Existing Transportation Conditions

Transcription

Intermodal Connections Study Southeast
Final Report
Section 2:
Existing Transportation Conditions
February 2005
in association with:
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc.
Economics Research Associates, Inc.
Fitzgerald & Halliday, Inc.
Jakes Associates, Inc.
2. EXISTING TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TRANSYSTEMS CORPORATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2.1
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................... 1
2.2
STUDY AREA OVERVIEW ..................................................................................... 1
2.3
ROADWAYS AND TRAFFIC .................................................................................. 3
2.3.1
Existing Traffic Conditions................................................................................... 3
2.3.2
Existing Traffic Volumes...................................................................................... 3
2.3.3
Existing Volume-to-Capacity Ratios .................................................................... 5
2.4
EXISTING INTERSECTION LEVEL OF SERVICE ........................................... 7
2.5
FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS ........................................................................ 9
2.5.1
Changes in Regional Traffic Conditions............................................................... 9
2.5.2
Projected 2025 Traffic Volume .......................................................................... 10
2.5.3
2025 Volume-to-Capacity Ratios ....................................................................... 10
2.6
EXISTING PARKING ............................................................................................. 13
2.6.1
Overview of Parking in the Study Area.............................................................. 13
2.6.2
Parking Sites ....................................................................................................... 13
2.7
FERRY SERVICE .................................................................................................... 14
2.7.1
Ferry Services into the Study Area ..................................................................... 14
2.7.2
Planned Improvements........................................................................................ 18
2.8
AIR SERVICE .......................................................................................................... 18
2.8.1
Characteristics of Study Area Air Services ........................................................ 18
2.9
RAIL SERVICE........................................................................................................ 20
2.9.1
Passenger Rail Services within the Study Area .................................................. 20
2.9.2
Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor .............................................................................. 20
2.9.3
ConnDOT’s Shore Line East Service ................................................................. 25
2.9.4
Nearby Passenger Rail Services.......................................................................... 28
2.9.5
Passenger Rail–Freight Rail Interface ................................................................ 29
2.10 INTERCITY COACH SERVICES ......................................................................... 30
2.10.1 Intercity Coach Services into the Study Area ..................................................... 31
2.11 CASINO COACH SERVICES ................................................................................ 32
2.11.1 Casino-Oriented Coach Services from Outside the Study Area ......................... 32
2.11.2 Coach Service from New London to the Casino Resorts ................................... 35
2.11.3 Shuttle Services to the Casino Resorts................................................................ 37
2.12 LOCAL PUBLIC TRANSIT ................................................................................... 38
2.12.1 Local Public Transit Service in the Study Area.................................................. 39
2.12.2 ADA Service....................................................................................................... 42
2.12.3 System Financing................................................................................................ 43
2.12.4 Expansion Possibilities ....................................................................................... 43
2.13 STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF INTERMODAL CONNECTIONS ... 43
2.13.1 Summary of Existing Public Transit Services .................................................... 44
2.13.2 Existing Intermodal Connections........................................................................ 44
2.13.3 Regional Access: Strengths and Weaknesses ..................................................... 46
2.13.4 Local Access: Strengths and Weaknesses........................................................... 46
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.3-1: Average Daily Traffic Volume Summary - 2002................................................. 4
Table 2.3-2: Summary of Study Area V/C Ratios - 2002......................................................... 6
Table 2.5-1: Traffic Volume Summary – 2002 and 2025....................................................... 10
Table 2.5-2: Summary of Projected V/C Ratios ..................................................................... 12
Table 2.6-1: Existing Parking Sites ....................................................................................... 16
Table 2.8-1: Regional Flight Information............................................................................... 19
Table 2.8-2: Pan AM Fares..................................................................................................... 19
Table 2.9-1: Amtrak Travel Times From New London to Other Northeast Corridor
Destinations............................................................................................................................. 23
Table 2.9-2: Amtrak Fares From New London to Other Northeast Corridor Destinations.... 23
Table 2.9-3: Amtrak Ridership Comparison........................................................................... 24
Table 2.9-4: Shore Line East Fares from Union Station......................................................... 22
Table 2.10-1: Typical Greyhound Travel Times to Major Study Area Destinations ............. 32
Table 2.10-2: Greyhound Fares to Major Corridor Destinations............................................ 32
Table 2.11-1: States Providing Coach Service to Mohegan Sun ............................................ 33
Table 2.11-2: Coach Fares to Mohegan Sun by State............................................................. 35
Table 2.11-3: Hotel Shuttle Services ...................................................................................... 38
Table 2.11-4: Foxwoods Employee Parking Facilities with Shuttle Service.......................... 38
Table 2.12-1: SEAT Fares ...................................................................................................... 42
Table 2.13-1: Existing Public Transit Services....................................................................... 45
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.2-1: SCCOG Intermodal Connections Study Southeast Study Area.......................... 2
Figure 2.3-1: Existing Roadway Issues and Conditions ........................................................... 8
Figure 2.6-1: Existing Parking Sites ....................................................................................... 15
Figure 2.9-1: Existing Rail Network....................................................................................... 21
Figure 2.9-3: Annual Shore Line East Ridership, 1991– 2001............................................... 28
Figure 2.12-1: Public Transit System (SEAT) Routes............................................................ 40
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EXISTING TRANSPORTATION CONDITIONS
2.
2.1
INTRODUCTION
The Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments commissioned a study of intermodal
transportation connections in the southeastern portion of the State of Connecticut. The
objective of the study was to prepare an operational and fiscal plan that establishes the
feasibility of creating a tourist-oriented regional transit system. As an initial step in the
process, the Study Team conducted a review of existing conditions and service
characteristics of the transportation system in the southeastern Connecticut Study Area. The
findings of this review are presented in this report, which is organized into the following
sections:

2.2
Study Area Overview
Roadways and Traffic
Parking
Ferry Service
Air Service
Rail Service
Intercity Coach Services
Casino Coach Services
Local Public Transit
STUDY AREA OVERVIEW
The Study Area for the Intermodal Connections Study Southeast is located in southeastern
Connecticut, as shown in Figure 2.2-1. The Study Area is quite varied geographically. To
the south, the area consists of a number of small and medium-sized communities spread
along the coast of the Long Island Sound. These communities include New London, Groton,
Mystic, and Stonington. Generally these coastal communities have established town or
village centers that are densely developed, with more suburban or rural areas surrounding
them. The central and northern portion of the Study Area is generally less densely developed
than the communities along the shoreline. Many of the communities in this area, including
Ledyard, Preston, Montville, and North Stonington retain a relatively rural nature,
characterized by historic homes, rolling hills, and winding two-lane roads. The north-central
portion of the Study Area also includes the region’s two large casino resort complexes,
Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Resort Casino. Both complexes, which are major trip
attractors, are further described below.
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Intermodal Connections Study Southesast
Page 2-2
0

Miles
SCCOG Study Area
2
4
6
Foxwoods (108)
Colchester
1
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
85
95
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
82
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395
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165
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Griswold
95
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

Mystic
49


138
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Voluntown
1


Stonington
Figure 2.2-1: SCCOG Study Area
TranSystems Corporation
95



North Stonington
Foxwoods
Ledyard
2



Groton
Downtown
New London
New London
Waterford
12

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32
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2A
2
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Preston
Lisbon
Mohegan Sun
395
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Montville
East Lyme
Salem
Bozrah

