Derby-Shelton train station to receive EV charging stations
DERBY — The city’s train station is expected to receive more than $12 million in upgrades, from electric vehicle charging stations, to additional rail service and other upgrades.
Bill Purcell, the president of the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce said it’s a big deal and will transform the Naugatuck Valley, a sentiment shared by other officials.
“We’re on a roll here in our valley, because it’s a watershed event,” Purcell said.
Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and Gov. Ned Lamont announced the scheduled upgrades at the Derby- Shelton station on Friday along with state and local officials. The money will come from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant. Local officials say the construction will have an economic impact as well, with development projects occurring in tandem with the planned upgrades.
Construction is a ways in the future, but Kafi Rouse, the director of communciations for the state Department of Transportation, said the project could get underway within two years.
“We anticipate the design of the DerbyShelton Multimodal Transportation Center project to be completed by the end of 2023. Following the pre-construction activities such as advertising and the bid award, the construction phase could begin October 2024,” Rouse said.
The RAISE grant awarded to the station will amount to $12.6 million. But total costs are expected to be $24.5 million according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. Additional upgrades include more daily rail service, added bus service, sidewalks and crosswalks, additional parking, and improved accessibility for travelers with physical disabilities.
Mayor Richard Dziekan’s chief of staff, Andrew Baklik said the city will ask for more money and the recent announcement will complement the city’s ongoing economic development projects.
“We’ll be working with the state and other regional partners and trying to get more investment into the station itself. So that would be great,” Baklik said. “But with all the surrounding developments, transit oriented development that you hear, Derby’s ripe for that.”
A mixed use downtown development, including 200 market rate apartments, was previously approved in 2020. Baklik said the upgrades will be beneficial because increased rail services and amenities will make Derby more attractive with prospective
tenants and home owners.
Right now, Baklik said the Derby station doesn’t have much in the way of service, making commuters skip it in favor of other stations in Milford and Bridgeport.
The goal, Baklik said, is to make people want to stop in Derby.
“Hopefully, it makes Derby not only a destination for people who want to come here, but also for people who are traveling to points north and south, (this could) make that more convenient and a little bit easier to manage,” he said.
State Rep. Mary Welander said she advocated for the funds but didn’t expect so many people to be invested in the project.
“Last spring when I brought up the overwhelming potential of the Derby-Shelton train station and surrounding area, I didn’t anticipate it would lead to a site visit with multiple state agencies, advocates, and local stakeholders where they also saw that potential,” Welander said. “Those partnerships, specifically with CTDOT, and months of work resulted in this grant that will be transformative for Derby.”
Baklik said the money was sorely needed due to Derby being a distressed municipality. The city had been aggressive in advocating for more money to fund infrastructure programs and revitalization projects,” he said.
State Rep. Kara Rochelle, who also represents Derby, said the upgrades will not only benefit Derby, but would be a boon for the entire Valley.
“The Waterbury Branch Line is an economic driver for the Naugatuck Valley, and this grant to modernize the Derby-Shelton station, coupled with funding included in the state budget for increased rail service on the Waterbury Line, will go a long way to revitalize the Lower Valley and spur significant economic growth,” Rochelle said.
A similar project to upgrade the Ansonia train station with federal infrastructure funds was announced earlier in November. The Ansonia station is about 1.6 miles north of the Derby-Shelton station.