STAMFORD, Conn. — Connecticut state and city officials celebrated the grand opening of a new parking garage at the Stamford Transportation Center on Monday, according to the office of Gov. Ned Lamont.
Also known as the Stewart B. McKinney Transportation Center, the train station is attached directly to the new 914-space parking garage with a 320-foot pedestrian garage and has direct access to the Track 5 platform towards Grand Central Terminal.
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The parking garage, made possible by a $100 million project funded by the state, features "92 electric vehicle charging stations, 120 bicycle parking spaces, including 50 e-bike charging stations" and color-changing LED lighting that will be used to celebrate special events and holidays, the governor's office said.
“Stamford’s train station is the busiest public transportation hub in Connecticut, and the rail line that utilizes this station is the single most heavily used commuter rail line in the United States. Thousands of people who live here depend on these trains to get them to their jobs every single day, and businesses benefit by being centrally located to a transportation center that is accessible and convenient for their workers," Lamont said.
As part of the project to develop the new parking garage, the governor's office said that the intersection of South State Street and Washington Boulevard was reconstructed to make the road safer with new sidewalks, traffic signals, and crosswalks.
Garrett Eucalitto, the Connecticut transportation commissioner, said, “The new parking garage ensures that commuters, no matter if they are driving, walking, or biking, have convenient, safe access to the Stamford Transportation Center. Thank you to Governor Lamont and our state delegation for ensuring we had dollars necessary to complete this 100% state-funded project. This state-of-the-art facility is a key component of the Stamford Transportation Center, enables opportunity for transit-oriented development, and sets the stage for the rehabilitation of the station.”
State Senator Ceci Mahor (D-Wilton) said that the original parking garage from 1985 had limitations that left "travelers with little time between finding that last parking spot and getting to their train," despite the train station providing "an important community lifeline to the entire region," offering routes to "Manhattan, New Haven, or anywhere on the Amtrak lines."
The original garage will be torn down within the next month, which will result in the addition of 600 parking spaces (making a total of almost 2,100 spaces), according to the governor's office.
The Connecticut Department of Transportation is in the early stages of planning a transit-oriented development project to be used at the site of the original garage, the governor's office said.
Lamont and Eucalitto also announced the release of the Stamford Transportation Center Master Plan, which includes recommendations both short and long-term that aim to improve the connectivity between trains, buses and cars, provide improvements for passengers, and expand and modernize the transportation facility.
Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons said that the opening of the parking garage is the first step of "many critical investments for enhancing the commuter experience and expanding access at our state's busiest train station."
"Transforming the Stamford train station into a world-class transit hub is a key priority for my administration," Simmons said.
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