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Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced it awarded $120 million in High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail program dollars to the state of Connecticut to complete construction on the Hartford segment of the New Haven, Conn.-to-Springfield, Mass., passenger-rail corridor. The state will provide $141.9 million in matching funds.

Scheduled to be completed in 2016, the project calls for installing 10 miles of double track, upgrading a signal system on a portion of the line, improving 28 grade crossings, and repairing or replacing 13 bridges and culverts. In addition, four Amtrak stations will be upgraded to include high-level Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant platform, overhead pedestrian walkways and expanded parking areas.  

The upgrades will reduce travel times between St. Albans, Vt., and New Haven by more than one hour and enable Amtrak to operate 11 additional round-trip trains between New Haven and Springfield, for a total of 17.

The project is part of a plan developed by Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts and Amtrak to improve passenger-rail service in New England during the next 20 years. Long term, Connecticut officials hope to operate up to 25 daily round trips along the corridor and increase train speeds from 79 mph to 90 mph.

To date, the federal government has invested $191 million in the project; two other HSIPR grants totaling $70 million were awarded in 2011.