Scope of Work
SCOPE OF WORK
FOR
FTA ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS
DRAFT AND FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
PHASE II
Project 302-008
CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Bureau of Public Transportation
November 2007
FEASIBILITY STUDY
DANBURY BRANCH ELECTRIFICATION
OVERVIEW OF PHASE I
1.0 Purpose and Need of Phase I
The Connecticut Department of Transportation as part of Phase I of
this study conducted an evaluation of the feasibility of electrifying
the New Haven Line’s Danbury Branch. The term feasibility was construed
in the broad sense of the word. The scope of the study included more
than a simple evaluation of the ability to physically construct the
catenary and power supply infrastructure and an estimation of the
costs involved. The desire to evaluate the feasibility of electrifying
the Danbury Branch was rooted in the perception that electrification
would increase the utility of the Branch, allowing for reduced travel
time and more frequent service. These improvements would place the
Branch in a better position to address two corridor-wide concerns;
automobile congestion in the Route 7 and other adjacent north/south
corridors, and the exodus of Connecticut rail commuters to the Harlem
Line in New York. The purpose of the Phase I study was to evaluate
a range of infrastructure and service improvements within the corridor
to determine their potential to significantly enhance the Branch’s
attraction as a competitive alternative to driving in the Route 7
and other adjacent north/south corridors, or commuting on the Harlem
Line.
In addition, the state’s Transportation Strategy Board identified
the need to evaluate the needs of the New Haven Line’s Danbury, Waterbury,
and New Canaan Branch rail passenger services.
2.0 Results of Phase I
The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT), the South
West Regional Planning Agency (SWRPA), the Housatonic Valley Council
of Elected Officials (HVCEO) and stakeholders in the study corridor
identified the need to provide transportation system improvements,
capital improvements and/or multimodal transportation systems between
the communities of Norwalk, Wilton, Redding, Ridgefield, Bethel, Danbury,
Brookfield and New Milford. The transportation system and capital
improvements in this scope include commuter rail service and operational
changes, supporting feeder bus shuttle service where appropriate,
construction of a new catenary system and potential track alignment
changes, passing siding additions, and a possible extension of rail
service. Other corridor studies have extensively examined potential
roadway improvements to Route 7, including lane additions and new
intersections. Community opposition, environmental constraints and
potential congestion attainment factors have made relocation of Route
7 unfeasible, limiting Route 7 improvements to widening to four lanes.
A public transit improvements (commuter rail) feasibility/alternatives
assessment study was completed for this project, and identified four
alternatives to be examined in greater detail in an Alternatives Analysis/Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
The alternatives under consideration, in addition to the No Build
Alternative, are:
- Transportation System Management (TSM) Alternative
- Build Alternative – rail alignments, passing sidings, and electrification
- Extension of rail passenger service from Danbury to New Milford
- Partial Electrification from South Norwalk to the vicinity of
the Merritt Parkway with expanded feeder and regional bus service
3.0 Phase II Work Program
Building upon the significant engineering efforts and Alternatives
Summary Evaluation presented in the Phase I Final Report, Phase II
of this study will be designed to satisfy the Federal Transit Administration’s
(FTA) Alternatives Analysis/ Draft and Final Environmental Impact
Statement (AA/DEIS) requirements as well as the combined Federal Highway
Administration (FHWA) and FTA National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
policy guidelines, Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) NEPA regulations,
and Connecticut Environmental Policy Act (CEPA) criteria for environmental
documents. This Phase II Study will concurrently provide the documentation
necessary to support an FTA Small Starts application for the extension
of service from Danbury to New Milford if that is selected as part
of the locally preferred alternative.
The following scope of services provides the transportation, engineering
and environmental tasks anticipated to develop and complete an AA/DEIS
and the supporting documentation for an FTA Small Starts application.
It has been prepared as a basis for fee negotiations and study development.
Below is the outline:
TASK 1 Project Management
TASK 2 Coordination
TASK 3 Public Outreach
TASK 4 Base Map Preparation
TASK 5 Environmental Data Collection and Impact Evaluation
TASK 6 Transportation Alternatives Development and Evaluation
TASK 7 Conceptual Engineering and Evaluation
TASK 8 Draft Environmental Impact Statement – South Norwalk to New
Milford
TASK 9 Final Environmental Impact Statement – South Norwalk to New
Milford
Complete
PDF copy of the Phase II Scope of Work (284 kB)
