(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont announced today that the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has received a $17.4 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to construct a new Hartford Line railroad station in Windsor Locks.
The new station will be about a mile north of the existing Hartford Line station and is part of a larger transit-oriented development project in historic downtown Windsor Locks, adjacent to the new Montgomery Mills apartment complex along the Windsor Locks Canal.
“Up and down the Hartford Line, towns like Windsor Locks have engaged in aggressive planning around the train stations to maximize the economic energy created by the investment in this train service,” Governor Lamont said. “This project represents the best in state, local, and private partnerships, and underscores everyone’s commitment to transit-oriented development. Our administration is committed to upgrading Connecticut’s transportation system to remove gridlock and get our state moving again. Projects like this one are essential to getting that done.”
“Since its opening, the Hartford Line has been a huge success, with ridership numbers on the rise,” Senator Richard Blumenthal, Senator Chris Murphy, and Congressman John Larson said in a joint statement. “We’re proud to have helped secure this federal grant for Windsor Locks. This new station will help the town maximize economic and transit-oriented development opportunities and invest in their future.”
Several state agencies have been working on and funding the project, including CTDOT, the Department of Economic and Community Development, the Department of Housing, and the Office of Policy and Management, through its Responsible Growth Grant Program. Windsor Locks also received a Community Connectivity grant from CTDOT for $321,949, specifically for improvements for pedestrians at this location to allow for last-mile connections to the future station and the new Montgomery Mills housing.
“Transit-oriented development is taking root all around Connecticut and this project underscores our commitment to enhancing Hartford Line service and truly represents our shared vision,” CTDOT Commissioner Joe Giulietti said. “This work will improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of the passenger rail system in the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield corridor.”
In addition to the new station, other improvements include track and signal work, street-level rail crossings, and Amtrak rail yard work.