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04/13/2022 07:00 AMAll aboard! It’s official: The long-planned (and delayed) upgrades to Clinton’s train station are complete. The improvements will bring increased train service as well as accessibility enhancements to the property.
The new boarding platform officially opened on April 4. The completion of the project marks an increase in service and more than doubles the number of trains that use the station. Weekday trains, to and from the station, have increased from 11 to 23 trains. Weekend service has increased from 7 trains to 16.
Other improvements include an up and over pedestrian bridge, elevators, covered seats on the platform, outlets for charging phones, bike parking, electric vehicle charging stations, a bus stop, and 141 free parking spaces. New safety measures include making sure the station is compatible with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as well as blue light security phones.
“Completing this major capital project increases safety, accessibility, and convenience for riders at Clinton Station and along Shore Line East,” said Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Joseph Giulietti in a press release. “The addition of more trains running through Clinton Station is welcoming news for riders commuting to work, shopping, and traveling for pleasure,” the statement continued.
A ribbon cutting held on April 6 was attended by local and state officials, including Governor Ned Lamont. On that rainy morning, Christine Goupil, the state representative for District 35 and a member of the Clinton Town Council, told the Harbor News, “I’m thrilled rain or shine. This is a great day for Clinton.”
Goupil also called the station upgrades “a catalyst” for the betterment of the town.
Will Haskell, a state senator from District 26 and chair of the transportation committee, touted efforts made across the state to increase mass transportation.
During his remarks, Lamont discussed the importance of linking commerce and job centers like New Haven, New London, and Stamford to draw more people to Connecticut by increasing the ease of transportation.
“I love what this station means for the amazing town of Clinton,” Lamont said in closing.
The journey to the day of the ribbon cutting was neither smooth nor short. Train station upgrades were a long-discussed project in Clinton with many false starts over the last five years. In 2017, DOT held a meeting in Town Hall to preview approved designs that were supposed to break ground in early 2018.
However, in early 2018 the project was put on indefinite hold due to state budget cuts. In summer 2018, the project went out to bid, but then the state again threatened to postpone the upgrades due to budget concerns. Ground was finally broken and the project officially underway in May 2019. During the time Clinton was awaiting work on the train station, some other stations along the Shoreline East received a second round of upgrades at their stations before Clinton was able to receive a first round.
During the remarks at the ribbon cutting, some speakers noted that the station upgrades could also help with development across the town. Town Manager Karl Kilduff said the station would be a benefit “not just for more transportation, but an opportunity for new growth.”
“Without the train station, it might not have sparked some of the development you see in the area. It means a lot and the improvements will benefit all users,” said Goupil said.
The train station is a short walk from Route One on one side and abuts the old Unilever property on the other side. While the Route One side provides access to the heart of Clinton’s downtown, the Unilever side offers potential for easy access to new developments.
Construction on a new apartment complex on that site is ongoing with more proposed developments for the rest of the property on the ways. The train station is also a short distance down Route 81 from the old Morgan School property that is being developed into further stores near Indian River Landing.