NEW HAVEN–Metro-North had record-breaking ridership in 2014, according to the Connecticut Department of Transportation and Metropolitan Transit Authority.
In all, 39.6 million trips were taken on the New Haven commuter line, which was a 1.6 percent increase from 2013. Overall Metro-North rail lines in Connectict and New York also saw record-breaking ridership, with 85.2 million passenger trips recorded. That was a 1.5 percent increase from 2013.
“With record high ridership, commuters in Connecticut are increasingly choosing to use public transportation, demonstrating that a modern and efficient transportation network is one of the key components of a competitive economic climate,” Gov. Dan Malloy said.
The governor used the announcement as an opportunity to further emphasize his proposed transportation budget: “The data only further emphasizes the reasons why we need to continue our efforts to improve infrastructure and operations so that we can provide residents with the best-in-class service they need to commute in their daily lives and reinvigorate communities.”
The New Haven Metro-North line and the routes on the Long Island Railroad remain the busiest commuter train routes in America. Metro-North says that it expects ridership to increase in 2015 by another 2.2 percent.
DOT Commisioner James Redeker attributed the added traffic to the additon of more trains on the schedule on the New Haven line last year, but did point out one interesting caveat: “Interestingly, most ridership growth on the railroads has come outside of traditional rush-hour-based commutation patterns,” he said.
The added commuter traffic has been a boon to some local cities, including Bridgeport.
“In our state’s largest city, we’re investing in public transit options and transit-oriented development, creating thousands of jobs and apartments within walking distance of Metro-North trains,” Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said. “It’s a major reason why our city is experiencing population growth for the first time in decades.”
