The latest regional rail news from Trains In The Valley
Today’s Reports
• Northampton Underpass Nears Completion
• Peter Pan Moving to Union Station on September 6th
• Updated Springfield Union Station Parking Rates
• Video | Hartford Line Track Construction Machine Makes Progress
• Transit Oriented Development on the Hartford Line
Trains In The Valley website updates
About > Transparency & Accountability
Safety > Railroad Crossing Safety
Calendar
Knowledge Corridor Transportation Conference
Springfield Union Station
October 18, 2017 | 7:45 am – 11:55 am | Free
Northampton Underpass Nears Completion
Northampton, Ma. | Behind the Walgreens – looking South | August 20, 2017
Work on the new bicycle and pedestrian underpass in Northampton is nearing completion.
Last week the contractor was working on the final grading and hardscape work at the site. Paving of the access ramps on either side of the underpass would appear to be next.
It would appear that MassDOT and its contractor for this project Northern Construction are well on their way towards completing this project on-time.
Further reading
Infrastructure > Current projects > Northampton Underpass
Peter Pan Moving to Union Station on September 6th
Peter Pan Bus Lines has announced that they plan to move their regional hub to Springfield Union Station on Wednesday, September 6th, 2017.
On this date all Peter Pan and Greyhound bus services and ticket sales will move into the newly renovated Union Station complex.
In related news, Peter Pan has announced that it will end its 19-year partnership with Greyhound Lines on September 27th. According to this article in MassLive, “the move will allow Peter Pan to offer paperless boarding on all its routes, more express service and to be on-time more often.”
Updated Union Station Garage Parking Rates
People have asked about the cost to park at the new Union Station Garage in Springfield.
The parking rate is calculated as $1.50 for the first 30 minutes and then $2.00 for each additional hour — up to a maximum of $20 for the day. Longer term rates are also available.
The current rates are shown on these display screens on each parking kiosk at the garage.
Union Station Garage | August 18, 2017
Union Station Garage | August 18, 2017
Note that Ken’s Parking, at 73 Taylor Street, has a day rate that starts at $10.
Further reading
Passenger Rail > Amtrak Stations > Springfield Union Station
Track Construction Machine Makes Progress in Connecticut
In July 2017, the NHHS Rail Program captured the Track Construction Machine (TCM) in operation as it layed new track in Berlin, Connecticut. By utilizing an unmanned aerial vehicle, video crews were able to provide the public with a “bird’s-eye” view of the 250-ton machine, which can assemble up to 1,000 feet of track per hour in ideal conditions, totaling over one mile of track per day.
This summer the TCM layed ten miles of new track between Meriden and Newington. Later this fall, it will return to lay an additional four miles of new track between Hartford and Windsor.
The CTrail Hartford Line commuter rail service — which will operate between Springfield, Hartford and New Haven — is scheduled to open in May 2018.
Further reading
Passenger rail > Future Service > CTrail Hartford Line
Transit Oriented Development on the Hartford Line
By Tom Condon | The Connecticut Mirror | July 27, 2017
Transit Oriented Development (TOD) projects take off near future CTrail Hartford Line stations in Connecticut.
Key takeaways from the article —
“Dozens of communities [in Connecticut] — Windsor, Windsor Locks, Wallingford, Branford, Stamford, Norwalk, New Britain, Westport and others — have TOD studies or projects underway.”
“Towns have to get the zoning right. Most communities that embrace TOD create overlay zones around stations to encourage mixed-use development.”
“Towns must get the parking right. A railroad station surrounded by acres of surface parking is not transit-oriented development…”
The area north of Springfield Union Station, with its many surface parking lots and single-story commercial structures, is an obvious location for TOD.
LINK TO STORY
“There is action near the station as development ramps up”
By Tom Condon | The Connecticut Mirror | July 27, 2017
Trains In The Valley website updates
Safety > Railroad Crossing Safety
This page was updated with the most current version of the “Public Highway-rail Crossings Ranked by Predicted Accidents report” for Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties (as of 12/31/2016).
The report shows that there were a total of four reported accidents at public railroad crossing in the Pioneer Valley during the five-year period from January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2016.
About > Transparency & Accountability
The page has been updated and refreshed. We have also added our 2Q2017 financial report.