| Danbury Branch
Line Shuttle Feasibility Study |
This study is a continuation of the Route 7 Corridor Travel Options Implementation
Plan. The study was completed in 2001 for HVCEO by HART. This study looks at
the potential for shuttles to rail stations and employer vanpools/shuttles
from stations to worksites. Traditional bus shuttle services are not recommended
due to the low density of passengers in the region. Alternatively, subscription
shuttle services are recommended for curb-to-curb service. HART and MetroPool
put together a short list of employment clusters in the region. The study also
looks into the feasibility of electric station cars, similar to a demonstration
program instituted by the New York Power Authority and Ford Motor Company in
Westchester and Putnam Counties, New York.
The overall goals of the study are to:
| |
• evaluate each station for bus feeder
service feasibility
• develop tentative service structures
• identify potential for employer-based van/shuttle services to support
reverse commutes |
Transportation to and from New York is very important to Connecticut and study
area residents. In the town of Sherman alone, 47% of residents work in New
York City or Westchester County. The Route 7 corridor through the Housatonic
region suffers from insufficient capacity based on this demand. Connecticut
was deemed to be in danger of losing economic opportunities because of inadequate
transportation infrastructure.
Rider Survey
A survey of current morning peak period rail riders was completed in September
2000 as part of this study. The survey found that most people walk to their
places of employment after deboarding at Grand Central Station. The percentage
of respondents interested in shuttle services varied greatly by station – from
2% in favor in Branchville to 30% in favor in Danbury. In a telephone survey
of Route 7 corridor residents completed by VHB and the Center for Research
and Policy, 22% of respondents were in favor of shuttle service. The current
rider survey also quantified the preference of Harlem Line stations over Danbury
line stations. The highest percentage of respondents (32%) prefer the Harlem
Line Stations, 22% use the Branchville Station, 20% prefer each the Danbury
Station and the Bethel Station, and finally, 6% use the West Redding Station.
Current Rail, Bus, and Shuttle Service
Metro-North currently operates 10 trips per day between Danbury and Grand Central
Station, 3 of which are peak period through trains. On weekends and holidays,
6 trips are provided between Danbury and South Norwalk, where passengers can
pick up trains to New York City. HART currently serves the Bethel Station and
the proposed Brookfield and New Milford Stations. Even with service expansion,
it would be difficult to extend bus service to the Danbury Station. The timing
between rail arrivals and departures and bus arrivals and departures would
remain poor.
HART also operates the Brewster Shuttle, which takes Connecticut residents
from Danbury to the Harlem Line, connecting to the Brewster, NY Rail Station.
The shuttle provides a timed transfer between morning rail departures and afternoon
arrivals in Brewster. The shuttle is operated pursuant to a contract with New
York State DOT in cooperation with Connecticut DOT. The shuttle ridership averages
120 trips per day. In 2000, total Metro-North boardings per weekday were 1,294
at the Brewster Station. Metro-North instituted a ‘guaranteed ride home’ program
for Brewster passengers in 2000. The program allows Uniticket passengers two
free taxi rides per month if they miss the last Brewster shuttle. Metro-North
Unitickets are valid fare media on HART, and HART has a reciprocal transfer
with Putnam Area Transit (PART) in New York.
No employer-based vanpools currently exist from Danbury Branch Line Stations
to worksites in the region. At the time of the study, a program was expected
to be implemented soon for News America in Wilton. The shuttle, operated by
Norwalk Transit District (NTD), was supposed to run between the South Norwalk
and Merritt 7 Stations and the worksite. The June 2001 implementation was supposed
to allow for the shuttle to meet 6 trains and operate between 8:10 AM and 9:30
AM and between 5:05 PM and 6:11 PM.
Recommended Enhancements by Station
Bus shuttle services are generally not recommended, based on low passenger
density and the lack of potential ridership. Thus, subscription bus shuttle
services are recommended. The subscription service would be operated like Dial-A-Ride
service and would take passengers from home curb to train station curb. If
demand became high enough, passengers could meet at a centrally located church
or municipal lot to catch the shuttle. Passengers will pay a pre-determined
subscription fare on a monthly basis. The other station connectivity option
is the electric station car program. Electric cars would not be owned by users,
but would be provided to subscribers or leased. Station cars would be driven
to the train station from a user’s home, and then the car would be parked
and charged at the station. Next, the car would be picked up by a different
user and passenger and driven to a worksite and used during the day for work-related
travel. The electric cars have zero emissions, allow for more compact parking,
but only have a 2-passenger capacity.
Branchville
The Branchville Station is a good candidate for subscription shuttle services
because of current parking shortages and interest in shuttles. The subscription
shuttle should also have a designated stop near routes 33 and 35 in Ridgefield.
Major employers with potential for vanpools are ASML and Norco.
West Redding
West Redding riders are very supportive of a subscription-based shuttle service,
but the numbers do not support fixed-route shuttle service. Parking is currently
under capacity, so there is less active demand. Electric station cars are recommended
to be tested at the station and could preclude the need to expand parking.
Major employers with potential for vanpools are Lee Farm Corporate Park, Barden
Corporation, BF Goodrich, and Apple Ridge Rd. Office Park. The Danbury Fair
Mall is also located in the area, but the types of jobs and variability of
shifts do not make it a good candidate for a vanpool from rail stations situation.
Bethel
A subscription shuttle to the Bethel Station with 1 or 2
stops in Newton could be warranted after the implementation of Phase
2 of the Route 7 Corridor Travel Options Implementation Plan. Projections
show a shortage in parking with the anticipated ridership increases,
so a shift from automobile to shuttle will be necessary. Electric
station cars should be initiated during Phase 2 of the Implementation
Plan in anticipation of increased parking demand. Potential employers
who may be interested in vanpools are located on the Danbury/Bethel
line and include the Shelter Rock/Great Pasture Rd. and Francis Clarke
Industrial Park areas. Other employers include Eaton Corporation,
Fuel Cell Energy and Cannondale.
Danbury
The current rider survey showed strong support for a rail shuttle at the Danbury
Station. A HART Danbury Pulse Point Connector could fulfill the need for a
shuttle. The Pulse Point and the Station are less than a mile apart, so the
shuttle could be operated on a subscription/fixed route basis. Currently, there
is abundant parking at the Danbury Station, so electric station cars should
only be considered when parking becomes in short supply. Commerce Park, Sealed
Air and Branson Ultrasonics are potential employers for vanpool services.
Danbury North (proposed)
Ridership at Danbury North is not expected to be sufficient to warrant a feeder
shuttle. The Station has easy access from I-84, so it is possible that it will
attract more Newton and Southbury passengers. Potentially, a shuttle from the
park and ride lots at exits 10 and 11 off I-84 would be useful if the ridership
base grew enough. Electric station cars could also become important because
parking space is somewhat constrained. n The Berkshire Corporate Park has the
potential for an employer vanpool.
Brookfield (proposed)
The potential Brookfield Station already has HART bus service, so no shuttle
services are warranted. Electric station cars could be used to enhance parking
capacity. Industrial parks on Silvermine and Pocono Roads as well as UPS and
Dade Behring could be potential vanpool employers, but the success of the vanpool
program to these employers is not likely to be high.
New Milford (proposed)
The proposed New Milford Station also already has HART service. Electric station
cars are recommended. Kimberly Clark is the largest employer in the area, but
it already has HART service, so it is unlikely that vanpool service would be
necessary.
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