Gov. Dannel P. Malloy Monday officially accepted $121 million from the Federal Railroad Administration to turn the north-south corridor that cuts through the middle of the state into a high-speed rail line.
The money, announced in 2010 and officially disbursed Monday in a ceremony at the Meriden train station, will pay to boost the “almost nonexistent” service between New Haven, Hartford and Springfield, said state transportation Commissioner James Redeker. The $121 million grant, coupled with a $142 million state investment, will cover expanding the rail line from one to two tracks between New Haven and Hartford, allowing more trains to run.
By the end of 2016, the plan is for trains to run hourly from New Haven to Hartford, and on the half-hour during peak hours, boosting the number of daily round-trips from six to 17.