6. Notice of Scoping for Proposed Commuter Railroad Station

Municipality where proposed project might be located: Orange, Connecticut

Address of Possible Project Location:  The proposed project site is located on the eastern end of Salemme Lane, approximately 0.25 miles south of Interstate 95.  The site is bounded on the west by Marsh Hill Road, on the east by the Oyster River, and on the southeast by the Metro North Railroad.  

Project Description: The Connecticut Department of Transportation (Department) is proposing to construct a New Haven Line commuter rail station on the Metro North Railroad in the Town of Orange, CT through a public-private partnership agreement that will include Transit Oriented Development (TOD).  The commuter rail station will include station platforms, canopies, a pedestrian overpass, and a service access road within the existing railroad right-of-way.  A commuter drop-off/pick-up, taxi stand and bus stop areas will be part of the TOD developer's site work. Two new approximately 1020 feet long, canopied station platforms, one bound for New Haven and one bound for Stamford and points west are proposed.  A covered pedestrian bridge will connect the two platforms via stairtowers and elevators.  The Stamford-bound platform will connect to sidewalks leading to a proposed commercial/commuter parking structure that is being constructed as part of a proposed TOD adjacent to the proposed commuter rail station.

The proposed TOD, which is subject to local review and approval, will include improvements and extension of the existing Salemme Lane, and is anticipated to include construction of 6 new buildings, housing 200 dwelling units and approximately 21,500 square feet of retail space, 43 on-street and 80 off-street surface parking spaces, an approximately 800 space parking structure, and associated site landscaping and stormwater management features.  The proposed parking structure will consist of a 3-level 233+/- space section that will be dedicated parking for the TOD development and a second, 6-level, 566+/- space commercial/commuter garage that will serve the rail station.  The Department will share expenses for the portion of the garage dedicated to commuter parking.  The TOD design also provides opportunity for future pedestrian connection with the Yale West Campus to the north. 

Elements of the project associated with the rail station will be funded by the State of Connecticut and the Federal Transit Administration.    

Project Maps:  Click here to view a location map of the project area.

                             Click here to view an illustrative site plan.   

Written comments from the public are welcomed and will be accepted until the close of business on:  Friday, October 7, 2016

There will be a Public Scoping Meeting for this project at:

Written comments should be sent to:

If you have questions about the public meeting, or other questions about the scoping for this project, contact:

The Connecticut Department of Transportation's (CTDOT) Environmental Classification Document requires the preparation of an Environmental Impact Evaluation (EIE) for projects involving the construction of a new rail facility.  CTDOT expects to release an EIE for this project for public review and comment in 2017.