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2
Franklin Norwich
Figure 2.2-1: SCCOG Intermodal Connections Study Southeast Study Area
Final Report
The Study Area has seen a large increase in tourism over the past several years. While the
region has long had a wide variety of tourist attractions including the well-known Mystic
Seaport, the advent of casino gaming has greatly increased tourism to the region in recent
years. The Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan Tribal Nations have introduced casino
gaming on their sovereign territories located in the region. The resulting Foxwoods and
Mohegan Sun casino resorts located in Ledyard and Montville, respectively, have drawn
many new tourists to the region from a wide area. Recent expansion of Mohegan Sun and
potential introduction of additional tribal casinos suggests a continually growing market.
Besides the casinos, the Study Area offers a variety of other attractions of interest to tourists
including the Mystic Seaport, Mystic Aquarium, several museums and historic buildings,
beaches, the USS Nautilus and Submarine Force Museum, antique shops, and restaurants.
The rise of this tourist market has generated jobs and economic growth but has also increased
traffic congestion in the region.
2.3
ROADWAYS AND TRAFFIC
This section describes the existing conditions and service characteristics of the roadways
within the Study Area. The overview is based upon a review and update of information
gathered as part of the Route 2/2A/32 Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS), and an
expansion to other roadways in the Study Area that were not included in the Route 2/2A/32
FEIS. This section is divided into two main subsections: existing traffic conditions and future
traffic conditions. This information will provide a basis for subsequent evaluation of the
congestion impacts of improved public transportation.
2.3.1 Existing Traffic Conditions
This section summarizes existing (2002) traffic volumes on key roadways; presents existing
volume-to-capacity ratios on these roadways; and provides a general discussion of existing
levels of service at signalized intersections. This information is supplemented by a
qualitative assessment of existing traffic issues in the Study Area.
2.3.2 Existing Traffic Volumes
Average daily traffic volume data for the year 2002 provided by ConnDOT was used to
document existing conditions the Study Area roadways. A representative sample consisting
of 26 roadway segments was chosen to provide a snapshot of traffic volumes around the
Study Area. The chosen roadway segments were clustered mainly around five activity
centers: Mystic Seaport, Groton, New London, and the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casino
resort complexes. Table 2.3-1 provides a summary of 2002 Average Daily Traffic (ADT)
volumes for this set of Study Area roadways.
The traffic volume data presented here, as well as other data presented in later sections on
peak-hour traffic volumes, hourly roadway capacities, and Volume-to-Capacity ratios are
adapted from the current ConnDOT statewide Congestion Management System traffic data
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set. Statewide data are used, rather than data collected for specific local project areas,
because only a general picture of traffic conditions across an entire region is required. For
projects considering targeted improvements to specific roadway segments, traffic counts and
focused analyses should be undertaken.
Traffic volumes reported are two-way traffic volumes, unless otherwise indicated. Two-way
traffic volumes include traffic traveling in both directions on the roadway. For example, the
two- way traffic volume on Route 2 represents the sum of daily eastbound and westbound
traffic.
Table 2.3-1: Average Daily Traffic Volume Summary - 2002
Location
Route 2 between I-95 and Route 184
Route 2 between Route 184 and 201
Route 2 between Routes 201 and 214
Route 2 between Routes 164 and 2A
Route 2 between Routes 2A and 165
Route 2A between 117 and 12
Route 2A at Mohegan-Pequot Bridge
Route 32 north of I-395 Connector
Route 214 between Route 117 and Shewville Road
I-95 between Routes 32 and 27
Route 32 between I-395 Connector and Route 163
Route 32 between Route 163 and New London
Route 184 between Route 27 and I-95
I-395 between I-95 and Route 163
I-395 between Routes 163 and 2A
I-395 between Routes 2A and 82
Route 11 between Route 82 and Witch Meadow Road
Route 11 between Witch Meadow Road and Route 2
Route 85 between I-95 and I-395
Route 85 between Route 82 and SR 637 (Colchester)
2002 ADT
16,050
18,033
17,720
21,671
18,800
12,480
11,000
23,440
14,710
9,900
4,200
78,772
12,153
13,246
22,047
12,560
14,388
2,625
36,329
50,000
54,775
9,050
9,013
25,518
13,833
3,920
Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation Congestion Management System file.
As shown in Table 2.3-1, 2002 average daily traffic volumes on roadways within the Study
Area range from less than 5,000 vehicles per day on several state highway segments to over
50,000 vehicles per day on Interstates 95 and 395. Routes 2 and 2A, major arteries that pass
by the two casino resort complexes in the Study Area, saw average daily traffic volumes in
2002 between 10,000 and 25,000 vehicles.
Other relatively heavily traveled roadway
segments included portions of Route 32, which parallels the Thames River between New
London and Norwich, Route 184, which parallels I-95 through Groton and Stonington, and
Route 85 near I-395.
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2.3.3 Existing Volume-to-Capacity Ratios
To provide another indicator of the level of usage of Study Area roadways, Volume-toCapacity (V/C) ratios were calculated for the same set of roadway segments described in the
Existing Traffic Volumes section above. The following subsections describe Volume-toCapacity ratios in general, the determination of peak-hour volumes, the determination of
roadway capacity, and the Volume-to-Capacity ratios within the Southeastern Connecticut
Study Area.
Volume-to-Capacity Ratios
A typical measure of roadway congestion levels is Volume-to-Capacity, or V/C, ratio.
Typically, V/C ratios are calculated on a peak-hour basis, and represent the ratio of the peakhour traffic volume to the hourly capacity for a given roadway segment. A roadway with a
V/C ratio lower than 0.80 is considered to be operating under capacity, with little or no delay
experienced. V/C ratios between 0.80 and 1.00 indicate that a roadway is operating near, or
at, capacity with delays being moderate to long. V/C ratios greater than 1.00 indicate that the
roadway is operating over capacity with severe congestion and excessive delays.
Generally, when a roadway is operating below its capacity during peak-hours, no
improvements or travel demand reductions are warranted because the roadway is considered
to be operating at an acceptable level of service. When traffic volumes approach a roadway’s
capacity (V/C between 0.80 and 1.00), significant delays are experienced with “stop and go”
movements taking place along the roadway. When this occurs, any incident, such as a
disabled car on the shoulder or poor weather conditions, is likely to reduce the capacity of the
roadway enough to produce excessive congestion and delay. When a roadway is at or over
capacity a breakdown in the vehicle flow occurs, resulting in excessive congestion and delay.
Peak-Hour Volumes
Peak-hour volume represents the traffic volume on a given roadway during the busiest hour
of a peak day, which is generally a weekday. Peak-hour volumes are usually calculated in
one of two ways: either by applying a peak-hour factor (usually 10%) to the average daily
traffic volumes, or through analysis of count data over an extended period of time. For this
study, peak-hour volumes were taken from ConnDOT data, which were calculated from 2002
traffic count data. In the Study Area, the peak-hour is typically a Friday afternoon when
commuter traffic overlaps with casino-related traffic.
Roadway Capacity
Roadway capacity is a theoretical term based on a number of physical characteristics of the
roadway, including the number and width of travel lanes, shoulder width, functional design
classification and the roadway’s general environment (surrounding land uses, topography,
number of points of access, etc.). Capacity is defined as the maximum number of vehicles
that can reasonably travel through a given section within a specified time period, usually one
hour. Ideal capacity for a two-lane highway is defined as 2,800 vehicles per hour (vph).
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Roadway capacities are usually calculated using the methodology in the Highway Capacity
Manual, an industry standard published by the Transportation Research Board. This process
is often automated using Highway Capacity Software, a software package which incorporates
the Highway Capacity Manual methodology. The roadway capacities summarized in this
memorandum were taken from ConnDOT data, which were calculated using the
methodology in the Highway Capacity Manual.
Volume-to-Capacity Ratios within the Study Area
A summary of the Volume-to-Capacity ratios for the representative set of roadway segments
in the Study Area is provided in Table 2.3-2.
Table 2.3-2: Summary of Study Area V/C Ratios - 2002
Location
Route 32 between Route 163 and I-395 Connector
2002 Peak
Hour
2002 Peak
2002 V/C
Volume Hour Capacity Ratio
1,445
1,462
0.99
1,681
1,828
0.92
1,737
2,012
0.86
1,734
2,048
0.85
1,880
2,113
0.89
898
1,586
0.57
1,100
1,643
0.67
1,547
3,380
0.46
1,429
1,921
0.74
1,182
2,153
0.55
336
1,512
0.22
4,356
6,966
0.63
1,029
1,484
0.69
812
1,465
0.55
1,440
3,004
0.48
980
1,211
0.81
960
1,503
0.64
394
1,567
0.25
1,706
4,098
0.42
3,316
4,186
0.79
3,419
4,269
0.80
551
3,975
0.14
547
4,093
0.13
1,617
2,216
0.73
1,301
1,533
0.85
578
1,856
0.31
Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation Congestion Management System File
As indicated in the table, during peak-periods most of Route 2 within the Study Area was at
or near capacity in 2002, with the exception of the stretch between Routes 2A and 165 in the
towns of Preston and Norwich. The portion of Route 117 between Routes 184 and 1 in
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Final Report
Groton, the segment of I-395 between Routes 2A and 32 in Norwich and Montville, and the
portion of Route 85 between I-395 and Route 82 were also at or near capacity in 2002. All of
the other roadway segments in the Study Area roadway set were under capacity in 2002.
The existing roadway conditions and issues in the Study Area are shown conceptually in
Figure 2.3-1. In the summer peak periods, especially on weekends, congestion is experienced
on I-95 through New London and Mystic within the Study Area, including southwestern
Connecticut, and in the Mystic downtown business district. The feasibility of widening I-95
from Branford to the Rhode Island State Line is currently being studied by Connecticut DOT.
Route 2 has experienced increasing traffic volume and has been the subject of a recent
Connecticut DOT study, along with Routes 2A and 32. Improvements are planned for
several sections of Route 2 including widening on the segment between Preston (Route 2A)
and Foxwoods, modifications by Foxwoods in the immediate vicinity of the resort, and
upgrades to the segment in North Stonington as far as I-95. A bypass of Route 2A is also
planned east of the Thames River and a new bridge is planned over the Thames. On the
western side of the Study Area, I-395 has seen growing demand. During peak commuting
hours, heavy demand occurs at the intersection of Route 82 with I-395 and Route 82 with 2.
Finally, there is also high demand around the dense retail developments along Route 85 in
Waterford. The Route 82/85/11corridor from Salem to Waterford is under study for possible
roadway modifications.
In general, transportation demand and traffic operations in the Study Area have been
constantly changing over the past decade as unique tourist-related venues have grown in
popularity and additional retail development occurred. Future travel demands are only likely
to increase as other new venues potentially come on line and secondary development occurs
to support these unique attractions.
2.4
EXISTING INTERSECTION LEVEL OF SERVICE
Intersection Level of Service (LOS) is another way of characterizing the level of traffic
congestion on a roadway or set of roadways. Levels of service for signalized intersections
are typically calculated using the methodology of the Highway Capacity Manual. This
method assesses the effects of signal type, timing, phasing and progression, vehicle mix, and
geometry. LOS designations are based on the criterion of calculated average stopped delay
per vehicle. Six levels of service are defined with letter designations from A to F, with LOS
A representing the best operating conditions, and LOS F representing the worst. LOS C
describes a condition of stable traffic flow and is generally considered the minimal desirable
level for peak travel flow in rural and urban areas. LOS D, which entails greater vehicle
queues and delays, is generally considered acceptable for urban areas because of the
increasing cost and difficulty of making improvements necessary to provide LOS C
operations.
In a geographic region as large as the Southeastern Connecticut Study Area, it is not practical
to use intersection LOS as an indicator of traffic congestion. This is due to the fact that the
number of intersections is so large that it would be difficult to manage, but also due to the
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Final Report
Figure 2.3-1: Existing Roadway Issues and Conditions
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Final Report
fact that intersection LOS mainly shows spot congestion, which is not necessarily
representative of congestion levels at a town-wide or region-wide level. In place of
intersection LOS, the Study Team has attempted to characterize the level of congestion at
several highway interchanges or major intersections by taking the roadway V/C ratios near
those locations. This provides a slightly broader picture of congestion levels, showing
congestion in roadway segments rather than spot congestion. In 2002, several major
interchanges and intersections around the Study Area experienced high levels of congestion,
with V/C ratios for short segments exceeding 1.0. These locations included the intersections
of Routes 117 with Route 184, I-95, and Route 1 in Groton; the intersection of Route 27 with
I-95 and Route 1 near Mystic; and the intersection of Route 2A and I-395 in Montville.
2.5
FUTURE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS
This section briefly summarizes anticipated future traffic conditions in the Southeastern
Connecticut Study Area in the horizon year of 2025. Projected future traffic volumes and
congestion levels can serve as an indicator of the need for transportation improvements in an
area. For this study, future traffic conditions are presented not to identify specific problem
roadway segments, but to show the general level of congestion anticipated and to guide the
development of intermodal transit improvements in the area.
Two indicators of future traffic conditions in an area are projected roadway traffic volumes,
and projected Volume-to-Capacity ratios. For this study, projected traffic volumes and V/C
ratios have been adapted from the ConnDOT Statewide Congestion Management System file.
As noted previously, this data set is a useful reference regarding traffic conditions across the
state, but it should not take the place of traffic counts and focused analysis in specific areas.
For the purposes of this study, to portray anticipated traffic conditions in a broad way, this
data set is sufficient.
2.5.1 Changes in Regional Traffic Conditions
When looking at future traffic conditions in an area, it is important to factor in changes that
affect the transportation infrastructure and the demands placed upon it. Key elements that
define future traffic conditions include:

