Amtrak has restarted its study of the Northeast Corridor tracks between New Haven and Providence, setting in motion once again a decade-long project that could improve rail travel in the region but has drawn fierce opposition from community members along the proposed routes.
The study will examine a polygonal area bounded by New Haven, Connecticut, east to New London, Connecticut, northeast to Providence, and west to Hartford, Connecticut, to identify routes to improve the Northeast Corridor. The study includes Amtrak lines, CTrail Shore Line East, CTrail Hartford Line and the MBTA Commuter Rail.
Other studies, such as the Transit Costs Project, by researchers affiliated with New York University’s Marron Institute of Urban Management, have outlined high-speed rail plans for the Northeast Corridor to reduce travel times between Boston and Washington, from 6½ hours to just under four hours…