Connecticut to hire consultant for Bridgeport station development

On Friday, the Connecticut State Bond Commission is scheduled to approve $2.75 million for the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) to hire a consultant to complete engineering, design and environmental permitting for the new Barnum Train Station in Bridgeport, Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy announced late last week.

The funds will enable the consultant to develop the station site on the city's east side. The project will encourage transit-oriented and economic development in the city, Malloy said in a press release.

"Moving this project forward demonstrates our commitment to helping municipal partners and stakeholders make their communities more accessible, more walkable centers of cultural and economic activity." he said. "In the process, we are also building a foundation to make Connecticut a stronger and more regionally competitive state by growing jobs for residents and providing more flexible, convenient transportation options for employers and employees alike."
 
The new Barnum Station project has been deemed feasible by a recent study completed with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Partnership for Sustainable Communities, ConnDOT officials said.

The design phase is expected to take 18 months to complete. Soil remediation would begin in spring 2016, construction on the station could occur in 2017 and service might start in fall 2018, ConnDOT officials said.