New Union Station Deal Draws Near

I hope an extension of the underground tunnel to connect the station to Long Wharf was also discussed...

We're locking in a 35-year deal and "We're going to be compensated appropriately and justly," Will Mr. Hausladen answer Mr. Stewart's question before the 35 years is up?

PizzaLover and DEVAGHOST, the city considered the possibility of building a tunnel as part of the Long Wharf Plan. Although the distance is relatively modest, I recall the idea was dropped on cost grounds. Perhaps Carlos Eyzaguirre or his colleagues at City Hall can further enlighten (Doug was not involved in this initiative).

I think it would be in everyone's interest to develop the garage in stages.We may ultimately need 600 parking spaces. But the initial plan was developed pre-COVID. The pandemic has likely changed commuting patterns permanently. And while I doubt autonomous vehicles will affect demand for parking anytime in the near future, the bonds used to finance the garage will run 20 years. I suspect that 10-20 years from now, people will routinely have their cars drop them off at their destinations and then return home for other family members to use.

Kevin McCarthy, thank you for that update. Do you know where we can get more information on the status of the Long Wharf plan and where to get updates? I also agree with you on developing the parking in stages. Perhaps as there is more development in the areas we could even have private companies/developers chip in a little. Even develop more parking on the other side of the station in conjunction with Ikea/Hotel Marcel that will be needed in that area.

Thanks @Kevin McCarthy but that doesn't answer "shouldn't the authority get some kind of management fee"

I'm wondering about the proposed Union Station developments in relationship with the proposed central bus depot for CT Transit and the ride services drop off/pick up hub?
It would be great if those services were smoothly interwoven into the same general location plan to facilitate transportation. Right now there is a logjam where taxis and other ride services compete with private vehicles to drop off and pick up travelers and the bus system doesn't have a centralized station to make transfer connections to trains and other bus routes. The retail component of the station should be filled on the street level with goods and services that appeal to commuters. An interactive transportation and info booth and detailed street map with points of interest and bus route maps and schedules kiosk booth would be helpful to new students, visitors and new residents. A police substation would make sense. A coffee shop and a quality full service diner open during bus and train operating hours would help police and train workers as well as travelers get a bite to eat and a beverage. A public self cleaning/self sterilizing restrooms with security features to prevent unwanted activities would be great.
The development should take into consideration that there will be a new development across the street where the Church St South projects were torn down. If a tunnel is out of consideration to connect the station to Long Wharf, then maybe a pedestrian and bike bridge over the train yard to connect Columbus St/South Orange St with Brewery St?

PizzaLover, you could check out this page https://www.newhavenct.gov/gov/depts/city_plan/plans_n_projects/long_wharf.htm.

DEVAGHOST, my mistake - I thought you were referring to PizzaLover's question.

Heather, transferring the hub from the Green to Union Station would lengthen most riders' trip and would potentially raise legal issues under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. But the transit study conducted for ConnDOT in 2019 did propose the creation of mini-hubs at other locations where bus lines intersect.

Kevin McCarthy- a centralized bus hub that is covered, heated and cooled, and with food and beverage venues, clean and safe public restrooms, interactive ticket and map route and local interest map locations kiosks where you could load your transit pass dollars by the day, week or month, for buses and/or trains, with well lighted secure waiting areas to transfer from one bus route to another bus route or to the train stations would be much preferable to crossing the streets surrounding the Green waiting outside subjected to the weather, and endangered from the traffic when crossing streets. Such a facility would be probably much better at servicing the transit needs of adults with disabilities and those who are unfamiliar with the local transit systems and the area, then our current random old school system of stops around downtown and the green.

I agree with Heather's idea. Having that centralized bus hub would not mean that the buses would not stop at the Green. The Green is an important area of the city and all the bus stops should remain there as to protect workers and residents who rely on those stops. But I think it would also be smart to have other mini-hubs so as to not congest the Green or Union Station. Looking at the bus route map, it seems impractical to congest the Green with so many buses. Have most routes start at the centralized hub and redo the routes to where their lengths are not significantly lengthened. Maybe have some routes start at the Green if it is more practical for them, but at least in that case the Green won't be congested with as many buses.

PizzaLover- another good mini bus hub would be the State St train station. We should also have a Tweed and Bradley Airport shuttle at the bus depots to match the service hours of our major airports. Who wouldn't love to catch a shuttle to and from the airport and not have to drive or get someone to drop you off or pick you up?

Heather C.

I think if you spend a half hour in an ice storm at any of the many, many, many stations that have no shelter at all, you'll question the wisdom at spending a big pile of money at a single location.

In and of itself, the central hub layout requires that, in order to get from way too many point As and point Bs. a bus ride is a two hour trip to the central hub and back out (or a lovely "short" walk in an ice storm).

Just picking one - if you try to get from the Hartford Turnpike to Whitneyville, a central hub (instead of a grid) doesn't extend the Skiff St. route through Spring Glen. It routes the traffic downtown and back out - so no one will ever use it. Much of the system is like that - completely unusable because it relies on a central hub.

https://www.cttransit.com/sites/default/files/maps/division/New_Haven_local_system_0.pdf

DEVAGHOST- as someone who used to ride when in my younger days from Westville to Downtown and then on to
to East Rock, West Haven, Hamden, North Haven, Branford, and other locations on a regular basis, I agree it sucks to do spokes on a wheel when a shorter route would be to go from Westville to Hamden or Westville to West Haven. But I believe that CT Transit and the State of CT and the City are looking into what and where people need to go to and from on a regular basis for work, school, shopping and play. They talked about more bus shelters and less routes based on people commuting into the city to from the suburbs for work as more jobs for people are locating in the suburbs with major employers and shopping is moving to the suburbs as well. But a main transit hub connecting with trains and planes and bus routes and ride services and mini-bus hubs in other important transfer stops will help all of us to get around more easily without vehicles. The State of CT and the Governor and the cities and towns need to cooperate on making a plan that accommodates as many people as possible for the benefit of our economy, our ecology, and other reasons.

Heather, I also think Union Station would make a good mini-hub. In the meantime, I wish ConnDOT and others would publicize the fact that we already have a free rail shuttle between Union and State Street stations. Fares are not charged between the stations on Shoreline East and CT Rail trains. (I don't know about the few MetroNorth trains that terminate at State Street. As a practical matter, I suspect that fares would not be collected.)