Commuter rail service is scheduled to start at the end of next year.
Governor Dannel Malloy said he's in active conversations with U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Amtrak about the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield commuter rail line scheduled to begin operation in late 2016.
Malloy is concerned about Amtrak delays and cost increases for rail line upgrades to support the rail project.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation began seeking proposals earlier this year from companies interested in operating the commuter rail line.
Malloy also sent a letter on May 11 to the transportation secretary asking for more federal oversight of Amtrak, or to take it off the project altogether.
From the letter:
The current cost of this Project has ballooned to $615 million, an increase of $250 million (68 percent) over an original budget of $365 million. Connecticut already has committed $244 million of state funds, $70 million above the initial $174 million we pledged to the Project in the grant applications. We have reached our state funding limit, and a potential crisis for the delivery of the Project. This also is an urgent matter. According to Amtrak, the opening date of the new high speed service already has moved from late 2016 to late 2017. Connecticut has recently been informed by Amtrak that unless the major construction contract to implement this Project is awarded by May 15, 2015, a full construction season would be lost and the opening date for service would slip to late 2018, with unknown financial impacts that accompany such a delay.
Malloy spoke to reporters on Monday. “Obviously, this is 62 miles of track, which has fallen into great disrepair under the ownership of Amtrak. We’re a little frustrated that they -- as my letter said -- were putting impediments into getting the track rebuilt,” he said.
The governor said there are several expressions of interest to run the rail line.
Though service is scheduled to start at the end of next year, Malloy acknowledged that the start date could be delayed.
WTNH covered Monday's press conference. Watch below:
