T-REX: The Trans-Regional Express Unified Regional Rail for a Thriving, Equitable Future

Proposed Regional Express (RX) Service Map Wassaic Tenmile River CONNECTICUT Dover Plains Waterbury Hartford Harlem Valley-Wingdale Naugatuck & Boston Appalachian Trail Beacon Falls Albany Pawling Danbury Seymour Patterson Ansonia Bethel Light Rail Southeast Derby-Shelton Poughkeepsie Redding Waterbury Line State St Port Jervis Otisville Middletown Campbell Hl Salisbury Mills-Cornwal New Hamburg Brewster Branchville Devon New Haven Croton Falls W Newburgh-Beacon Georgetown Or est Haven Cold Spring Purdy’s ange Port Jervis Cannondale Milford Garrison Goldens Bridge Wilton Devon Str Harriman Peekskill Katonah Merritt-7 atford Cortlandt Bedford Hills Tuxedo New Canaan Barnum Mt. Kisco Bridgeport Croton-Harmon Chappaqua Talmadge Hill Fairfield Metro Sloatsburg Ossining Pleasantville Springdale New Haven Line Fairfield Glenbrook Southport Suern Scarborough Hawthorne Green’ Philipse Manor Valhalla East Stamford W Mahwah East Norwalkestport s F North White Plains arms Ramsey Rt.17 Spring Valley Tarrytown White Plains South Norwalk Irvington Hartsdale Rowayton Ramsey Nanuet Darien West Nyack Ardsley Scarsdale Noroton Heights

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What is T-REX? T-REX would create three complementary levels of service: Trains Regional Express (T-REX) proposes a stra- ⊲⊲ The Metro (M) would provide new, rapid transit-like service tegic set of investments, phased over the next in and its core suburbs. few decades, to unify and expand the tri-state ⊲⊲ The Regional Express (RX) would enhance today’s com- area’s three systems in order to muter rail system with a greater number of station stops, and vastly improve mobility throughout the region. more reliable and efficient service. ⊲⊲ The Trans- Regional LImited (TRL) would provide new The plan also calls for changing how regional rail intra-regional service that would connect regional hubs and service is provided, including creating more fre- extend beyond the tri-state commuting territory to adjoining cit- quent “show-up-and-go” service for inner areas. ies, including Philadelphia, Albany, New Haven, and Hartford. Today’s commuter rail T-REX will help regional system is divided, and residents save time and money failing to meet the needs of our growing region. Paterson The tri-state area’s three rail systems— Rail road, New Jersey Transit, and Metro-North Rail Road— all act independently of each other. With The Bronx Williams Bridge separate operations, fare structures and equipment, each railroad optimizes for its own service. This comes at the expense of those commuter rail riders or potential riders who need better, more comprehen- sive service. North These three commuter rail systems were designed more than a century ago to Bergen get rush-hour travelers in and out of Manhattan when the region was very dif- 48th St/3rd Ave/GCT ferent than it is today. With the number of off-peak trips and reverse commutes Columbus Circle Midtown East growing, it is more important than ever from Midtown West min to provide direct service to job centers from 11 50 34 min Travel time reduced from and hubs outside of Manhattan, and 72 50 minutes to 11 minutes more trains throughout the day. Travel time reduced from 72 minutes to 34 minutes Lower Unifying the region’s three commuter Water St Manhattan rail lines would increase capacity, expand from travel options, and reduce travel times. 28 min 65 Other metropolitan areas like Lon- Travel time reduced from 65 minutes to 28 minutes don, Paris, and Tokyo already have or are developing fully-integrated transit systems. Our region needs the same to remain competitive. Ulster Dutchess Litchfield Sullivan

T-REX builds on rail improvements already underway. It also proposes new investments, and ties them New Haven together into a unified network. Putnam Orange Fairfield

Westchester

Rockland Sussex Passaic

Bergen Morris

Warren SuolkSu olk New Bronx Essex York Queens Nassau Union Hudson

Hunterdon Kings Richmond

Somerset Unified Regional Existing commuter rail Rail improvements alread underway Middlesex Rail Service Proposed by T-REX Proposed further improvements Source: Regional Plan As- needed to build out T-Rex sociation Improved junctions Mercer New/modified rail yards Monmouth

Key Benefits ⊲⊲ Vastly expand access to affordable housing and jobs by Ocean providing more rapid, direct service from Westchester, the Mid-Hudson, and Connecticut to New Jersey, Long Island, and Lower Manhattan ⊲⊲ Dramatically increase reliability and frequency of service ⊲⊲ Provide direct access to JFK Airport from the Bronx, mid- Hudson, and Connecticut ⊲⊲ Serve an additional 1 million trips per day by 2040, taking cars and buses off of congested roadways, and improving air quality Why T-REX?

Promote Equity Spur Economic Growth T-REX would foster a more equitable region by creating and T-REX would give residents greater access to housing and jobs, expanding commuter rail service to transit-starved areas of the increasing their ability to live affordably while still being within tri-state. A unified system with higher ridership would allow a reasonable commute of a good job. Expanding transit ser- more flexibility with fare policy, including pricing intra-city trips vice would also increase the labor pool available to employers, on par with the subway. Compared to today’s limited system, boosting their economic competitiveness as well. Expanded and T-REX would be accessible and affordable to those of all income better regional rail would effectively put more money back into levels in that it would allow more people to reside in quality the pockets of residents, while allowing businesses access to the housing and still have easy commutes to work. best possible talent pool. Both would help spur more equitable economic growth. Improve Human Health By shifting people from cars to rail, T-REX would improve Increase Connectivity and Capacity air quality. Good local planning around train stations can also T-REX would would promote connectivity by creating through- encourage more walking and biking to transit, further increasing running service between regional centers. The plan would relieve health benefits. More frequent and reliable train service would pressure on existing roadways that are at or near their maximum also lessen the chronic stress caused by commuting gridlock capacities by causing a shift of approximately 400,000 daily work traffic or depending on unreliable transit, and improve access to trips from cars to rail. New train capacity would help to reduce hospitals and doctor’s offices. the rail system’s physical wear and tear, eliminate bottlenecks and chokepoints, and increase flexibility of service. Strengthen Climate Resiliency In the future, low-lying areas along the Hudson River, the Long Island Sound, Lower Manhattan, and Hoboken may be suscep- Learn more: This factsheet summarizes an 85-page tible to damage caused by flooding. T-REX provides flexibility of report released in 2018 by the Regional Plan Association rerouting trains in the event of storm surge and sea-level rise. (RPA). For the full report, please visit rpa.org/publication/trans-regional-express-t-rex.

Regional Plan Association is an independent, not-for-profit civic organization that develops and promotes ideas to improve the economic health, environmental resiliency and quality of life of the New York metropolitan area. We conduct research on transportation, land use, housing, good governance and the environment. We advise cities, communities and public agencies. And we advocate for change that will contribute to the prosperity of all residents of the region. For more information, please visit rpa.org.