New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Bus line to merge with Shoreline service
MIDDLETOWN— Plans to merge the Middletown Area Transit and 9 Town Transit districts took another step forward Monday night as the Common Council unanimously voted to join the Estuary Transit District.
9 Town Transit already operates within the ETD. This merger would essentially combine all operations from the MAT district with the Shoreline under the ETD.
The remaining town members of MAT, Durham and Middlefield, are expected to also join the ETD in the coming weeks. MAT also provides transportation services for East Hampton, Portland, and parts of Cromwell and Meriden.
“We’re glad to be moving forward in this direction,” Mayor Ben Florsheim said prior to the meeting.
Merging into one transportation district would allow for greater access, improved facilities, and smoother administrative operation, according to Planning, Conservation & Development Director Joseph Samolis.
“It’s really to allow for more freedom and flexibility,” he said.
Samolis, who is chairman of the MAT district, said that the planning process for this merger began in early 2019 with a transit study conducted by the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments. The state Department of Transportation also began looking for potential improvements to transportation, and identified opportunity to reduce redundancy and redistribute assets in the Middletown-to-Shoreline area.
The result of that study was that the two transit districts would operate better as one.
“The conclusion was that the best move would be to combine them,” Florsheim said. “The level of service is only going to improve.”
Some of the highlights include new buses and a new depot in Middletown for maintenance, storage and other aspects of operation. “The new transit depot in Middletown is a key aspect of the plan,” Samolis said.
Additional studies are planned to explore route alterations and additions, especially between Middletown and the Shoreline. This plan would expand bus service across Middlesex
County and connect rail and bus lines with the Hartford and New Haven districts.
Any additional funding needed during the course of this merger would be covered by federal funds through the DOT, Samolis said.
“The DOT is very supportive. They’re helping to facilitate this merger,” Samolis said.
He said that there are really no negatives that would come from the change. No job losses or layoffs are expected. In fact, it is anticipated the now larger district would create several new management, maintenance and administrative positions.
The process has only just begun, Samolis said. “Ultimately, we’re excited about it. It’s a new day for Middletown riders.”