Federal Highway Administration Gives Green Light To West Haven Train Station Bike Path Following Blumenthal, Murphy, DeLauro Intervention

Statement

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT3), and West Haven Mayor Ed O'Brien announced today that the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has granted West Haven a green light to proceed with completion of its bike path connecting its train station to Yale's West Campus.

In 2010, West Haven received $973,834 from the FHWA for enhancements to its train station, including constructing a bike path from the station to Yale's West Campus. Despite clear communication from West Haven regarding the intended use of the funds, the FHWA abruptly declared the path outside the scope of the award, forcing the City to halt construction.

After learning of the problem from Mayor O'Brien, Blumenthal worked jointly with Murphy and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-3) to urge the FHWA to correct the miscommunication and allow work on the bike path to resume. The FHWA has now reversed course, allowing work on this important project to continue.

"The bike path is a critical link between Yale and the West Haven train station, and its completion will greatly enhance the accessibility of the train station and provide a new and welcome option for commuters. The federal funds were always intended for the bike path, as West Haven had clearly communicated to FHWA from the earliest stages of this effort. I thank Mayor O'Brien for bringing this issue to my attention, and I am grateful to the FHWA for their swift approval of this worthy and important project," Blumenthal said.

"Connecting our communities to transportation infrastructure is a critical step in growing Connecticut's economy and making our state a more vibrant place to live and work. A new bike path between the West Haven Rail Passenger Station and Yale's West Haven Campus will have tremendous environmental and transportation benefits, and will make the area a more accessible and appealing place for students, residents and employers. As a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, I am committed to securing federal support for local transit projects, and I'm proud to have worked with the Federal Highway Administration to ensure the completion of this bike path," Murphy said.

"Our region faces a serious strain when it comes to transportation infrastructure and with 80 percent of Connecticut commuters driving to work by themselves, we have to provide a better alternative. By creating a way to connect pedestrians and cyclists with the train station we are now serving the increasing numbers of workers who bike or walk as part of their daily commute while, at the same time, promoting exercise and protecting the environment," DeLauro said. "It is great to see the West Haven Train Station become a more complete transportation hub and I look forward to the future developments that this station will unlock for the City."

"I am grateful to Senators Blumenthal and Murphy and Congresswoman DeLauro for securing this important funding for transit-oriented development improvements along Railroad Avenue and Frontage Road," O'Brien said. "The planned 1.5-mile bike bath and streetscape enhancements, which include new concrete sidewalks and curbs, will connect West Haven Station and a corridor of large and small businesses with the 136-acre Yale University West Campus on Morgan Lane. More and more commuters are using the 2-year-old train station and are bringing their bikes when traveling to and from destinations beyond the transportation hub. More important, this environmentally conscious transit mode will diminish our city's overall carbon footprint by reducing the number of vehicles on the road."

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