Which Way For New Milford Commuter Rail Service?

While Norwalk would like to see improvements that would ensure their viability, it is obvious that many commuters north of Danbury would be well served by a Danbury connection going west to New York.

The Commuter Commando covers a bit on this:

Pease said people always bring up the idea of using the Maybrook railroad line, which runs east and west through Danbury, to reach Brewster or Southeast in New York. That way they can bypass the Danbury/Norwalk line entirely, and just shoot over to New York for the direct run into Grand Central.

The Housatonic Railroad uses the Maybrook line east of Danbury to deliver lumber to the lumberyard at Exit 9 in Hawleyville, and to carry stone from Derby into Danbury.

"The question the state is asking is how do you offer the most competitive service into New York City by spending money on the Danbury line? That's a valid question," Pease said.

Using the Maybrook line from Danbury to Southeast or Brewster would not help the people south of Danbury, Pease said.

"What makes the Danbury/Norwalk line usable is the number of riders," Pease said.

If the Maybrook line was opened to Southeast, it would draw riders away from the Danbury/Norwalk line.

The reality is that all communities would be better served if they enhanced/created both connections. An expensive option, but one that would serve to better the quality of life and viability of the overall service for everyone long into the future.

The suggestion that this needs to be integrated into the NY system with Grand Central Station is realistic, but it must also be integrated into the local Hart bus system which could use system wide improvements of its own, IMHO, (IE: Longer hours of operation and more frequency) to increase the usefullness of the entire system overall.

Without the proper infrastucture short sighted solutions will just end up having to be revamped sooner than need be or will prove a fruitless effort from lack of usability. A real focus on the LONG TERM future of public transportation is neccessary if you want the people to consider it as a realistic option to flooding the highways with their cars.