ORANGE RAILROAD STATION NEW HAVEN LINE State Project No

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

ORANGE RAILROAD STATION NEW HAVEN LINE State Project No ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT EVALUATION ORANGE RAILROAD STATION NEW HAVEN LINE State Project No. 106-120 prepared for Connecticut Department of Transportation MAY 2017 prepared by Prepared pursuant to Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies Section 22a-1a-1 to 12, inclusive Table of Contents Environmental Impact Evaluation Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line Executive Summary.............................................................................. ix 1 Introduction................................................................................... 1 1.1 Description of Proposed Action .................................................................3 1.1.1 Existing Site Conditions............................................................................................... 3 1.1.2 Proposed Action ........................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Purpose and Need.......................................................................................9 1.2.1 Parking Demand ........................................................................................................... 9 1.2.2 Roadway Congestion .................................................................................................... 9 1.2.3 Commuter Rail Access ............................................................................................... 10 1.2.4 Energy and Environmental Sustainability ............................................................... 11 1.2.5 Land Use/Transportation Synergies ........................................................................ 11 1.3 Public Participation and Agency Coordination .......................................11 2 Alternatives Considered ............................................................ 13 2.1 No Action Alternative ................................................................................13 2.2 Alternative Sites ........................................................................................14 2.3 Alternative Designs...................................................................................14 2.4 Preferred Alternative .................................................................................15 3 Existing Environment and Analysis of Impact ........................ 17 3.1 Land Use, Zoning, and Local Development Plans ..................................17 3.1.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 17 3.1.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 19 3.1.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 20 3.2 Consistency with State and Regional Conservation and Development Plans ..........................................................................................................20 3.2.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 20 3.2.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 23 3.2.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 24 3.3 Traffic and Parking....................................................................................24 3.3.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 24 3.3.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 31 3.3.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 44 3.4 Considerations Relating to Pedestrian and Bicyclists ...........................45 3.4.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 45 3.4.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 45 Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line Environmental Impact Evaluation i Table of Contents Environmental Impact Evaluation Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line 3.4.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 45 3.5 Rail Operations and Transit .....................................................................46 3.5.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 46 3.5.2 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 46 3.5.3 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 53 3.6 Air Quality ..................................................................................................54 3.6.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 54 3.6.2 Impact Assessment ..................................................................................................... 58 3.6.3 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ...................................................................................... 81 3.7 Noise ..........................................................................................................85 3.7.1 Methodology ................................................................................................................ 85 3.7.2 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................... 88 3.7.3 Impact Analysis ........................................................................................................... 91 3.7.4 Mitigation ..................................................................................................................... 93 3.8 Socioeconomic Effects/Neighborhoods/Housing................................. 100 3.8.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 100 3.8.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 103 3.8.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 104 3.9 Water Quality ...........................................................................................105 3.9.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 105 3.9.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 106 3.9.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 108 3.10 Hydrology and Floodplains .................................................................... 109 3.10.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 109 3.10.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 109 3.10.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 111 3.11 Wetlands .................................................................................................. 111 3.11.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 112 3.11.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 116 3.11.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 118 3.12 Coastal Resources .................................................................................. 120 3.12.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 120 3.12.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 120 3.12.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 120 3.13 Flora/Fauna/Threatened and Endangered Species ............................... 122 3.13.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................. 122 3.13.2 Impact Analysis ......................................................................................................... 125 3.13.3 Mitigation ................................................................................................................... 125 Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line Environmental Impact Evaluation ii Table of Contents Environmental Impact Evaluation Orange Railroad Station – New Haven Line 3.14 Soils and Geology ................................................................................... 125 3.14.1 Existing Conditions .................................................................................................