Regional traffic growth;
Changes in land use/economic development affecting travel demands; and
Planned roadway and infrastructure improvements.
The ConnDOT statewide Congestion Management System traffic data set includes
projections of average daily traffic volumes and peak-hour volumes in 2025 that incorporate
all three of these elements. These projections take into account projected increases in
Vehicle-Miles-Traveled (VMT) across the state and increases in trip production and
attraction in a town-by-town zone system to project future traffic demands. Some of the
drivers of traffic volume growth in the Southeastern Connecticut Study Area include
continued growth at the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casino resort complexes, the re-use of
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Final Report
the Norwich State Hospital site, increasing numbers of visitor trips to other destinations such
as Mystic Seaport, and general regional population and employment growth.
ConnDOT’s traffic data set also includes projections of future year roadway capacity, where
such data is available. In most cases, roadway capacity will remain the same over a given
planning horizon, because capacity will only change if specific improvement measures are
taken, such as roadway widening, the addition of turn lanes, or improvements to roadway
geometry. In the Southeastern Connecticut Study Area, most of the 2025 roadway capacities
are projected to remain the same as 2003 figures. Two exceptions are the Route 2/2A/32
corridor and the Route 82/85/11 corridor, where potential improvements may change the
capacity of those roadways. For the Route 2/2A/32 corridor, the 2025 roadway capacity, and
therefore the 2025 Volume-to-Capacity ratio, has been changed to reflect anticipated
improvements in that travel corridor based on ConnDOT data. For the Route 82/85/11
corridor, the 2025 roadway capacity is the same as the current capacity, since information
about the potential future capacity was not available from ConnDOT.
2.5.2 Projected 2025 Traffic Volume
Table 2.5-3 presents projected 2025 traffic volumes for the same set of Study Area roadways
as were shown in Tables 2.3-1 and 2.3-2 on existing conditions.
As shown in Table 2.5-1, substantial growth in traffic volumes is expected on many Study
Area roadways between 2003 and 2025. Segments of Interstate 395 through the Study Area
are projected to see average daily traffic volumes grow from about 50,000 to more than
80,000 vehicles per day, while volumes on Interstate 95 between Routes 32 and 27 are
expected to grow from about 78,000 to almost 110,000 vehicles per day. Other Study Area
roadways, including Routes 2, 2A, 32, 27, 85 and 117, are also expected to see substantial
increases in traffic volumes by 2025.
2.5.3 2025 Volume-to-Capacity Ratios
Year 2025 Volume-to-Capacity ratios were developed for the Study Area roadway set in the
same manner in which the existing V/C ratios were developed. Year 2025 peak-hour traffic
volumes and 2025 hourly capacities were adapted from the ConnDOT Statewide Congestion
Management System data set, and the ratio was obtained by dividing volumes by capacities.
The resulting 2025 V/C ratios are summarized in Table 2.5-2.
As shown in Table 2.5-2, congestion levels are expected to increase substantially across the
Study Area by 2025. Many important roadway segments, including I-395 between routes
163 and 82, Route 117 in Groton, Route 32 north of the I-395 connector, Route 85 between I395 and 82, and several segments of Routes 2 and 2A are expected to be operating above
capacity in that year. These increases in congestion suggest a distinct need for improving
alternative transportation options and other ways of relieving congestion in the Southeastern
Connecticut area – which is one of the primary goals of this study.
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Table 2.5-1: Traffic Volume Summary – 2002 and 2025
Location
2002 ADT
16,050
18,033
17,720
21,671
18,800
12,480
11,000
23,440
14,710
9,900
4,200
78,772
12,153
13,246
22,047
12,560
14,388
2,625
36,329
50,000
54,775
9,050
9,013
25,518
13,833
3,920
Projected 2025
ADT
20,544
23,083
22,682
32,577
29,516
19,332
17,270
36,315
20,129
15,543
6,048
108,161
14,787
30,669
19,730
16,328
18,703
3,309
38,724
85,120
83,689
12,851
12,719
34,450
20,182
5,543
Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation Congestion Management System File
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Final Report
Table 2.5-2: Summary of Projected V/C Ratios
Location
2025 Peak 2025 Peak
Hour
Hour
2025 V/C
Ratio
Volume
Capacity
1,849
1,462
1.26
2,151
1,828
1.18
2,223
2,012
1.10
2,606
2,746
0.95
2,113
2,952
0.72
1,374
1,586
0.87
1,727
1,643
1.05
2,397
3,380
0.71
1,959
1,921
1.02
1,856
2,153
0.86
484
1,512
0.32
6,716
6,966
0.96
1,254
1,484
0.85
2,002
3,004
0.67
1,198
1,465
0.82
1,274
1,211
1.05
1,248
1,503
0.83
496
1,567
0.32
2,096
4,098
0.51
4,604
4,186
1.10
5,021
4,269
1.18
783
3,975
0.20
772
4,093
0.19
2,183
2,216
0.99
1,893
1,533
1.23
816
1,856
0.44
Source:Based on data from Connecticut Department of Transportation Congestion Management System File
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Final Report
2.6
EXISTING PARKING
This section describes the existing parking conditions within the Study Area. It covers two
main topics. It first presents a brief overview of the parking situation in the region, including
a broad characterization of the land use and parking characteristics across the area. Second,
it discusses parking sites within the Study Area – areas that might offer the potential to serve
as park-and-ride locations or hubs where travelers can leave their vehicles while taking
alternative modes of transportation around the area. These sites include both State-owned
park-and-ride facilities, and other major parking supplies that are not State-owned.
2.6.1 Overview of Parking in the Study Area
The Study Area for the Intermodal Connections Study Southeast is quite varied
geographically, and as a result, the land use and parking conditions across the area vary
considerably. To the south, the coastal communities have established town or village centers
that are densely developed, with more suburban or rural areas surrounding them. In many of
these areas – particularly in Mystic, downtown New London and downtown Norwich and
other community centers along the shoreline – the supply of parking is relatively limited. In
some areas, fee parking is standard, and parking structures have been constructed to provide
additional capacity for employees and visitors.
The central and northern portion of the Study Area is generally less densely developed than
the development core along the shoreline. In the majority of these areas, parking is plentiful
and availability is not an issue. Some of these towns, such as Waterford, have more
suburban-style retail and office development, which generally includes ample, free off-street
parking. The north-central portion of the Study Area also includes the two large casino resort
complexes, Mohegan Sun Resort and Foxwoods Resort Casino. Both complexes are major
trip attractors and include large amounts of free parking for patrons.
2.6.2 Parking Sites
As described in the Overview section above, parking availability is generally not a major
issue in most of the Study Area, except in Mystic, downtown New London and downtown
Norwich. Some portions of the area – particularly the historic town centers and tourist
attractions such as Mystic Seaport – have a more limited parking supply, and due to the
denser development, less room for parking expansion. As the area grapples with growing
levels of congestion due to new development and increasing numbers of visitors, alternate
transportation options are being considered to help people move around the region. While
specific options have not been determined at this point, it is safe to assume that any option
will include a park-and-ride component, in which travelers who drive into the area are
encouraged to leave their cars at certain hub locations and use alternative modes for local
travel. Therefore, it is useful to identify sites that could potentially serve as park-and-ride
locations in connection with any improved intermodal transportation options that are
recommended in this study.
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Figure 2.6-1 shows a number of parking sites that have been identified in the Study Area; the
general characteristics of these sites are shown in Table 2.6-1. Two types of locations may be
considered as potential parking sites for visitors to the area: State-owned park-and-ride lots,
and other major parking facilities that are not State-owned. In and around the Study Area,
there are more than a dozen State-owned park-and-ride lots, mostly located near major
highway interchanges. While the majority of these lots are relatively small (under 100
spaces), there are several parking facilities that are significantly larger, including the garage
at New London’s Union Station, with over 900 spaces; lots in Stonington and North
Stonington with over 200 spaces; and two lots in Norwich with over 150 spaces. Depending
on their current level of usage and on ConnDOT plans, one or more of these facilities may be
able to serve as a park-and-ride location for visitors to the Study Area in the future. The
planned Norwich Intermodal Transportation Center on Hollyhock Island will also provide
parking.
Beyond State-owned park-and-ride lots, there are numerous locations around the Study Area
that could play a role in an intermodal system in which visitors leave their cars at one
location and take alternative modes to others. How useful or realistic any site may be
depends on its location, proximity to attractions, roadways, and other key locations, the
willingness of the owner to participate in a shared-use parking arrangement and the
willingness of municipalities to allow, through zoning, stand-alone parking lots as a principal
use. For the purpose of this study, the three main non-State-owned locations that have been
identified as potential parking opportunity sites are the parking facility at Exit 90 off I-95 in
Stonington and the parking facilities of the Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods casino resort
