Connecticut DOT allows bikes on Hartford Line trains

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has begun allowing bicycles on CTrail Hartford Line trains.

After conducting an analysis at the request of riders and bicycle advocates, the department determined that bicycles could be safely stored on board, CTDOT officials said in a press release.

Under the new policy, riders must store their bikes in accordance with crew member instructions. Collapsible and folding bicycles must be stored in luggage areas at the end of the coach or under a seat, and not in overhead racks.

These rules will remain in place until bike racks are installed on every Hartford Line coach. That project is slated to begin in fall and continue through early 2019.

"My administration has prioritized enhancing intermodal transportation options, and it's paying off," said Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy. "[This] announcement will not only make the Hartford Line accessible to cyclists, it will open new roads and expand opportunities for commuters and explorers alike."

CTDOT also has started working with Amtrak to expand the program to Amtrak trains operating along the Hartford Line corridor. Currently, the national passenger railroad's trains can only accommodate collapsible bicycles.

The 62-mile Hartford Line opened June 16. The line runs from New Haven Union Station in Connecticut to Springfield, Massachusetts.