Recommended publications
  • December 2010 Bulletin.Pub
    TheNEW YORK DIVISION BULLETIN - DECEMBER, 2010 Bulletin New York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association Vol. 53, No. 12 December, 2010 The Bulletin THIRD AVENUE’S SOUTH FERRY BRANCH Published by the New DISCONTINUED 60 YEARS AGO York Division, Electric Railroaders’ Association, Third Avenue trains started running from Willets Point — 4 — 5 — Incorporated, PO Box South Ferry to Grand Central on August 26, Express 3001, New York, New 1878. At first, trains operated from 7:35 AM to Astoria Local — 8 (B) — 8 (B) — York 10008-3001. 8:00 PM leaving South Ferry. Trains operated on a 10-minute headway from 3:00 to 7:00 (A) Shuttles between Canal Street and South Ferry For general inquiries, PM and a 15-minute headway at other times. (B) Rerouted to City Hall September 18, 1939 contact us at nydiv@ Fare was 5 cents in the rush hour, 5:30-7:30 At Unification, June 12, 1940, Second Ave- erausa.org or by phone nue service was discontinued and replaced at (212) 986-4482 (voice AM and 5:00-7:00 PM, and 10 cents in non- rush hours. by midday Astoria Locals and rush hour Wil- mail available). The lets Point Expresses. The May 19, 1941 Division’s website is Second Avenue trains, which started run- www.erausa.org/ ning on March 1, 1880, did not run during the schedule provided for a 6-minute headway to nydiv.html. midnight hours. Third Avenue trains contin- Astoria. Expresses to Willets Point operated ued running to South Ferry during midnight on a 4-minute headway in the AM rush and a Editorial Staff: 5-minute headway in the evening rush.
    [Show full text]
  • West Haven Railroad Station Final Environmental Impact Evaluation
    State Project No. 106-116 Final State Environmental Impact Evaluation New Railroad Station at City of West Haven or Town of Orange Connecticut Department of Transportation Newington, Connecticut June 2007 Connecticut Department of Transportation State Project 106-116 West Haven/Orange Railroad Station Final EIE Preface This document is the Final State Environmental Impact Evaluation (FEIE) prepared in accordance with the Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) for the three alternatives under consideration for a new railroad station between New Haven and Milford: no action, a station in West Haven, or a station in Orange. The FEIE comprises the combined Draft Federal Environmental Assessment (DEA) and Draft State Environmental Impact Evaluation (DEIE), public comments regarding the DEA/DEIE, responses to public comments, and the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (ConnDOT) selection of a preferred alternative. Appendices C through G have been added as part of the FEIE to report the additional work completed since the DEA/DEIE. The FEIE caps off many years of hard work and pulls together quantitative and qualitative environmental analysis with the concerns of local residents. This evaluation provides decision makers with the essential information they need to select the alternative that best meets the purpose and need of the proposed project. After an extensive review of the DEA/DEIE findings and all public comments on the DEA/DEIE, ConnDOT has selected the City of West Haven as the recommended location for a new commuter rail station. As part of this recommended action, ConnDOT has also decided to complete the project entirely with State funds. The decision to pursue construction of the West Haven station without federal assistance relieves the State of the need to complete the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) process.
    [Show full text]
  • Regional Transit-Oriented Development Study
    Transit Oriented Development Opportunities for the South Central Region June 2015 Metro North Shore Line East Hartford Line Contents Table of Contents Executive Summary............................................................1 Introduction........................................................................3 Transit Corridors................................................................6 Demographic Profile..........................................................8 Labor Force Trends.............................................................9 Commercial Market Trends.............................................10 Residential Market Trends...............................................12 TOD Strategies..................................................................14 Approach............................................................................16 Metro North Corridor.....................................................18 Milford Orange West Haven New Haven Shore Line East Corridor................................................65 Branford Guilford Madison Hartford Line Corridor..................................................103 Meriden Wallingford North Haven Conclusion......................................................................141 Prepared by: Transit Oriented Development Opportunities for the South Central Region ii Executive Summary Executive Summary Introduction The South Central Region of Connecticut is home to two existing commuter rails lines and will be serviced by a new commuter rail line in 2016.
    [Show full text]
  • Individual Station Report
    Individual Station Report Milford URBITRANR EPORT CONTENTS: Stakeholder Interview Customer Opinion Survey Parking Inventory & Utilization Station Condition Inspection Lease Narrative and Synopsis Station Operations Review Station Financial Review URBITRAN Prepared to Connecticut Department of Transportation S ubmitted by Urbitran Associates, Inc. July 2003 June 2003 June 2003 June 2003 June 2003 June 2003 June 2003 Stakeholder Interview URBITRANR EPORT URBITRAN Prepared to Connecticut Department of Transportation S ubmitted by Urbitran Associates, Inc. Union Station operates and funds the maintenance using the revenue the garage generates. No additional funds are required to operate and maintain the facility. The garage and building is a million-dollar operation. The building is fully leased. Rates are kept low to support the use of rail by commuters. To handle the overflow, there is an agreement with the Coliseum parking for 500 monthly rate spaces. Over the next five years, parking will be the biggest issue to address. Parking has to become user-friendlier. The Coliseum is only a band-aid to a long-term worsening problem. Although there is a waiting list for parking it may not be representative of all people who were turned away. As an example, day-trippers are not accounted for with a waiting list. The current projections indicate that as soon as a new garage is built the facility will be at 50-75% capacity. If the Gateway connection is made it will provide access to more people and bring the garage almost to capacity. There are other projects/scenarios in discussion. If West Haven or Orange gets a rail station there will be an impact on New Haven but the demand or reduction is not known.