complexes. These sites are also shown in Figure 2.6-1 and Table 2.6-1. Another possible set
of smaller sites includes the many hotels in the region, where tourists could be expected to
leave their cars at their hotels and use alternative modes of transportation for travel within the
region.
2.7
FERRY SERVICE
This section describes the existing conditions and characteristics of ferry services that operate
into the Study Area. One of several ferry services originating out of New London is
operating by Cross Sound Ferry to Orient Point on Long Island (NY).
2.7.1 Ferry Services into the Study Area
Cross Sound Ferry operates some seasonal ferry services from New London, but the principal
service is a frequent vehicle and passenger ferry connection between New London and Orient
Point (NY). This service is supplemented by a high-speed passenger-only ferry that caters to
the casino market. The following section provides a description of the existing conditions
and service characteristics of these services. The section presents an overview of the service,
a brief description of the ferry terminal in the Study Area, summaries of the level of service
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Final Report
Figure 2.6-1: Existing Parking Sites
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Final Report
Table 2.6-1: Existing Parking Sites
Town
1. North Stonington
2. North Stonington
3. Stonington
4. Stonington
5. Stonington
6. Stonington
7. Groton
8. New London
9. Waterford
10. East Lyme
11. East Lyme
12. Preston
13. Norwich
14. Bozrah
15. Norwich
16. Norwich
Town
17. Stonington
18. Ledyard
19. Montville
20. Norwich
State and Municipal Park and Ride Facilities
Location
Capacity
I-95 @ Route 216 (Exit 93)
43
I-95 @ Route 2 (Exit 92)
227
I-95 @ Routes 2 & 78 (Exit 92)
297
I-95 @ Taugwonk Road (Exit 91)
39
I-95 @ Rt.1 & North Main Street
44
Rt. 1 @ RRS (Mystic)
32
I-95 @ Route 117 (Exit 88)
50
Water Street @ Rail Road Station
930
I-395 @ Route 85 (Exit 77)
59
Route 161 @ Maint. Garage (Exit 74)
68
I-95 @ Route 161 (Exit 74)
60
Route 12, north of Route 2A
71
I-395 @ Route 82 (Exit 80) (2 Lots)
165
Routes 2 & 163 (Exit 23)
27
I-395 @ West Town Street (Exit 82)
186
I-395 @ Route 97 (Exit 83)
83
Other Significant Parking Sites
Location
I-95 @ Route 27 (Exit 90)
Route 2 (Foxwoods Resort Casino)
Route 2A (Mohegan Sun Resort)
Intermodal
Transportation
Center
on
Hollyhock Island
Code
PL
PLTB
PLTSB
PLT
PLTSR
PL
PLTSBR
PLT
PL
PL
PLTB
PLTB
PL
PLB
PLB
P = Paved
S = Shelter
L = Lighted
B = Local bus service
T = Telephone
R = Rail service
Source: Connecticut Department of Transportation web site.
and fares, information on ridership, and a discussion of planned improvements. Information
on the carrier’s financial situation was not assembled for this study.
Cross Sound Ferry Service
Cross Sound Ferry operates year-round vehicle and passenger ferry service between New
London and Orient Point (NY) using a fleet of up to six vessels. Between the same points,
Cross Sound also operates the passenger-only high-speed Sea Jet ferry, which caters to the
casino market and operates daily, except during winter months. Cross Sound also operates
year-round service to Fishers Island (NY). In summer months, Cross Sound also operates
seasonal ferry service from New London to Block Island (RI). Connections to coach services
to Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casino Resort, catering to ferry passengers, can be made in
New London at the ferry terminal with pre-purchased tickets; see section 2.11 on p. 2-32 for
more information on Casino Coach Services. Connections can also be made in New London
to Amtrak rail service and to Greyhound intercity bus service.
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Final Report
Terminals
The New London Ferry Terminal is located adjacent to the New London train and bus
terminal in the center of the city of New London, in the south central corner of the Study
Area. Amtrak intercity rail service and Greyhound intercity bus service, as well as several
rental car agencies, serve the adjacent station. Limited parking is available at the ferry
terminal. There is also a public parking garage located across the street from Union Station
which offers about 900 parking spaces for commuters and the general public.
Vessels
Cross Sound Ferry has a fleet of nine vessels for use on the New London ferry service.
Seven of these vessels can accommodate autos, trucks, motor homes, and buses along with
passengers. The capacity of the ferries ranges from 22 to 120 cars and from 130 to 1,000
passengers. Cross Sound also operates two high-speed ferries out of New London, the 400
passenger Sea Jet that sails to Orient Point, and the 530 passenger Jessica W. that sails to
Block Island.
Levels of Service and Travel Times
The New London to Orient Point vehicle and passenger ferry operates between eight and
fifteen round trips daily, depending on the day of week and season. The Sea Jet operates four
to six round trips daily, depending on the day of week and season. The seasonal ferries to
Block Island and Fishers Island operate on a more limited schedule.
The sailing time for the 16 mile crossing from New London to Orient Point on the vehicle
and passenger ferries is approximately one hour and twenty minutes. The Sea Jet high-speed
ferry makes the trip in only 40 minutes. The Jessica W. sails to Block Island in one hour and
fifteen minutes.
Fares
Rates for the New London to Orient Point ferries vary by vehicle type. A one-way trip for a
driver with an automobile, van, or pickup costs $37. Each passenger other than the driver
pays $10. Passengers without vehicles pay $10 one-way, or $16 for a same day round trip.
The fare on the high-speed Sea Jet is $15.50 one-way, but $25 for a same day round trip.
Same day fares apply for overnight trips with a 7:00 a.m. return.
Ridership
Cross Sound carried approximately 1.5 million people and 400,000 vehicles in 2003. In the
summer, mid-week days are the busiest. In winter, weekends are busiest. Most passengers
are going to or from Long Island (55% of market are Long Island residents going to East
New England.) The Sea Jet carries 500-700 people per day to the casinos, with busy days
reaching 800-900.
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Final Report
2.7.2 Planned Improvements
Cross Sound Ferry is upgrading all of its vessels with additional passenger amenities.
Improvements are planned for both terminals. In New London, they plan to relocate their
shipyard operations and devote the terminal site on the harbor to ferry operations. Cross
Sound has worked with Amtrak to plan for a pedestrian access bridge that would connect the
ferry to Union Station and then to the parking garage. Federal and ConnDOT grants have
been obtained to support the construction of these intermodal connections. Cross Sound
would like to build a terminal for high speed passenger vessels adjacent to City
Pier/Waterfront Park.
2.8
AIR SERVICE
This section describes the existing conditions and characteristics of intercity air services that
operate into or near the Study Area. While the study area is within 75 miles of Bradley
International Airport near Hartford and TF Green Airport near Providence, the only airport
within the region is Groton-New London Airport. With the withdrawal of service by US
Airways in 2003, the airport is currently served only by Pan Am Clipper Connection.
2.8.1 Characteristics of Study Area Air Services
Pan Am Clipper Connection, operated by Boston-Maine Airways, is the only air carrier
presently providing service to the Groton-New London Airport. From Groton-New London,
Pan Am provides service to Baltimore (MD) and Portsmouth (NH). The following section
provides a description of the existing conditions and service characteristics of this service.
The section presents an overview of the service, a brief description of the airport; and a
summary of the level of service and fares into the Study Area. Information about ridership
on the service, the carrier’s financial situation, and any planned improvements was not
assembled for this study.
Pan Am Air Service
Boston-Maine Airways is a regional air carrier that provides service using the Pan Am name.
From Groton-New London, Pan Am provides direct service to Baltimore (MD), and
Portsmouth (NH), and a single weekly trip to Martha's Vineyard (MA). Connections to other
destinations can be made in Baltimore and other locations.
Study Area Airport
Groton-New London (the airport abbreviation is GON) Airport is located in the Fort Hill
neighborhood of the town of Groton. It is a 490-acre regional airport primarily serving the
coastal communities within 25 miles of Groton and New London. The facility consists of two
runways having lengths of 5,000 and 4,000 feet with supporting taxiways, paved aircraft
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Final Report
parking ramps, an FAA-operated control tower, an instrument landing system and free
vehicle parking.
An Air Service Development Study completed in 1998 identified the appropriate role for
GON was a “convenience” airport and concluded that market forces at nearby Bradley and
Providence will continue to draw business away from GON. The study also identified the
future potential as shifting from it historic military market to tourism. Specific strategies that
were recommended were intermodal integration, marketing GON as a gateway to the area
and affiliations with local attractions such as Mystic and tribal casino operations. Currently,
tourist use of the airport is limited.
In 2002, there were 69,515 total operations including military, general aviation and
commercial take-offs and landings. Approximately 560 full-time and part-time personnel are
employed at the airport. In 2002, a total of 14,613 passengers used scheduled service
provided by USAirways Express. USAirways terminated service in September 2003.
However, PanAm began service in July 2003.
Pan Am provides between one and three daily round trips to Baltimore and to Portsmouth
with no service on Saturdays. One round trip per week is operated to Martha's Vineyard.
Flight times from Groton-New London Airport to each destination are presented in Table
2.8-1.
Table 2.8-1: Regional Flight Information
Destination City
Baltimore, MD
Portsmouth, NH
Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Flight Time from Groton-New
London
1:30
1:00
0:50
Source: Boston-Maine Airways web site.
Fares
Pan Am fares from the airport to all destinations are much higher than fares for ground
transportation. Table 2.6-2 below summarizes round trip fares from Groton-New London to
each destination.
Table 2.8-2: Pan AM Fares
Destination City
Baltimore
Portsmouth
Martha’s Vineyard
Fare from Groton-New London
$250
$184
$353
Source: Boston-Maine Airways web site.
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Final Report
2.9
RAIL SERVICE
This section describes the existing conditions and characteristics of the two passenger rail
services that operate within the Study Area: Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor intercity rail
service and ConnDOT’s Shore Line East commuter rail service. It also briefly describes the
Metro-North Railroad’s New Haven Line commuter rail service and the Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority’s commuter rail service, neither of which directly serves the Study
Area but can be accessed by short bus and rail connections. Finally, this section briefly
describes the two freight railroads that currently operate in the Study Area, the Providence &
Worcester Railroad and the New England Central Railroad, and discusses how they interface
with the Northeast Corridor and Shore Line East passenger rail services.
2.9.1 Passenger Rail Services within the Study Area
Two passenger rail services operate within the Study Area. The first is Amtrak’s Northeast
Corridor, an intercity rail service that extends from Boston, MA to Washington, DC with
many intermediate stops. The second is ConnDOT’s Shore Line East service, a commuter
rail service that operates between New London and New Haven but which provides limited
service from New London. The following sections provide a description of the existing
conditions and service characteristics of these two passenger rail services. Each section
presents an overview of the service; brief descriptions of the stations within the Study Area; a
summary of the level of service and fares from the stations within the Study Area;
information about ridership on the service; and a discussion of the financial situation, growth
trends, and any planned improvements to the rail service.
2.9.2 Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor
Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor is an intercity rail service that operates between Boston, MA
and Washington, DC. Other major destinations served by the route include Providence, RI;
New Haven, CT; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; and Baltimore, MD. In the
Study Area, Northeast Corridor trains serve two stations -- the communities of New London
and Mystic. Other nearby stations served along the corridor include Old Saybrook, CT;
Westerly, RI; and Kingston, RI. Figure 2.9-1 shows the Northeast Corridor alignment
through the Study Area.
The following sections further describe the characteristics of the Northeast Corridor service
through the Study Area.
Stations within the Study Area
Union Station is located in the center of the city of New London, in the south central portion
of the Study Area. The station, which is staffed throughout the week for ticket sales, offers
an enclosed waiting area, restrooms, and pay telephones. Several rental car agencies, as well
as Greyhound intercity coach buses, serve the station. There is a public parking garage
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Final Report
Figure 2.9-1: Existing Rail Network
Page 2-21
Final Report
located across the street from the station which offers about 900 parking spaces for
commuters and the general public. Federal and ConnDOT grants are in place to fund
improved pedestrian connections between the parking garage and Union Station, as well as
the ferry terminal.
At Union Station, passengers can make connections to a SEAT (transit) bus to Foxwoods as
well as to other SEAT routes. Amtrak has Foxwoods listed as a destination on their itinerary
planning/ticketing system and passengers can purchase their “Thru-way” bus ticket as they
purchase their Amtrak ticket. SEAT is then reimbursed by Amtrak for the bus fare.
Indications are that this service is not well utilized. This arrangement was put in place a few
years ago. A very small number of passengers make use of this service.
The Mystic Train Station is located in the village of Mystic, in the southeastern portion of the
Study Area. The Mystic station is not staffed but offers ticketing through Amtrak’s
automated Quik-Trak machines. It also offers an enclosed waiting area, restrooms, and pay
telephones. One rental car agency serves the station. Mystic station is not served by any
intercity bus service. Parking at the station is extremely limited, with fewer than a dozen
spaces available.
The Northeast Corridor is the most heavily used intercity rail corridor offering the highest
levels of service in the United States. Amtrak operates three distinct services between
Boston and Washington, DC along the corridor: the Acela Express, its high-speed, limitedstop service that was inaugurated in the year 2000; Acela Regional, a lower-speed service
that makes all stops along the route; and the Federal, a limited-stop overnight service
formerly called the Twilight Shoreliner.
Union Station is served by all three Amtrak services: Acela Express, Acela Regional, and the
Federal service. While Acela Express operates nine weekday round trips between Boston
and New York City, only two of these serve New London. In addition to these two round
trips, on weekdays eight Acela Regional roundtrips and one Federal round trip serve the
station. On weekends, only one Acela Express round trip serves New London, while the
eight Acela Regionals and the one overnight Federal serve the station.
Amtrak service at Mystic Station is considerably more limited than it is at Union Station. Of
the three Boston-to-Washington Northeast Corridor services, only the Acela Regional service
stops at Mystic. On weekdays, the station is served by four Acela Regional round trips,
while on weekends the station is served by five round trips.
Travel times from Union Station to major destinations along Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor are
presented in Table 2.9-1. As the table shows, travel times from Union Station vary from just
under one hour for trips to New Haven, CT and Providence, RI to about 2¼ hours to New
York City, 3¾ hours to Philadelphia, and 5½ hours to Washington, DC. In general, Acela
Express service offers a 10 to 25 percent reduction in travel time compared to Acela
Regional service.
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Table 2.9-1: Amtrak Travel Times From New London to Other Northeast Corridor Destinations
Destination City
Acela Express travel time from Regional Service travel time
New London*
from New London*
Boston South Station
Boston Route 128
Providence, RI
Mystic, CT
New Haven
New York-Penn. Station
Philadelphia 30th Street
Washington Union Station
1:20
1:41
1:06
1:25
0:45
1:00
N/A
0:14
0:46
0:49
2:08
3:36
2:39
4:01
5:08
5:52
* All times shown from New London’s Union Station.
Source: Amtrak
Fares
Amtrak fares from the two Study Area stations to other major Northeast Corridor cities are
generally higher than intercity coach bus fares but lower than air fares for trips of a similar
distance. Table 2.9-2 below summarizes fares from New London to major destinations along
the Northeast Corridor. One-way fares for both Acela Regional and Acela Express service
are provided, where applicable. Fares from New London and Mystic to the same destinations
generally vary by only about 10%, so fares have only been provided from Union Station.
Table 2.9-2: Amtrak Fares From New London to Other Northeast Corridor Destinations
Destination City
Acela Express fare from New
London
Regional Service fare from
New London
$66.00
$42.00
$59.00
$49.00
$40.00
$31.00
N/A
$20.00
$48.00
$28.00
$87.00
$47.00
$138.00
$160.00
$68.00
$77.00
Boston Route 128
Providence, RI
Mystic, CT
New Haven
New York-Penn. Station
Philadelphia 30th Street
Washington Union Station
* All times shown from New London’s Union Station.
Source: Amtrak
As the table shows, one-way fares range from $31.00 for Regional service from New London
to Providence, RI, to as much as $160.00 for Acela Express service from New London to
Washington, DC. For trips in the Boston–New York corridor, Acela Express fares are
generally about 50 to 75% more than Acela Regional fares for the corresponding city pairs.
However, for destinations south of New York, the premium for Acela Express service is 103
to 108 percent.
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Final Report
Operating Funds
Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor intercity rail service is funded through a combination of fare
revenue and federal operating subsidies. Operating expense and revenue figures for the
service are not available.
Ridership
The two Amtrak stations in the Study Area, in New London and Mystic, are both fairly
lightly used. Union Station saw about 53,400 passenger boardings in Amtrak Fiscal Year
2000 (October 1999 to September 2000), which translates into about 146 boardings per day.
Mystic Station had only about one-fifth as many boardings, with about 9,800 annual
boardings, or about 27 per day, in FY2000. The number of boardings at Mystic Station is
comparable to the volume at Westerly, RI, just to the east of the Study Area. However, the
passenger volumes at both New London and Mystic are fairly small relative to other stations
on the Northeast Corridor. By comparison, New Haven had about 144,000 boardings,
Stamford, CT about 92,000 boardings, South Station in Boston about 424,000 boardings,
Philadelphia and Washington, DC, more than 1.5 million boardings and Penn Station in New
York experienced more than 4 million boardings in FY2000. Table 2.9-3 presents a
comparison of Amtrak ridership at the stations within the Study Area to these other stations
on the Northeast Corridor.
Table 2.9-3: Amtrak Ridership Comparison
Stations in the Study Area
Station
New London, CT
Mystic, CT
Station
Boston, MA
Providence, RI
Westerly, RI
New Haven, CT
Stamford, CT
New York, NY
Philadelphia, PA
Washington, D.C.
Boardings
