Flatbush Avenue
A bus at a bus station with a curved canopy
Southbound bus at Flatbush Avenue station in December 2015
General information
LocationNew Park and Flatbush Avenues
West Hartford, Connecticut
Coordinates41°44′31″N 72°42′59″W / 41.7419°N 72.7164°W / 41.7419; -72.7164
Owned byConnDOT (bus station)
Amtrak (rail line)
Operated byConnecticut Transit
Line(s)New Haven-Springfield Line
Tracks2
Bus routes101, 102, 121, 128
Bus stands2 side platforms
Connections31, 37 (on New Park Avenue)
153 (on Flatbush Avenue)
Construction
Bicycle facilitiesYes
AccessibleYes
History
OpenedMarch 28, 2015 (2015-03-28)[1] (CTfastrak)
Opening2022 (CTrail, planned)[2]
Services
Preceding station CT Transit Following station
Elmwood
toward Downtown New Britain
 CTfastrak Kane Street
toward Hartford
Planned service
Preceding station CT Rail Following station
Newington
toward New Haven Union Station
 Hartford Line
(future infill station)
 Hartford
toward Springfield

Flatbush Avenue is a bus rapid transit station on the CTfastrak line, located near the intersection of Flatbush Avenue and New Park Avenue in West Hartford, Connecticut. It opened with the line on March 28, 2015.[1] The station consists of one island platform to the side of the busway, with passing lanes to allow express buses to pass buses stopped at the station.[3] A CTrail Hartford Line commuter rail platform is planned to open in 2022 under the name West Hartford.[2]

Railroad history

The New York and New England Railroad (and predecessor Hartford, Providence and Fishkill Railroad) operated a station named Charter Oak Park at Oakwood Street slightly to the south, serving the Charter Oak Park racing track and the Luna Park recreation area. It opened with the track in 1874, was rebuilt in 1900, and likely closed with the racetrack in 1940.[4] The New Haven Railroad had an adjacent Oakwood station on its parallel Springfield Line; it opened in 1874 and was closed in the late 1890s after the New Haven's purchase of the NY&NE rendered it redundant.[5]

Future plans

The Hartford Line commuter rail service between New Haven, Connecticut and Springfield, Massachusetts via Hartford commenced on June 16, 2018.[6] It initially connects to CTfastrak at Union Station.[7] Hartford Line stations adjacent to the CTfastrak stops at West Hartford (Flatbush Avenue) and Newington Junction are planned to open later.[8]

The 2012 environmental assessment for the Hartford Line included preliminary plans for four infill stations including West Hartford and Newington Junction; although they were not yet funded, this would allow future planning and construction to be expedited.[9] On January 12, 2015, the state announced that $5.75 million in funding would be made available for environmental mitigation and design at ten Hartford Line and New Haven Line stations, including design funding for Hartford Line platforms at West Hartford and Newington Junction.[10] In February 2017, the state announced an additional $50 million in funds, including money to complete design of West Hartford station.[11] Design will be completed by 2020.[12] The state aims to construct all infill stations on the line by 2022.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "Despite Snow, Thousands of Riders, Many First-Timers, Experience CTfastrak on First Day of Service" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. 28 March 2015. Archived from the original on 11 September 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Healey, Will (October 21, 2016). "Officials discuss development around rail center". Journal-Inquirer. Retrieved November 25, 2016.
  3. ^ "Station Site Plans". Connecticut Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on January 18, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
  4. ^ "Track 12: CT Passenger Stations, C-CH". Tyler City Station. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  5. ^ "Track 12: CT Passenger Stations, O-P". Tyler City Station. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
  6. ^ Porter, Mikaela; Owens, David (June 17, 2018). "Thousands Take A Free Ride On Hartford Line's Inaugural Run". Hartford Courant. Retrieved June 17, 2018.
  7. ^ "Hartford Union Station". Hartford Line. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  8. ^ "Interactive Program Map". New Haven–Hartford–Springfield Rail Program. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  9. ^ CDM Smith. "Section 1.3: Station and Layover Site Concept Plans" (PDF). NEW HAVEN-HARTFORD-SPRINGFIELD LINE HIGH SPEED INTERCITY PASSENGER RAIL PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT EVALUATION: Volume II Concept Design Drawings and Environmental Resource Graphics. Connecticut Department of Transportation. pp. 36, 37. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  10. ^ "GOV. MALLOY, BOND COMMISSION APPROVE DESIGN OF RAIL STATIONS ON HARTFORD AND NEW HAVEN LINES" (Press release). State of Connecticut. 12 January 2015. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  11. ^ "CTDOT ANNOUNCES $50 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR NHHS RAIL PROGRAM" (Press release). Connecticut Department of Transportation. February 20, 2017.
  12. ^ "Design Continues for New Hartford Line Stations" (PDF). New Haven-Hartford Springfield Rail Program Newsletter. Connecticut Department of Transportation. Summer 2017. p. 3.

External links

Media related to Flatbush Avenue station (Connecticut) at Wikimedia Commons

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