By The Numbers:
CTfastrak
9.4 miles
Guideway length
11
number of stations
16,000
Estimated riders per day by 2030
4:30–1:30 a.m.
Operational hours
$1.50
Local cash fare
$2.50
Express fare
SOURCE: CTFASTRAK.COm
by 2020. The state is also work-
ing to repair other bridges like the
Riverbend Rail Crossing in Stamford
and upgrade the line's power sup-
ply to avoid outages.
Fixing current issues is essential,
no doubt, but McGee and the Busi-
ness Council of Fairfield County are
advocating for new developments,
like high speed trains that would get
commuters from New Haven to New
York in an hour. The DOT's response
to this proposal was positive when
McGee met with Redeker in January.
Such improvements would help
spur the economic and cultural
shift that has already begun along
the New Haven Line. Despite a
statewide trend of young adults
fleeing in favor of bigger cities,
the popularity of the Metro-North
recently has brought a younger
cohort to towns like Norwalk and
Stamford, many of whom are not
wedded to cars as their parents
were, preferring a predictable, low-
28 COnnECTiCUT GREEn GUiDE • SprinG 2015 www.CTGreenGuide.com
A rendering of a CTfastrak station,
which DOT hopes will encourage more
commuters to walk, bike, and ride.
PHOTO | HBJ FiLE
CTfastrak will
feature 11 stations
between Hartford
and New Britain.
mAP | HBJ FiLE
Riding Green
CTfastrak is promising a reduced environ-
mental impact:
air quality: An estimated 30 percent of
riders will be former auto users, resulting in
17 million fewer vehicle miles traveled. This
reduction eliminates the production of 12,800
tons of carbon dioxide emissions
Water and Wetlands: The system uses
drainage like grass-lined swales, water quality
basins, and deep sump catch basins to filter
sediments and prevent pollutants from reach-
ing nearby brooks, groundwater, and wetlands
Sustainable design: Stations include
green features like photovoltaic solar panel
systems, LED lighting, and bike racks
SOURCE: CTFASTRAK.COm