    [Show full text]
  • New Haven Line
    SATURDAY, SUNDAY & HOLIDAYS NEW YORK–NEW havEN For more information visit mta.info/mnr NEW YORK — DANBURY TICKETS, FARES & PURCHASING OPTIONS SAMPLE FARES CT Fares: Effective January 1, 2013 REFERENCE NOTES TRAVEL INFORMATION Temporary Construction Timetable WebTicket - Buy your monthly, weekly, ten-trip or one-way/ On-board fares are indicated in red NY Fares: Effective March 1, 2013 SaTURDaY, SUNDaY & hOLIDaYS Monthly Weekly 10-Trip 10-Trip One Way One Way Sr. Cit/ round trip ticket online at www.mta.info. Use any major credit card. between A - Connections to/from amtrak service are available at this General Information: Effective August 5 through September 2, 2013 Grand Central Terminal Commu- Commu- Peak Off-Peak Peak Off-Peak Disabled TO 6301 6503 6303 6203 6505 6305 6307 6509 6309 6511 6311 6513 6313 6515 6315 6517 6317 6519 6319 6521 6321 6523 6323 6525 6325 6527 6327 6529 6329 6531 6331 6533 6333 6535 6335 6537 6337 6339 6541 6341 6343 6545 6345 6547 6347 6549 6349 6551 6351 6553 6353 6555 6355 6557 6357 3561 6359 6561 6361 6363 6565 6365 6569 6369 6573 6399 Postage is free and tickets arrive 2-3 business days after you place station. Contact amtrak for schedules. Schedules & Fares; Lost & Found; Mail&Ride; Group Sales; Parking; MILES and tation tation One Way MILES your order. NEW YORK 6705 6709 6713 6717 6721 6725 6729 6733 6737 6741 6745 6749 6753 6757 6761 6763 6765 6773 TO 6813 6825 6837 6849 6861 6873 E - Transfer for express service to/from New York. 14 Mount Vernon Bicycle Permits; Comments, Concerns, and Commendations; and AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM AM PM AM PM AM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM PM AM MILES NEW YORK 6513 6525 6537 6549 6561 6573 Mail&Ride C - Connecting Service.
    [Show full text]
  • Connecticut State Rail Plan, 2012
    DRAFT 2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY BLANK Page 1 DRAFT 2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ State of Connecticut Department of Transportation 2012-2016 Connecticut State Rail Plan Prepared by: BUREAU OF PUBLIC TRANSPORATION, OFFICE OF RAIL CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 50 UNION AVENUE, FOURTH FLOOR WEST NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT 06519 Page 2 DRAFT 2012 CONNECTICUT STATE RAIL PLAN __________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 7 CHAPTER 1 – STATE RAIL VISION, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES .............................. 9 1.1 MISSION STATEMENT, VISION, AND VALUES ........................................................................ 9 1.2 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES FOR RAIL SERVICE IN CONNECTICUT ..................................... 10 CHAPTER 2 – FEDERAL AND STATE MANDATES .................................................. 13 2.1 FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND PLANNING REQUIREMENTS ................................................ 14 2.2 STATE LEGISLATION AND PLANNING REQUIREMENTS ..................................................... 15 CHAPTER 3 – DESCRIPTION OF RAIL SYSTEM IN CONNECTICUT ....................... 18
    [Show full text]
  • New Haven Line Capacity and Speed Analysis
    CTrail Strategies New Haven Line Capacity and Speed Analysis Final Report June 2021 | Page of 30 CTrail Strategies Table of Contents Executive Summary........................................................................................................................ 1 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2 2. Existing Conditions: Infrastructure, Facilities, Equipment and Services (Task 1)............... 2 2.1. Capacity and Speed are Constrained by Legacy Infrastructure .................................... 3 2.2. Track Geometry and Slow Orders Contribute to Reduced Speeds ............................... 4 2.3. State-of-Good-Repair & Normal Replacement Improvements Impact Speed .............. 6 2.4. Aging Diesel-Hauled Fleet Limits Capacity ..................................................................... 6 2.5. Service Can Be Optimized to Improve Trip Times .......................................................... 7 2.6. Operating Costs and Revenue ........................................................................................ 8 3. Capacity of the NHL (Task 2)................................................................................................. 8 4. Market Assessment (Task 3) ............................................................................................... 10 4.1. Model Selection and High-Level Validation................................................................... 10 4.2. Market Analysis..............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • West Haven to Stamford Train Schedule
