MINUTES

February 16, 2000   -   Danbury CT

 

 

       

Minutes of the December, 1999, Meeting were approved.  January Meeting

minutes are pending.

 

OLD BUSINESS

 

1.  Council member John Anglace complained that CDOT has taken no action on

dangerous overcrowding conditions on the Stratford Station platform.  The

short, four-coach platform will not accommodate all those waiting for morning

rush hour trains, he said, and this slows train loading and greatly

inconveniences commuters.  He accused the Council of ignoring this issue in

its minutes and actions, and urged that the platform be extended and canopy

coverage provided.

 

    Chairman Chabot said that the situation has been frequently discussed,

and that the Council supports actions to correct the problem.  With patience,

Harry Harris explained that CDOT’s capital budget is oversubscribed, that

matters such as the M-2 overhaul and interlocking New Haven Yard are

commitments, and that new projects such as a Stratford platform extension

cannot be given priority over day-to-day operating issues.  But he promised

to provide an estimate of the cost involved in a Stratford Station expansion.

 

    Mr. Anglace complained, too, about drivers’ conduct, truck blockage and

sign-age needs in the New York-bound Stratford parking lot.  Mr Chabot

stressed that these are town issues, out of CDOT’s jurisdiction.  Mr. Harris

said that Rail Governance Policy is under review by CDOT, but that a ready

solution would be for Stratford commuters to consider using the free parking

lot in Bridgeport.

 

2.      The state’s proposed takeover of the Stamford Station was discussed,

and Mr. Harris said that this matter still awaits resolution.  Council

members again cited the station’s deteriorating condition, and the city’s

failure to act on inoperative escalators whose use is urgently needed by

rail passengers.  The situation is increasingly dangerous, some Council

members said.

 

3.  Jack Reidy reported that weather and other factors have somewhat slowed

reconstruction work at Stamford, and that the completion date has been moved

back until June, 2001.

 

4.  The cleanup of trackside litter along the New Canaan Line was again

discussed. Mr. Chabot complained that, despite some removal, ties and rail

are still there.  Mr. Reidy will review the issue, but noted that some rail

is kept at trackside to facilitate repairs, if needed.

 

5.  The absence of a morning ticket agent at Noroton Heights was again noted.

Mr. Bowen said that a replacement agent is due in late February or the first

week in March.  This led to a discussion of the fact that there is no evening

agent in the Bridgeport Station, and that a single agent must cover during

the morning rush hour.  This makes things difficult at the start of the

month, Nancy Crelan stressed, and Waterbury line and mainline customers often

are backed up through the door waiting to buy tickets.  Mr. Bowen said it

would be difficult to bring in a second agent on a part-time basis, but

promised to review the matter.

 

6.  The kiosks and maps promised for guidance to visitors at local Metro

North stations are still on order, Mr. Reidy said, and the bus people are

pursuing the matter.  Initial installations will be at Americans with

Disabilities Act stations.

 

7.  The proposed seven cents a gallon reduction in the gasoline tax was

discussed, and its possible impact on mass transit’s viability was stressed. 

It was emphasized that the Legislature must confront the issue, as the

adverse affect of high gasoline taxes on those without access to rail and bus

service shouldn’t necessitate cuts in transit service or facilities.

 

OTHER:

 

Jim Cameron reported on a meeting of the Southwest Corridor Action

Council, at which concern was raised that the mandated five percent reduction

in I-95 and Merritt Parkway rush hour traffic seems unlikely to be met.  The Council

unanimously passed Mr. Cameron’s motion, seconded by Jim Mohs, that "The

Council re-quests of CDOT an accounting of the impact of Governor Rowland’s

proposed gas tax reduction and that such accounting reflect how any shortfall

will be made up."

 

The Council heard complaints that Solari Boards in the New Haven Station

tunnel are still now functioning properly (Mr. Reidy indicated that there is

a software problem), that the failure to post track changes is causing

confusion, and that head-end power outages on Danbury Branch Line trains from

Grand Central Terminal are causing de-lays.  Mr. Bowen said that the

perception that some trains are shorter in bad weather results from the fact

that there are more riders, and that some older coaches do break down in foul

weather.

 

NEW BUSINESS

 

1.  Nancy Crelan complained that service has deteriorated badly on the

Waterbury Branch Line.  Trains are cancelled without announcement or

explanation, and there is no alternate service.  Platform speakers often do

not work.  This is resulting, she said, in some passengers leaving the

railroad and driving to work.  Locomotive breakdowns are the cause of the

problem, Mr. Reidy explained, and Mr. Bowen promised that he will seek

remedies.

 

2.  The parking situations in New Haven and Bridgeport were discussed by

Messrs. Harris and Reidy.  In New Haven, Mr. Reidy noted, buses are being

used from the Coliseum garage to overcome the shortage of station parking. 

Mr. Harris said the new 900-car parking garage will be open May 1, replacing

the former Bluefish Lot in Bridgeport, demolished to make room for the new

hockey rink.

 

3.  Mr. Bowen said Mr. Peter Cannito, President of Metro North, is much

disturbed by the decline in passenger ratings of rail service, as reflected

in the recent rider survey.  He agreed that a five-minute latitude often

misleads riders with respect to on-time arrivals.  In a resolution, Mr.

Cameron asked that Metro North find the way to provide a valid basis for

indicating even brief train delays.

 

OTHER: 

 

Lee Carlson complained that only a few days notice (Jan. 28) was

provided of February 1 schedule changes on Shore Line East, and that this

greatly inconvenienced riders.  He protested the change in an 8:18 a.m. train

from Madison, which was moved back to 7:48 a.m. because two Amtrak trains

come through during the same period.  Mr. Reidy said that since Amtrak owns

Shore Line East trackage, there is little CDOT can do about re-adjusting the

Shore Line East schedule.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Edward H. Zimmerman

Secretary

 

Next Meeting:  WEDNESDAY MARCH 15^th  7:30pm, SACIA, Stamford CT

_________________________________________________________

In Attendance:

 

Rodney Chabot, Chairman                 Lee Carlson, Council Member

Jim Cameron, Vice Chairman            Jeffrey Maron, Council Member  

Edward Zimmerman, Secretary         Josh Geballe, Council Member   

Harry Harris, CDOT                            John Anglace, Council Member   

Jack Reidy, CDOT                              Nancy Crelan, Waterbury Line Com’ter

Ted Bowen, Metro North                     Dee Willcox, Waterbury Line Commuter

Jim Mohs, Council Member                Jerry Carney, Wilton