House Republican Press Release

October 6, 2006

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Rep. Giuliano: Funding Approved for Shoreline East RR Station Improvements in Westbrook

$7,000,000 Okayed for Design, Right-of-Way Acquisition for Upgrades to RR Stations in Westbrook. Other Towns

The State Bond Commission has approved funding in the amount of $7,000,000 to finance design and right-of-way acquisition costs for upgrades to the Shoreline East rail station in Westbrook and stations in four other communities, state Representative Marilyn Giuliano, R-23^rd District, announced today.

The funding, which also will pay for design and right-of-way acquisition costs for improvement projects at stations in Branford, Clinton, Guilford and Madison, was approved at the Bond Commission’s monthly meeting today (Friday, October 6^th), Representative Giuliano said.

“The Bond Commission’s action today is great news for Westbrook residents who use the train to get to work,” Representative Giuliano said. “It will lead to improvements that will make the railroad station safer and more commuter-friendly. As a legislator who has worked for several years to make commuter rail service more convenient, reliable and efficient, I’m delighted that Governor Rell and the Bond Commission are moving ahead with an important initiative that will encourage more people to get out of their cars and into Shoreline East trains.”

Shoreline East (SLE) stations, including the one in Westbrook, are located on both the north and south sides of the tracks. Depending on which track an SLE train is on when it stops at the station, passengers may be required to cross the tracks. That configuration prevents Amtrak trains from going through the stations and passing SLE trains while those trains are stopped. Currently, Amtrak trains travel through Shoreline East stations at very high rates of speed, which poses a potential hazard to passengers crossing the tracks, Representative Giuliano said.

The funding approved today will finance the redesign of the Westbrook station to include both north- and south-side platforms. The platform length will be 200 feet. The canopy length will cover half of the platform. In addition, a pedestrian bridge will be constructed to allow passengers access to both the north and south sides of the station, Representative Giuliano said.

The designs are expected to be finished by February 2008. Construction is projected to begin in August 2008, with completion expected by August 2009, Representative Giuliano said.