    West Haven To Stamford Train Schedule Infamous or despicable, Barnabas never confess any shadoof! Behind and reminiscent Jeffery reloads while outmarchFijian Wye unmanageably. baptize her operetta fully and visualized accessibly. Jocose Jack represses, his annunciator redriven This weekend of your pixel id, was in commercial use of bargaining between new york, by mh sub i have nine stops exists in. One track ends within the silver city center with stops between greenwich to stamford. Traveling on the train tickets on your own spectacular fireworks extravaganza over. Need a series features included for information displays that amtrak app, but even get. Know so on buses were declared across southern fairfield county, which turn left onto first traffic was my favorite bus company offering patients suffering from. North east norwalk lies within steps. Which bus shelter made public. How could lessen rush hours also provides rail link to your destination is a comment is famous for? Find out of west. Pm to another method to new haven, where they have! North haven monday, schedule information for reasons that reflect my trip is. There is that has a low platforms are traveling in any place. At this website operates bus routes included. Traveling by acquiring other destinations across north put, which is seeing delays on bus across all told about where you selected trips are still make it. South service between new haven state park or westport was accomplished by booking tickets over hundreds of great deals on ct find some cars in accordance with construction. Students from stamford, schedule and west haven everyday lives of seating inside travel to truly articulate just how much less carbon into an indian reservation number prior to.
    [Show full text]
  • Plan of Conservation and Development
    adopted 6/22/2017 effective 7/12/2017 2017 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Mayor The Honorable Edward M. O’Brien Planning & Zoning Commission Kathleen Hendricks, Chairman Steven R. Mullins, Vice -Chairman Christopher Suggs, Secretary Alfred Posey, Commissioner John Biancur, Commissioner Gregory Milano, Alternate Rich Standish, Alternate Planning & Development Department Staff Joseph A. Riccio Jr., Commissioner of Planning & Development David Killeen, Assistant City Planner Kathy Coniff,Zoning Enforcement Officer Steering Committee Louis Annino University of New Haven Carroll E. Brown President, West Haven Black Coalition Aaron Charney Attorney Justin Freiberg Yale University Karl Gasteyer Hamden Hall Kathleen Hendricks Chair, Planning & Zoning Commission, City of West Haven John Lewis Executive Assistant to the Mayor of the City of West Haven James Morrissey Chairman, Board of Education Alan Olenick Director, Chamber of Commerce Chris-Philip Onofrio Business Development Manager Sean P. Ronan Councilman, D-9, City of West Haven The City and Steering Committee would like to thank all of those who participated in the City Visioning Workshop and the City Goals & Strategies Workshop and for those who provided input to us via e-mail and during the Savin Rock Festival. We would also like to express our gratitude to the First Congregational Church and Savin Rock Conference Center for hosting the workshops. Consultant NV5 - Connecticut, LLC (formerly The RBA Group); Project Mgr.: Neil Desai cover photo courtesy of Jack Benas (used with permission) June 27, 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS click on a heading or subheading to go to that section PREAMBLE 6 1. INTRODUCTION 7 2. OBSERVING THE CITY 17 3. ENGAGING THE CITY 41 4.
