Expanding Shore Line East rail service to Westerly, adding a second train station in New London, and providing better accommodations for bicycles on trains were among the suggestions residents and officials offered Tuesday on the state's updated rail plan.

More than 65 people attended the state Department of Transportation's open house at the Public Library of New London on the long-range plan.

The updated plan, anticipated to be finished in the winter of 2027, provides an overview of the existing rail systems, a vision and goals for future improvements, and near and long-term investment priorities for passenger and freight rail," according to the project website.

Westerly Rail Advocates group members voiced support for extending Shore Line East, a commuter rail line that runs from New Haven to New London.

Doug Brockway, the chairman of Westerly's Economic Development Commission and a Westerly Rail Advocates member, said he supports raising the platforms at the Westerly station and doubling the five Amtrak trains that stop daily in Westerly and extending commuter rail there and farther in Rhode Island.

He said the commuter rail extension would help the many Westerly residents who commute to Electric Boat in Groton, New London or Quonset Point to save money and have a less stressful commute, while Electric Boat also would not have to build parking lots.

He pointed out that other companies are struggling to hire in the face of competition from Electric Boat and need the mass transit to help fill jobs and hire from areas such as New London and Providence. He said a small manufacturer in Westerly recently told him that if there were reliable commuter rail, it would adjust shift schedules to match commuter rail schedules.

Vincent Kubicsko of Westerly, who works at Electric Boat's Groton shipyard, said more employees would be open to taking the trains if the frequency improved and matched EB's schedules. He said he'd like to see a Groton station with bike parking at the station and at EB.

A second New London station?

Alex Berardo, a rail advocate and planner who is the vice chair of the Rhode Island Association of Railroad Passengers and a member of Westerly Rail Advocates as well as the Shore Line East Riders Advocacy Group, said he is advocating for opportunities for near-term Shore Line East extensions to Westerly through Mystic, as well as increased service on the existing route.

He said in a recent phone interview that he also is in favor of a Groton station and is proposing the state add a second New London train station, in addition to Union Station, that he said would capture the "single largest pocket of untapped ridership potential on the Shore Line East route."

Berardo said the proposed station — potentially along the tracks adjacent to Crescent Street and Pequot Avenue — would be within walking distance of Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and Electric Boat's engineering office and make taking the train a compelling alternative to get to work. He calculates that about 6,000 jobs are located within a quarter-mile radius and almost 4,000 residents live within a half-mile radius.

Berardo said the proposed pedestrian-oriented station would not need a large parking lot.

New London Mayor Michael Passero said the proposed station is just for pedestrians so it wouldn't disturb Calkins Park or Green Harbor Park.

"It would open up being able to bring employees to New London, whether it's for the healthcare system or for EB from all along the shoreline," he said. "It's just a win-win for everyone."

City of Groton Mayor Jill Rusk said she'd love to see Shore Line East extended with a stop in Groton and Mystic and then into Westerly, which would help the many EB employees who commute from both directions as well as residents who love to travel within the region. She said with the Gold Star Memorial Bridge construction project, now is the perfect time to expand commuter rail.

Joshua Caskey, a Connecticut College senior, said he'd like to see improved bus frequency and Shore Line East service and improvements to make it safer for people to walk in the region.

"I think in Connecticut we often forget about transit riders and people who don't own cars," said Caskey, explaining that in New London, over 10% of residents don't own a car.

Karen Pham and her partner, Peter Henry, of Norwich said that the aging demographics in the region has made them think about what options are available as people get older and might not be as comfortable driving.

State Rep. Dan Gaiewski, D- 40th District, said with Electric Boat's growth in southeastern Connecticut, it's important to look at rail as an option for transporting the workforce to alleviate the congestion on local roads, as well as looking at expanding bus transportation from the train station.

State Rep. Aundré Bumgardner, D- 41st District, also supported extending Shore Line East service to Mystic and Westerly, adding the state could also explore new stations in Stonington Borough and Groton, which were suggested in a state feasibility study a few years ago.

The state's rail plan identifies potential projects "that enhance rail service and provide public benefit" and helps "helps Connecticut secure and direct federal funding and allows Connecticut to allocate local matching funds to maximize rail investments in the state, according to the DOT.

According to DOT data, ridership on rail in Connecticut is increasing, including ridership on Shore Line East which increased from 193,400 riders in Fiscal Year 2024 to 246,600 in Fiscal Year 2025.

At the same time the state is updating its rail plan, Amtrak also is undertaking a New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study.

More information on the state's plan is available at: https://portal.ct.gov/SRP?language=en_US

The DOT is asking people to submit comments by Oct. 13. Details on how to submit comments are available at: https://portal.ct.gov/dot/programs/connecticut-state-rail-plan/project-updates-and-public-meetings?language=en_US

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