php
 #1622734  by Jeff Smith
 
There's actually going to be an open house on this tonight: https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/CTDOT-Press-R ... Open-House
The open house will occur in person on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, from 4:00-7:30 p.m. at the Stamford Transportation Center at 30 Station Place in Stamford. The meeting will be open to the public for comments and questions and will occur in the CTDOT conference room on the station’s lower level. The meeting location is accessible to persons with disabilities. Parking can be found in the parking garage at 43 Station Place in Stamford.
 #1623412  by Jeff Smith
 
Partial Roof Collapse: https://connecticut.news12.com/dot-offi ... d-replaced

and: https://connecticut.news12.com/official ... in-station
The Department of Transportation says repairs are underway following a partial ceiling collapse at a Metro-North station in Stamford.
The collapse happened Wednesday just after 5 p.m. in one of the tunnel stairwells.
The rest of the ceiling is being removed and a temporary protective platform will be going up.
Connecticut Department of Transportation officials say two additional areas at the Stamford train station might be dangerous just days after a partial ceiling collapse.
State officials say the two areas were inspected and that pedestrian access has been closed off.
 #1630933  by Jeff Smith
 
Fundage for garage demo received: Patch
STAMFORD, CT — Gov. Ned Lamont announced last week that the Connecticut State Bond Commission voted to approve more than $1.1 billion to perform various and widespread improvements to Connecticut’s transportation system, and included in that is $9 million for Stamford.

The city will use the money for the demolition of the 1985 parking garage at the Stamford Transportation Center, the busiest rail station in the state.

Demolition of the old garage will allow the state to proceed with solicitation of Transit-Oriented Development projects adjacent to the station, a news release from Lamont's office said.
...
 #1639492  by Jeff Smith
 
https://portal.ct.gov/DOT/CTDOT-Press-R ... rage-Opens
Governor Lamont Announces Grand Opening of New Parking Garage at the Stamford Transportation Center, Releases Master Plan for Future Investments in the City

(STAMFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto today hosted a ceremony attended by local and state officials and members of the public to commemorate the grand opening of the new parking garage at the Stewart B. McKinney Transportation Center (commonly known by many as the Stamford Transportation Center), which is now available for use by the public.

This new 914-space parking garage is attached directly to the Stamford Transportation Center via a 320-foot pedestrian garage and provides direct access to the Track 5 platform heading to Grand Central Terminal. It includes 92 electric vehicle charging stations, 120 bicycle parking spaces, including 50 e-bike charging stations, and has façade lighting with color changing high-efficient LED lighting that will commemorate special events and holidays. The parking garage project included the reconstruction of the South State Street and Washington Boulevard intersection, making it safer for all roadway users with new sidewalks, traffic signals, and thermal crosswalks.

This $100 million project was entirely funded by the state through bond funding and has been administered by the Connecticut Department of Transportation. The original garage, built in 1985, will soon be closed and its demolition will begin within the next month. Following that work, the Stamford Transportation Center will have nearly 2,100 parking spaces – an increase of 600 spaces from what was available before today.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation soon plans to issue a request for qualifications for a transit-oriented development project to be created at the site of the original garage property, which will complement additional investments that the City of Stamford has been making to improve properties and infrastructure around the station. This joint state and city endeavor is expected to drive further economic and community development for Stamford and the entire state.

In addition to today’s parking garage opening, Governor Lamont and Commissioner Eucalitto announced the release of the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Stamford Transportation Center Master Plan, which serves as the state’s vision for future improvements that can be made at Connecticut’s busiest public transportation hub. The master plan includes short and long-term recommendations that will improve multi-modal connectivity between trains, buses, and vehicles, provide upgraded passenger amenities and waiting areas, and expand and modernize the transportation facility.
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