    [Show full text]
  • Complete Report 2004 01 07 04
    MOBILITY A Transportation Plan: 2004-2028 South Central Regional Council of Governments 127 Washington Avenue North Haven, Connecticut February, 2004 The fifteen-town South Central Connecticut Plan Adoption region is composed of Bethany, Branford, East Mayors and first selectmen adopted the Plan on February 25, 2004 after a Haven, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, January-February, 2004 review that included a January 5 Council-hosted Milford, New Haven, North Branford, North public meeting, January 14 review by the Council’s Transportation Haven, Orange, Wallingford, West Haven and Committee and January 28 Council adoption of a “Draft Plan” identical to Woodbridge. Mayors and first selectmen guide the final document. areawide planning and programming through the South Central Regional Council of Govern- ments, 127 Washington Avenue, 4th Floor- West, North Haven, Connecticut, 06473-1715, (203) 234-7555, /www.scrcog.org/. The Regional Planning Commission, representatives of municipal planning and zoning commissions, addresses land-use planning on behalf of the Council. Meriden Wallingford Bethany This report was prepared in cooperation with North Haven the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, the Hamden North Branford U.S. Federal Transit Administration, the Woodbridge Connecticut Department of Transportation and New Haven Guilford the Connecticut Office of Policy and Manage- East Haven Madison Orange Branford ment. The opinions, findings and conclusions West Haven expressed in this report are those of the South Central Regional Council of Governments and Milford do not necessarily reflect the official views of other government organizations. Contents Figures 1 Environmental Justice 3 2 Peak Period Highway Performance 6 A Plan Perspective 1 3 The Urban Spine 6 1.
    [Show full text]
  • January 2013 ERA Bulletin.Pub
    The ERA BULLETIN - JANUARY, 2013 Bulletin Electric Railroaders’ Association, Incorporated Vol. 56, No. 1 January, 2013 The Bulletin THE WESTCHESTER’S LAST DAYS Published by the Electric Westchester riding kept increasing, but it the celebration was cut short by rain. Railroaders’ Association, never increased as rapidly as the designers During the 1920s, the company operated Incorporated, PO Box or the New Haven anticipated because it ter- frequent non-rush hour service with one– or 3323, New York, New York 10163-3323. minated in the Bronx, and was unable to fur- two-car trains, but there were only a few peo- nish a one-seat ride to Manhattan. It hoped ple in each car. Five-car trains provided ade- that it could use its profit to finance a Man- quate rush hour service. Although it charged For general inquiries, hattan extension. Because money was not a cheaper fare than the New Haven, the contact us at bulletin@ available, it found a cheaper alternative — company was still unable to make a profit. erausa.org or by phone at (212) 986-4482 (voice the Port Chester extension. The Westchester never carried very much mail available). ERA’s This portion of the railroad was constructed freight. There were only six industrial sidings website is on the New Haven’s right-of-way, which was on the entire line, and the company’s only www.erausa.org. wide enough to accommodate two tracks on interchange with any other railroad was with Editorial Staff: its west side. The railroad constructed inex- the New Haven in the lower Bronx and New Editor-in-Chief: pensive high-level wooden platforms.
    [Show full text]
  • MTA Metro-North Railroad
    MTA Metro-North Railroad March 2013 Metro-North Railroad – Who We Are • Metro-North operates across 384 route miles to 122 stations serving seven New York counties and two Connecticut counties o Approximately 106 route miles and 37 stations along the New Haven and its three branch lines in the State of Connecticut • Metro-North operates New Haven Line service for New York and Connecticut via a bi-state agreement o Service in the State of Connecticut is funded by the State • Recognized as one of the nation's preeminent railroads • Since 1983, Metro-North has improved its system-wide on-time performance from 80% to 97.6% and doubled its annual ridership to 83 million (2012 data) Metro-North Railroad 1 Metro-North Railroad- Existing Service 2 Metro-North Railroad New Haven Line Service in Connecticut • Metro-North operates 265 weekday trains in Connecticut • Total weekday boardings at Connecticut Stations is approximately 49,000 • Over 4 million annual trips were made entirely within Connecticut during 2012. This market has more than tripled since 1985 • Metro-North has the largest rail reverse ridership market in the United States o Almost 6,000 New Haven Line customers reverse commute from New York City and the Bronx each morning, mostly to Connecticut employment centers • Stamford is the largest outlying station in Metro-North’s territory Metro-North Railroad 3 Connecticut Department of Transportation Improvements on the New Haven Line Equipment • Metro-North and CT DOT jointly purchasing 405 new M8 cars for operation on the New Haven
    [Show full text]