Issue #1
Summer 1998

Enhancement Program well under way:
Work focus will shift to platforms
November, 2001. That's when the Stamford Train Station Enhancement Program is slated to be completed.

But the first benefits of the $95 million Program already are open to the public. In mid-June, the new Washington Blvd. railroad bridge underpass, which had been restricted to one lane in each direction for the previous 52 weeks, had a second northbound lane and a pedestrian walkway restored, easing congestion in this busy area. The new underpass is approximately two feet taller than it used to be, improving access to Stamford's South End, not only for trucks and other tall vehicles, but the economic vitality they represent.

And that's not all. A new drainage system was built in conjunction with the road reconstruction to replace an old, decayed system that all too often left the old Washington Blvd. underpass under water.

Also, new rest rooms, fully accessible to people with disabilities, were opened earlier this year. These were the first of many new or improved amenities in the Enhancement Program that will bring the station into full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The coming months will see more work concentrated in the station, including on the platform level. In addition, the reconstruction of the pedestrian tunnel under the tracks will require closing it three times, each for two or three months. The first tunnel closure is scheduled for this summer.

You can minimize the impacts of this work. The keys will be to stay informed, be patient, and allow a few extra minutes to catch your train.

The Enhancement Program will not cause any Metro-North Railroad service reductions, but it will require changes in the station that may affect how to get to and from trains.


That is why it is important to keep track of the latest information about the project and to get to the station a few minutes before your train is scheduled to depart. This will avoid confusion due to unexpected track changes or sidewalk closures that could leave late arrivals standing on the platform.

Back to top

Pedestrian Safety a Key to Station Project
Pedestrian safety is one of the most critical aspects of the Stamford Train Station Enhancement Program, and also one of the Program's greatest challenges.

With the steady increase in construction and other Program activity since work began in 1997, numerous changes have affected pedestrians in myriad ways. Sidewalks have been closed and reopened, as have stairs and ramps to and from the platforms. Crosswalks have been moved and moved again, all to allow construction to proceed.

This can be expected to continue throughout the Enhancement Program, so if you are heading to the station, it will continue to be important to allow a few extra minutes to catch your train.

It will also be vitally important for you to use designated walkways. Space in and around the station is limited, and protecting both the public and construction workers requires that work areas be kept off-limits to the public. And with different stages of the Program requiring different work locations, some work zones require restricting or barring access to areas that at other times would be safe areas for pedestrians.

Public access to essential areas, such as platforms, the concourse and the bus terminal area, will always be maintained. But the routes will change, and some temporary routes will take longer to walk than the routes they replace.

Significant improvements have been made to some temporary pedestrian routes that were in place during early stages of the Program. The alternate route along South State Street (west of the station toward First Stamford Place) has been made more direct, and additional ramps to and from the platforms have been in place whenever possible.

Pedestrian routes will be continuously monitored so that improvements like these can be implemented at every opportunity.

But sometimes a longer route will be the only way to maintain safety. And when that's the case, safety will outweigh convenience every time.

So for safety's sake, please use designated walkways at all times.

You can contact MetroPool at (800) 346-3743, ext. 121 or by e-mail with comments, questions or suggestions about walkways or any other aspect of the Stamford Train Station Enhancement Program.

Video, brochures, speakers available
MetroPool, the Stamford-based non-profit transportation management company, is working closely with the Connecticut Department of Transportation to make information about the Stamford Train Station Enhancement Program available to the public.

• Video: This 11-minute video gives a general overview of the Enhancement Program.
  
  
• Brochure: This booklet also gives a general overview of the Program, and includes a postage-paid reply card if you would like to sign up to receive information about the Program.
  
  
• Newsletter: This is the first edition of a newsletter that will be published regularly until the Program has been completed. Each edition will include the Program schedule, articles about important aspects of the Program and a "Meet the Crew" feature on a member of the Program staff. The newsletter also will include ways to get information about public transit and other Commute Alternatives in Greater Stamford.
  
  
• In-station Information Centers: Five Program Information Centers are in place in the station. Brochures, newsletters and other materials about the Program are available at the Centers. Four Centers are located on concourse and platform levels, with one unit on each side of the tracks on each level.
  
  The other Center is located on the lower level of the station. In addition to brochures, this Center also features a scale model of the finished station and the project video being shown on a continuous basis.
  
  
• News releases: News releases are issued to publicize important changes due to the construction at the station, especially changes that may affect the public. Because many of these changes are short-term, news releases are distributed by fax and posted on Metropool's web site. In addition to the media and area companies and work sites, these releases are available to the general public. If you are interested in receiving them, contact MetroPool at (800) 346-3743, ext. 121, or e-mail us, or pick up a Program brochure at one of the Information Centers in the station, fill out the reply card and drop it in a mailbox.
  
  
• Speakers: Representatives of MetroPool and the Connecticut Department of Transportation are available to meet with community groups and other organizations to talk about the Stamford Train Station Enhancement Program. Tours of the station can be arranged.
  
  
• On line: Information about the Enhancement Program is posted on MetroPool's Web site, www.metrpool.com, and on the Connecticut Department of Transportation's Web site, www.state.ct.us/dot/bureau/eh/ehcn/road/stamford.htm. All these informational materials and services are available through MetroPool.

Timeline