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1. 

   Doug Dalena

   November 14, 2011 at 6:01 pm

   0

   Commuter rail for Bristol must overcome one major obstacle: the roughly 3-mile serpentine loop that takes the tracks around downtown instead of through it. This hairpin turn is a huge slowdown for a passenger rail line, and was identified as a problem nearly a century ago in the 1920 Nolen planning survey here: http://www.ci.bristol.ct.us/content/3326/16475/default.aspx.

   Here’s the solution:
   1. Reroute the tracks from the Terryville line, east along Route 72, then along Park Street past Muzzy Field, over the Pequabuck River near the West St/Route 72 intersection, then behind Laurel Street, across Brackett Park and to the south side of the Center Mall property. Reconnect the new track to the existing tracks between Riverside Avenue and Prospect Street (the challenge would be to find a smooth way to do this while saving the historic buildings on Main Street). This plan would require some property acquisition, but could still accommodate vehicle traffic by widening Park and School streets, and by improving Divinity Street to handle more traffic.
   2. Create a train station near Main Street and the existing McDonald’s, giving access to the new development, City Hall, and the heart of downtown.
   3. Create an additional stop at Muzzy Field/Rockwell Park, increasing the marketability of Muzzy for sports and special events and giving that neighborhood, as well as downtown, access to trains to both Hartford and New York.
   4. Create a multi-use recreational trail on the old rail right of way. You then have a dedicated, car-free, bike and pedestrian trail connecting Rockwell Park to Birge Pond/Hoppers, with possible extension to the open space parcel on James P. Casey Road and Perkins Street, and connecting to both the Bristol Common shopping center and the new downtown development – all on existing right of way.
   5. This would cost a lot, but so would any rail plan – even the existing right of way needs new tracks and major capital investment to handle passengers. Stamford did a project of this magnitude when it built an entirely new mile-long road through a densely developed area to improve access to its train station and to a new development area. As mayor, Gov. Malloy was the project’s biggest backer, and most of the money came from state and federal sources. This was done while finding a way to accommodate existing businesses and preserve historic buildings.
2. 

   Marc Bourgeois

   June 17, 2011 at 5:11 pm

   1

   I will not ride a bus in CT. I have taken the train from waterbury to nyc and have used the New Haven Line. Metro North in Bristol would link Hartford, New Haven, and Stamford. Gas is $4.00 a gallon it would be wise and affordable to encourage a transit system that everyone would benifit from. Take our bike on the train and mountain bike everywhere.
3. 

   Mike Tonon

   May 15, 2011 at 3:25 pm

   0

   I’m still undecided whether the rail would be overall beneficial or not. What will have to be changed/removed in Bristol to put the rail in? I heard that it would have two tracks, would Forestville loose its historic railraod station? Would the rail likely bring more crime to the area?
4. 

   John Kucinskas

   March 25, 2011 at 10:00 am

   0

   Sounds good but it may be a little too late. The governor is going to make a decision on the busway within the next week. If he supports the busway the whole railway idea is completely gone.