Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is proposing a program of rail infrastructure and service improvements along the existing 62-mile Rail Corridor between New Haven, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts. The southern and northern termini are, respectively, at Union Station in New Haven, Connecticut, and just east of Springfield Union Station in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Under the High-Speed Intercity Passenger Rail (HSIPR) Program, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) awarded the CTDOT three grants toward the cost of designing and constructing the New Haven-Hartford-Springfield (NHHS) Program of Improvements.

The proposed improvements will increase the safety, quality, frequency, and speed of passenger service along the NHHS Rail Corridor and address current and future transportation needs. The proposed improvements are: restoration of sections of second track, construction of new passing sidings, at-grade crossing upgrades, facility-specific bridge and culvert rehabilitations, installation of new crossovers and signal upgrades, improvement to/or relocation of existing passenger rail platforms for Amtrak intercity service, and additional station parking and improved station access.

In cooperation with FRA and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), CTDOT prepared a Tier-1 Environmental Assessment (EA) in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. § 4321 et seq. and the FRAs Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts (64 FR 28545). On August 10, 2012 the FRA Administrator signed a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

• New Haven-Hartford-Springfield EA
• Appendix B Comment Letters and Responses on the EA
• Appendix C Programmatic Agreement
• New Haven-Hartford-Springfield FONSI