Alightings
53,442
52,088
9,806
11,627
Other Stations in the Northeast Corridor
Boardings
Alightings
424,160
432,643
145,864
151,539
8,944
9,835
143,681
148,084
92,417
97,537
4,103,492
4,074,816
1,902,243
1,918,123
1,665,577
1,652,321
Total
105,530
21,433
Total
856,803
297,403
18,779
289,765
189,954
8,178,308
3,820,366
3,317,898
Source: Amtrak FY2000 Ridership Data
Amtrak Trends and Planned Improvements
Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor saw a significant improvement in service several years ago with
the inauguration of the Acela Express high-speed service between Boston and Washington,
DC. Implementation of this service entailed major improvements to the infrastructure along
the corridor, including electrification of the line between New Haven and Boston,
improvements at a number of stations, signaling system upgrades, and other related projects.
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Final Report
A new dedicated fleet of rail equipment, better suited to high-speed operations and with
improved passenger amenities, was also introduced for the Acela Express service. While the
new service has experienced some well-publicized problems with equipment reliability since
its inauguration, it has succeeded in attracting a significant number of riders to the corridor,
particularly in the months following the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, when
passenger volumes on air shuttles in the Northeast dropped considerably.
A technical report published in 1998 to support the Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for the proposed North-South Rail Link in Boston (an underground rail line that would link
Boston’s North and South Stations) included a projection of the total ridership and mode
share for intercity rail travel between New York and Boston in the year 2020.1 This report
projected that the intercity rail travel between those cities would increase by almost 300
percent between 1995 and 2020 (without the implementation of the North-South Rail Link
tunnel). In the same years, intercity rail’s mode share would increase from about 1.6% to
about 3.0% of all daily passenger trips in the New York–Boston corridor. While this analysis
was completed before the inauguration of the Acela Express service, it is useful as a broad
indicator of the growth potential of intercity rail in Northeast Corridor.
Finally, it is important to note that further improvements are planned to the Northeast
Corridor infrastructure in Connecticut, which would improve travel times and the reliability
of Amtrak service in the corridor. ConnDOT is in the process of upgrading the overhead
catenary electrical system between New Haven and New York, which in many places is more
than 100 years old. This project has already begun but will proceed incrementally over a
number of years. Its eventual result will be to improve reliability and reduce travel times
along the corridor, which should lead to increased demand for intercity rail service.
2.9.3 ConnDOT’s Shore Line East Service
ConnDOT’s Shore Line East service is a commuter rail service that operates between the
cities of New London and New Haven. The Shore Line East Service connects to MetroNorth service in New Haven, allowing passengers to continue on to many other destinations
in south-central and southwestern Connecticut and New York. The Shore Line East service
runs on the Northeast Corridor tracks and is currently operated by Amtrak under contract to
ConnDOT. Intermediate stations served by Shore Line East trains, from east to west, include
Old Saybrook, Westbrook, Clinton, Madison, Guilford, and Branford. The Shore Line East
system is relatively new; revenue service between New Haven and Old Saybrook began in
July 1990, and service to New London was introduced in February 1996. Shore Line East
service in New London is extremely limited; at present only two regularly scheduled trains
per day serve New London, with an additional two on Fridays and certain pre-holiday peak
days.
Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc./Frederic R. Harris, Inc., North-South Rail Link Project Technical Report
No. 4: Ridership Methodology and Forecasting Study, February 1998.
1
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Final Report
Figure 2.9-1 on page 2-21 shows the Shore Line East alignment through the Study Area. The
following sections further describe the characteristics of the Shore Line East service as it
relates to the southeastern Connecticut region.
The only station served by the Shore Line East service that falls directly in the Study Area is
Union Station in New London. The Shore Line East service and Amtrak’s intercity trains
share the same station in New London, located on Water Street; refer to the section above for
further description of Union Station.
Level of Service and Travel Times
The Shore Line East system as a whole provides a total of 23 scheduled weekday trains: 18
weekday peak trains (nine round trips) and five reverse peak express trains. No service is
provided on weekends and on certain holidays. While service is relatively frequent on the
system as a whole, very few trains serve Union Station. As of fall 2003, only one train in
each direction served Union Station each weekday, with an additional train in each direction
on certain pre-holiday weekends; all of these trains run during evening hours, after 6:30PM.
Shore Line East monthly pass-holders are also permitted to use their passes to ride two
Amtrak trains in each direction each day. These Amtrak trains are better suited for
commuters traveling into New Haven – two morning departures from New London, two
evening departures from New Haven. It is worthwhile to note that Shore Line East offers full
service of more than 20 trains per day (ten round trips) at the Old Saybrook station, which is
less than 20 miles from New London.
Travel times from New London to other stations on the Shore Line East system range from
22 minutes to Old Saybrook to 1 hour, 5 minutes to New Haven. One of the two daily trains
that serves New London is an express train; this train makes only one intermediate stop
before New Haven (at Old Saybrook) and completes the one-way trip in 55 minutes.
Fares
Fares on the Shore Line East system range from $3.50 for a one-way trip from New London
to Old Saybrook or Westbrook, to $7.75 for a one-way trip from New London to New
Haven. Ten-trip and monthly tickets are available that offer substantial discounts for
frequent travelers on the line. A UniRail Ticket, a discounted combined Shore Line
East\Metro-North monthly ticket that costs less than purchasing individual Shore Line East
and Metro-North monthly tickets, is also available. Fares on the Shore Line East system
from New London Station are shown in Table 2.9-4.
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Final Report
Table 2.9-4: Shore Line East Fares from Union Station
Destination City
New Haven
Old Saybrook or
Westbrook
Clinton, Madison,
Guilford or Branford
One-Way Fare
$7.75
Ten Trip
$70.00
Monthly
$165.00
Monthly Plus
$172.00
$3.50
$32.00
$66.00
$73.00
$5.50
$50.00
$116.00
$123.00
Source: Shore Line East Website
Note: Monthly Plus tickets include Commuter Connection bus service in New Haven.
Ridership
Union Station in New London, the Shore Line East station within the Study Area, sees fairly
low passenger volumes relative to the rest of the system due to the infrequent service that is
offered there. In August 2003, Union Station had a total of only 85 boardings and 236
alightings for the entire month. However, the Old Saybrook station, which is less than 20
miles from New London, experiences much greater passenger volumes since it is served by
the full schedule of Shore Line East trains. In August 2003, the Old Saybrook station
experienced almost 3,000 boardings and more than 3,200 alightings for the month. On
average, this translates into about 150 boardings and 160 alightings per day, assuming 20
service days (weekdays) per month.
Systemwide, ridership on the Shore Line East system was just under 300,000 passengers
(total boardings) in State Fiscal Year 2001. Ridership grew during the early and mid-1990s,
from just over 250,000 passengers in SFY 1991 to over 300,000 passengers in 1996. In the
late 1990s, while construction was undertaken along the line in preparation for the
introduction of Amtrak’s Acela Express service, Shore Line East service and ridership were
negatively impacted. However, over the past three years since the completion of the
Northeast Corridor Improvement Project, Shore Line East service has returned to normal and
ridership has rebounded. Figure 2.9-3 shows the trend in annual ridership on the Shore Line
East system from 1991 through 2001.
Revenue, Operating Expense and Operating Ratio
Revenue on the Shore Line East system in FY 2001 was about $1.06 million. Operating
expenses over the same period were just under $7.5 million, producing a net deficit of about
$6.42 million. For the same year, the Shore Line East system operating ratio was about
14.2%, which was in line with the system’s results for the past five years.
Shore Line East Trends and Planned Improvements
As noted above in the Ridership discussion, ridership on the Shore Line East Service has
rebounded and increased over the past several years, following the conclusion of the
Northeast Corridor Improvement Project. If the ridership growth trends of the past few years
continue (averaging about 4% per year), annual ridership could reach about 350,000 in 2005
and 425,000 in 2010.
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Final Report
Figure 2.9-3: Annual Shore Line East Ridership, 1991– 2001
Annual Ridership (Total Boardings)
350,000
300,000
250,000
200,000
150,000
100,000
50,000
0
SFY 1991
SFY 1992
SFY 1993
SFY 1994
SFY 1995
SFY 1996
SFY 1997
SFY1998
SFY 1999
SFY 2000
SFY 2001
Sources:
1. Connecticut Department of Transportation Bureau of Public Transportation, Operation Statistics for the Biennium, SFY 2000/2001
2. Connecticut Department of Transportation Bureau of Public Transportation, Bureau of Public Transportation Biennial Report, SFY
1998/1999
3. Connecticut Department of Transportation, Connecticut Rail Passenger Factbook, 1997
Several recent or ongoing changes to the Shore Line East system are worth noting:

A new Shore Line East station was recently added at State Street in New Haven,
northeast of the existing Union Station terminal in New Haven.

Within the past year, small additions to parking capacity have been made to
accommodate increased demand at several stations.

In April 2003, Shore Line East service was reduced slightly, with several daily trains
eliminated. To maintain service levels for commuters, an arrangement has been made
in which Shore Line East passengers holding monthly passes may take designated
Amtrak trains during these time slots at no extra cost.

ConnDOT is presently working on the design of improvements to some stations in the
Shore Line East system.
2.9.4 Nearby Passenger Rail Services
In addition to the two passenger rail services within the Study Area described above, there
are two other rail services that can be accessed from the area by a bus or rail trip involving a
single transfer. To the southwest, the Metro-North Railroad’s New Haven Line service can
be accessed in New Haven. To the north, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority
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Final Report
(MBTA) commuter rail service can be accessed in Providence, RI or in Worcester, MA. The
next sections briefly describe these nearby passenger rail services.
Metro-North New Haven Line Service
The Metro-North New Haven Line, which is operated by MTA/Metro-North Railroad
(MNR) under contract to ConnDOT, carriers over 65,000 trips a day from stations in
Connecticut and New York. The line has 35 stations located in 22 communities, extending
from New Haven on the northeast to Grand Central Station in New York on the southwest.
From Grand Central Station, travelers can easily make additional connections to other MetroNorth commuter rail lines, as well as the extensive transit system in the New York/New
Jersey/Connecticut tri-state area.
More than 30 round trips per day are operated between New Haven and Grand Central
Station on weekdays, and more than 20 round trips are operated on Saturdays and Sundays.
Fares vary by time of day (peak vs. off-peak), method of purchase (on-board, at a station, or
online), and one-way vs. round-trip. A one-way peak-period ticket from New Haven to
Grand Central Station, purchased on board, costs $21.00. A round trip off-peak ticket
between the same city pairs, purchased online, costs only $25.18. Substantial discounts are
offered for ten-trip, weekly, monthly, and family passes, and the UniRail Ticket, a discounted
combined Shore Line East\Metro-North monthly ticket that costs less than purchasing
individual Shore Line East and Metro-North monthly tickets, is also available.
Metro-North offers Getaway Packages for single day excursions to Foxwoods and Mohegan
Sun casino resorts. The packages include reduced rail fares and include bus fares for coach
service from New Haven to the resorts. As described in the motor coach section of this
report, these passengers also receive bonus packs of coupons worth $30 when they arrive at
their destination (as do all coach service passengers). This service is offered seven days a
week, four roundtrips per day to Mohegan Sun and seven roundtrips per day to Foxwoods. In
August 2003, there were 2,026 passengers to Mohegan Sun and 2,700 passengers to
Foxwoods. The fare from either Grand Central or 125th Street in Manhattan is $40 ($28 from
Fordham in the Bronx and $24 from Stamford).
2.9.5 Passenger Rail–Freight Rail Interface
Two freight railroads operate within the Study Area: the Providence & Worcester Railroad
and the New England Central Railroad. The locations of these freight lines within the Study
Area are shown in Figure 4. This section will briefly describe the operations of each railroad
and its interface with passenger rail service in the Study Area.
Providence & Worcester Railroad
The Providence & Worcester Railroad (P&W) is a regional freight railroad operating in
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New York.2 The P&W is the only interstate
2
This summary is adapted from the Providence & Worcester Railroad Website.
Page 2-29
Final Report
freight carrier in the State of Rhode Island and possesses the exclusive and perpetual right to
conduct freight operations over the Northeast Corridor between New Haven and the
Massachusetts/Rhode Island state line. The P&W also operates on a line extending from
Groton, CT, to Worcester, MA, which runs along the east side of the Thames River through
the Study Area; no passenger service presently utilizes this line.
Overall, the P&W operates on a system of about 545 miles of track, and also runs the largest
double-stack intermodal facility in New England in Worcester, MA. The P&W transports a
wide variety of commodities for its customers, including construction aggregate, iron and
steel products, lumber, chemicals, scrap metals, plastic resins, cement, processed foods and
edible food stuffs. P&W’s customers include The Dow Chemical Company, Exxon
Corporation, Frito-Lay, Inc., General Dynamics Corporation, International Paper Company,
and Mobil Oil Corporation. In 2002, P&W transported over 32,000 car loads of freight and
over 59,000 intermodal containers.
Although the P&W operates over segments of the Northeast Corridor, the frequency of its
freight service within the Study Area is relatively low. The P&W only operates one train per
day that uses the Northeast Corridor in this area: an 8:00AM train which runs Monday
through Friday from Plainfield, CT to Groton Wharf, then west on the Northeast Corridor to
Old Saybrook. A second daily train operates west of the Study Area, beginning at 6:00AM
Monday through Friday, from New Haven east to Old Saybrook. Based on this level of
service, and the fact that there is presently no passenger service on the P&W’s line north of
Groton, it is assumed that the impact of P&W’s operation on passenger service in the Study
Area is minimal.
New England Central Railroad
The New England Central Railroad (NECR) was created from Canadian National’s (CN’s)
Central Vermont Railway by RailTex in February 1995.3 The NECR operates 366 miles of
track between East Alburgh, VT and New London, CT, handling a wide range of
commodities with emphasis on forest products and metals/construction materials. Within the
Study Area, NECR operates on a line west of the Thames River into New London; no
passenger service presently operates on this line. NECR connects with a number of other
freight railroads at various locations around New England, including a connection with the
Providence & Worcester Railroad in New London. Since the NECR does not operate on the
Northeast Corridor, and since there is presently no passenger service on NECR’s line
extending north of New London, it is assumed that the impact of its operations on passenger
rail service in the Study Area is minimal.
2.10 INTERCITY COACH SERVICES
This section describes the existing conditions and characteristics of intercity coach services
that operate into the Study Area. While numerous coach operators provide direct service to
the casino resorts, only Greyhound provides coach service to other destinations in the region.
3
This summary is adapted from the New England Central Railroad page on the CN Railway Website.
Page 2-30
Final Report
2.10.1 Intercity Coach Services into the Study Area
Greyhound is the only intercity motor coach operator to provide service to the urban centers
in the Study Area. Greyhound provides service along the Boston to New York corridor with
many intermediate stops. The following section provides a description of the existing
conditions and service characteristics of this service. The section presents an overview of the
service, brief descriptions of the stations within the Study Area; and a summary of the level
of service and fares from the stations within the Study Area. Information about ridership on
the service, the carrier’s financial situation, and any planned improvements was not
Overview of Greyhound Service
Greyhound is an intercity motor coach operator that provides service throughout the country.
The Study Area is served by a line that operates between Boston and New York City. Other
major destinations served by the route include Providence and Newport RI; and New Haven,
Bridgeport, and Stamford CT. Connections to other Greyhound destinations can be made in
Boston, New Haven, and New York. In the Study Area, Greyhound serves New London and
Foxwoods. (The Greyhound service provides the coach portion of the Metro-North Railroad
Getaway package to Foxwoods.)
New London Station is located in the center of the city of New London, in the south central
part of the Study Area. The station, which is staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. seven days
a week for ticket sales, offers an enclosed waiting area, restrooms, and pay telephones.
Several rental car agencies, as well as Amtrak intercity rail service, serve the station. There
is a public parking garage located across the street from the station which offers about 900
parking spaces for commuters and the general public. (As stated earlier, a grant has been
approved for construction of improved pedestrian connections between the garage and the
station, as well as the ferry terminal.)
Greyhound also serves Foxwoods Casino Resort on most trips in the corridor. Tickets are
not sold at Foxwoods.
Stops in the region are served by eight daily round trips between Boston and New York City.
New London is served by seven of the daily southbound trips and six of the daily northbound
trips. Foxwoods is served by all eight daily round trips.
Travel times from New London’s station to major destinations along the corridor are
presented in Table 2.10-1. As the table shows, travel times from New London’s station vary
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Final Report
from approximately one hour for a trip to New Haven, to just over 2½ hours to Boston and 4
hours to New York City.
Table 2.10-1: Typical Greyhound Travel Times to Major Study Area Destinations
Destination City
Providence, RI
New Haven
New York Port Authority
Travel Time from
New London
2:40
1:40
1:00
4:00
Travel Time from Foxwoods
2:05
1:05
1:35
4:35
Source: Greyhound
Fares
Greyhound fares from the two Study Area stations to other major corridor cities are generally
lower than rail fares for similar trips. Table 2.10-2 below summarizes round trip fares from
New London Station and Foxwoods to major destinations along the corridor. As Table 13
shows, round trip fares to/from New London range from $29.00 from New Haven to $42.00
from New York. To and from Foxwoods, unrestricted fares are close to those for New
London; however, a discounted non-refundable casino fare is available at a lower cost.
Table 2.10-2: Greyhound Fares to Major Corridor Destinations
Destination City
Providence
New Haven
New York Port Authority
Fare from New London
$32.00
$30.00
$29.00
$42.00
Fare from Foxwoods *
$24.00
$17.00
$22.00
$28.00
* Non-refundable casino fare
Source: Greyhound
2.11 CASINO COACH SERVICES
This section describes the existing conditions and characteristics of coach services that
operate directly to the two casino resorts in the Study Area. Numerous coach operators
provide services to the two casino resorts from outside the study area. The two casino resorts
also sponsor service within the region from the New London ferry terminal. Casino shuttle
bus service within the region is also provided by numerous local hotels.
2.11.1 Casino-Oriented Coach Services from Outside the Study Area
Each casino resort is served by about 100 scheduled buses per day from numerous locations
throughout New England, New York, and New Jersey. Numerous small and large bus
companies provide these services. These are privately operated non-subsidized services, so
the cost of operations is covered through the fares collected. The two casino resorts provide
a package of bonus coupons to all bus riders that is worth approximately $30 at the casino
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Final Report
resorts. The following section provides a description of the existing conditions and service
characteristics of the services to each casino. The section presents an overview of the
service, a summary of the level of service and fares from sample locations, and aggregate
information about ridership on the services.
Casino Coach Services
Approximately 95 buses per day arrive at the Mohegan Sun bus facility and 85-100 buses per
day arrive at Foxwoods. The majority of these are scheduled services from locations
throughout all six New England states, New York, and New Jersey. Over 180 different
locations are served by at least 26 private operators providing service to Mohegan Sun. Over
60 different communities (communities may have multiple stop locations) are served by at
least 16 private operators providing service to Foxwoods.
Casino Bus Terminals
The Mohegan Sun casino resort includes a large, comfortable, indoor bus passenger waiting
area directly connected to the casino facilities. It includes a staffed information counter.
Outside, there is a covered berth area which can accommodate 10 buses at a time.
The Foxwoods casino resort also includes a comfortable, indoor, bus passenger waiting area
one level below the casino facilities. It includes a staffed information counter, as well as
video monitors to display bus arrival and departure information. Outside, there is a berth
area which can accommodate 12 buses at a time.
Levels of Service
Approximately 95 buses per day arrive at the Mohegan Sun bus facility. The majority of
these are scheduled services from locations throughout all six New England states, New
York, and New Jersey. Over 180 different locations are served by these buses. Many
locations have service seven days a week, while others have service between one and five
days per week. (Trips may serve multiple locations.) The number of locations served, by
state, is shown in Table 2.11-1. The table shows that the locations with frequent service (five
or more days per week) are all in Connecticut, New York (mostly the New York City area),
and Massachusetts. A number of locations with frequent service have a second and third trip
on some weekend days, but there are no locations with more than three scheduled trips per
day.
An estimated 85 to 100 buses per day arrive at the Foxwoods bus facility. The majority of
these are scheduled services from locations throughout all six New England states, New
York, and New Jersey. According to information published by the casino, approximately 60
different cities are served. The actual total number of stop locations served in these
communities is not published in summary form, nor is the number and schedule of trips from
each location.
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Final Report
Table 2.11-1: States Providing Coach Service to Mohegan Sun
State
New York
Massachusetts
Connecticut
New Hampshire
Vermont
Rhode Island
Maine
New Jersey
Locations Served
70
52
29
11
10
6
5
5
Locations Served
5+ Days/Week
50
20
27
0
0
0
0
0
Source: Mohegan Sun
Most of the buses arriving at the casino resorts are from commuter parking lots, intercity bus
stops/terminals, and parking lots for local shopping centers and other businesses. Access to
most of these locations is likely to be predominantly by automobile. Two sets of services
from outside the region are worth noting, however, because they provide connections to other
modes of transportation.
As described earlier in the Rail Services section of the report, coach service provides a
connection between the New Haven Metro North train station and both Mohegan Sun and
Foxwoods. Buses operated by R&R Overland Travel provide service from the New Haven
Metro North train station to Mohegan Sun four times daily. Bus service from the station is
provided to Foxwoods six to eight times daily through an agreement with Greyhound. These
buses meet Metro North trains from New York City (Grand Central Terminal, 125th Street,
and Fordham stations), Stamford and other Connecticut stops. A discounted joint fare
package is provided which includes the $30 casino bonus package. The total travel time
from New York’s Grand Central Terminal to Mohegan Sun averages about three hours and
fifteen minutes. This bus is dedicated to casino riders but is not restricted to those
purchasing the joint ticket. The scheduled transfer time in New Haven varies from 16 to 59
minutes. The travel time from Grand Central Terminal to Foxwoods via Metro North,
including a transfer to Greyhound, ranges between about three hours and twenty minutes and
four hours and twenty minutes. Note that the transfer is to a regular, intercity Greyhound bus
route which is not dedicated to casino-bound riders. The scheduled transfer time in New
Haven varies from 8 to 67 minutes. The joint ticketing arrangements between both bus
companies and Metro North provide a convenient, low cost trip from New York City to both
casino resorts.
Bus service to each casino resort is also provided from the ferry terminal in Bridgeport with
connections available to the Port Jefferson (Long Island) ferry. One daily round trip is
provided to Mohegan Sun, while one trip round trip is provided only four days per week to
Foxwoods. For both casino resorts, a discounted, joint-fare, package is provided which
includes the $30 casino bonus package. The travel time from Port Jefferson to each casino,
including the ferry trip, is scheduled to be three and a half hours. These buses are also not
dedicated to ferry riders, but they provide a convenient, low cost trip from central Long
Island to the casino resorts.
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Final Report
Fares
Round trip coach fares to the casino resorts are generally lower than regular intercity bus or
rail fares for trips into the region. Table 2.11-2 below summarizes the range of round trip
fares between Mohegan Sun and the eight states with coach service. As Table 2.11-2 shows,
round trip fares to/from Southern New England range from $15 to $25. The fare from New
York City is $25 to $28. Fares to Foxwoods are not published by the casino but are similar.
Table 2.11-2: Coach Fares to Mohegan Sun by State
State
New York State
Massachusetts
Connecticut
New Hampshire
Vermont
Rhode Island
Maine
New Jersey
Range of Round Trip Fares
$22-29
$15-25
$20-24
$30-35
$25-30
$20
$30
$20
Source: Mohegan Sun
For the two intermodal services noted above, fares are discounted from the regular combined
rail/bus and ferry/bus fares. On the Metro North railroad, the Grand Central Terminal to
New Haven round trip fare is $26.50 off-peak and the New Haven to Mohegan Sun bus fare
is $20. The discounted rail/bus casino package round trip is only $37 (a 20% discount) and
includes the casino bonus coupons. (The Foxwoods discounted package round trip is $40.)
Similar discounts are offered from other stations. On the Bridgeport-Port Jefferson ferry, the
regular passenger-only same-day round trip fare is $18.50, and the Bridgeport to Mohegan
Sun bus fare is $23. The discounted ferry/bus casino package round trip is only $35 (a 15%
discount) for either casino, and also includes the casino bonus coupons.
Ridership
Detailed information on ridership on these services is not available. However, it is estimated
that an average of about 3,000 passengers per day arrive at each casino resort by bus4.
2.11.2 Coach Service from New London to the Casino Resorts
Within the region there is one coach service operating to each casino resort from the New
London Intermodal Terminal. The services are coordinated with the schedule for the Sea Jet
high speed ferry from Orient Point. The following section provides a description of the
existing conditions and service characteristics of the service to each casino. The section
presents an overview of the service, a summary of the level of service and fares, and a
4
Based on the estimated percentage of visitors who arrive by bus provided by one casino resort.
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Final Report
summary of planned improvements. Information on the carriers’ financial situation was not
Casino-Ferry Shuttle Service
The Sea Jet high-speed ferry service operates between New London and Orient Point on
Long Island. Between four and six round trips are operated daily. Coach service to and from
each casino meets most arrivals and departures in New London. The joint ticket for ferry and
coach service is the same price as a Sea Jet ticket alone and includes a casino bonus package.
The New London ferry terminal is located in the center of the city of New London, in the
south central part of the Study Area. There is a public parking garage located across the
street from the station which offers about 900 parking spaces for commuters and the general
public. Casino buses are able to use the parking area adjacent to the ferry berths.
The Mohegan Sun casino resort includes a large comfortable indoor bus passenger waiting
area directly connected to the casino facilities. It includes a staffed information counter.
Outside, there is a covered berth area which can accommodate 10 buses at a time.
The Foxwoods casino resort also includes a comfortable indoor bus passenger waiting area
one level below the casino facilities. It includes a staffed information counter, as well as
video monitors to display bus arrival and departure information. Outside, there is a berth
area which can accommodate 12 buses at a time.
Coach service to each casino meets all but one of the four to six daily arrivals in New
London and returns to meet all but two of the four to six daily departures from New London.
The travel time from Orient Point to Mohegan Sun is scheduled to be one hour thirty
minutes. To Foxwoods, the scheduled time is one hour forty minutes. These buses are
dedicated to ferry riders, and the bus and ferry operators are in regular communication so that
the appropriate number and size coaches are dispatched to meet the ferry.
Fares
The fare for the joint ticket is the same as for the regular Sea Jet passenger-only fare – a $25
same day round trip fare – and includes the casino bonus coupons.
Planned Improvements
Cross Sound Ferry envisions expansion and improvement of passenger ferry service. The
firm is planning to build a new separate terminal for its high speed Sea Jet passenger ferry
operations in New London, adjacent to the City Pier. This is being coordinated with other
landowners so as to provide pedestrian ways between the ferry terminal, rail terminal and
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Final Report
parking garage. They plan to relocate their existing shipyard functions in New London to
another pier so as to devote the current site to ferry operations. They also have the ability to
expand parking at the Orient Point (NY) terminal from 350 to 600 spaces and have been
working with the State of New York on a redesign of their landside facilities to achieve this.
Cross Sound is also upgrading all its ferries with additional passenger amenities.
2.11.3 Shuttle Services to the Casino Resorts
A number of hotels within the region provide shuttle service to one of both casino resorts for
their guests. In addition, Foxwoods provides shuttle services for its employees. The
following sections provide descriptions of the existing conditions and service characteristics
of these services.
Hotel Shuttle Services
Hotels in the region with more than 50 rooms were contacted to determine the extent of hotel
sponsored casino shuttle services. Twenty-one hotels were identified as having shuttle
services to one or both casino resorts. Six hotels owned by the Waterford Group contract for
transportation through a private operator, while 15 other hotels provide independent service,
largely with their own vehicles.
The six Waterford Group owned hotels (the Days Inn, Comfort Inn, and Residence Inn at
Exit 90 in Mystic, the Mystic Marriott at Exit 88, and the Spring Hill Suites and Holiday Inn
in New London) contract with a private bus operator to provide service to Mohegan Sun in
the evenings, seven days per week. The vehicles may be vans, minibuses, or full sized
coaches depending upon demand. Service is provided every 90 to 120 minutes and a $10
round trip fare is charged. Riders receive the casino bonus coupon package. The four Mystic
area hotels recently began providing a service to Foxwoods as well. The Mohegan Sun
service carries approximately 9,800 riders annually.
The other 15 hotels identified provide some casino shuttle service independently, typically
using their own vans. Ten provide service to Foxwoods, while 12 provide service to
Mohegan Sun. Two of the Mohegan Sun services charge a $10 fare while the remaining
services are provided free to hotel guests. Eight hotels provide only weekend evening
service, while the remaining hotels provide service seven nights a week. Four provide
weekend daytime service. Most services operate every 60-120 minutes. (See Table 2.11-3.)
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Final Report
Table 2.11-3: Hotel Shuttle Services
Hotel
Days Inn
Sleep Inn
AmericInn Lodge
Best Western Olympic
Quality Inn
Best Western Cristata
Microtel Inn
Best Western Sovereign
Hilton Mystic
Radisson Hotel
Cedar Park Inn
Hilltop Inn
Comfort Suites
Ramada Inn Norwich
Spa at Norwich Inn
No. of
Rooms
93
73
77
140
110
105
120
150
183
120
Town
Niantic
Niantic
Griswold
Groton
Groton
Uncasville
Uncasville
Mystic
Mystic
New London
North
66 Stonington
North
140 Stonington
119 Norwich
127 Norwich
103 Norwich
Casinos Served
Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun
Both
Both
Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun
Both
Foxwoods
Both
Own/Contracted Fare
Contracted
Yes
NA
$10.60
Own
Free
Own
Free
Contracted
$10
Own
Free
Own
Free
Own
Free
Own
Free
Own
Free
No. of
Vehicles
NA
1
1
2
1
1
NA
1
Both on weekends;
Foxwoods only
during week
Own
Free
3
Foxwoods
Both
Both
Foxwoods
Free
Free
Free
Free
3
1
1
1
Own
Own
Own
Own
Frequency
120 min
120 min
30 min
120 min
120 min
on call
on call
120 min
120 min
60 min weekdays;
on weekend 2 trips
to Mohegan Sun and
7 to Foxwoods
60 min weekdays;
30 min Fri-Sat
120 min each
120 min
120 min
Days/ Weekly
week Hours
2
19
2
12
3
27
2
12
2
20
6
88
2
16
7
60
3
35
7
82
7
66
7
7
7
3
66
70
42
53
Casino Employee Shuttle Services
Each casino resort provides shuttle services from parking lots to the casino resort worksites
for its employees. In the case of Mohegan Sun, all the parking lots are on the casino resort
property a short distance from the resort worksites. In the case of Foxwoods, a more
extensive network of regional park-and-ride lots has been utilized to serve the employees.
Foxwoods provides shuttle service to six remote parking lots. These lots, and their parking
capacity, are shown in Table 2.11-4.
The shuttle bus service to and from these lots operates approximately every 8 to 10 minutes,
24 hours a day. The service is provided by Bonanza Bus lines under an operating contract
with Foxwoods.
Table 2.11-4: Foxwoods Employee Parking Facilities with Shuttle Service
Facility
Fox Hill (Norwich)
Foxwoods Lot 10
Foxwoods Lot 9
Conn DOT Commuter lot Routes 2/95 (North Stonington)
Conn DOT Commuter lot Route 78 (Stonington)
Midway Lot (Groton)
Parking Capacity
1,845
1,154
982
220
526
100 (est.)
Source: SCCOG
2.12
LOCAL PUBLIC TRANSIT
This section describes the existing conditions and characteristics of the local public
transportation services that operate in the Study Area. While numerous privately owned
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Final Report
coach operators provide direct service into the region, Southeast Area Transit (SEAT)
provides the only local public transit service in the Study Area.
2.12.1 Local Public Transit Service in the Study Area
SEAT is the only provider of local transit service in the Study Area. The following section
provides a description of the existing conditions and service characteristics of SEAT. The
section presents an overview of the service; brief descriptions of key facilities within the
Study Area; a summary of vehicles used, level of service and fares; a summary of ridership
on the system, a summary of system financing, and a discussion of possible future service
expansion.
Description of SEAT Service
SEAT operates a total of 13 routes. There are four regional routes connecting the
communities of Groton, New London, Norwich, Niantic and Jewett City. