Construction has begun on the first phase of Connecticut’s TIME-1 rail infrastructure project, marking the start of a 1.6 billion USD investment programme to increase capacity and improve journey times on the New Haven Line.

Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto attended a groundbreaking ceremony in Stratford on 27 July to mark the launch of the project, which forms the largest element of the state’s wider TIME FOR CT rail investment programme.

The three-phase scheme will modernise sections of the New Haven Line between Bridgeport and Stratford as part of a broader effort to improve rail services between New Haven and New York City.

Once all three phases are complete in 2035, trains will be able to operate at speeds of up to 90 mph on designated sections of the corridor, compared with the current maximum speed of 70 mph through the project area. The infrastructure will also be upgraded from Federal Railroad Administration Track Class 4 to Track Class 6 standards.

The improvements, combined with other planned infrastructure and service enhancements across the corridor, are expected to reduce end-to-end journey times between New Haven and New York by around 25 minutes.

The New Haven Line connects thousands of people to jobs, businesses, and destinations across Connecticut and the region every day. Every minute we save on a commute gives people more time with their families, more time in their communities, and more opportunities to enjoy all that Connecticut has to offer. Shaving minutes off New Haven Line commute times will have a real impact on the economic future of these towns, bringing new families and investment to communities up and down the line. TIME FOR CT is a historic investment in a faster rail system that will spur our economy and improve quality of life for generations.

The first phase represents an investment of 340.7 million USD and focuses on a three-mile section of railway between Bridgeport and Stratford. Works include the installation of new catenary structures, additional turnouts serving the East Bridgeport Rail Yard, replacement of the Longbrook Avenue Bridge, upgrades to track and signalling infrastructure, and the construction of new track connections intended to improve operational flexibility.

Funding for the initial phase includes 184 million USD from the Federal Railroad Administration, 145.5 million USD from the State of Connecticut and 11.2 million USD from Amtrak. The works are expected to support around 125 jobs.

The second phase, scheduled to begin in 2030, will include improvements at Stratford Station, including track and platform upgrades, accessibility enhancements, new passenger information systems and electrical infrastructure improvements. Additional corridor works will include catenary upgrades, bridge replacements and retaining wall construction.

A third phase, expected to commence in 2031, will continue bridge replacement and overhead power upgrades alongside further infrastructure improvements. The second and third phases are expected to cost approximately 1.3 billion USD, with the state continuing to seek additional federal and partner funding.

The project will benefit Metro-North Railroad, Amtrak, freight operators and approximately 100,000 weekday passengers using the New Haven Line.

The wider TIME FOR CT programme also includes replacement of ageing movable bridges, modernisation of signalling, power and communications systems, procurement of new rolling stock and station accessibility improvements across Connecticut’s rail network.

Since 2021, the programme has also introduced New Haven Line Super Express services, refurbished locomotives and ordered 60 new rail cars.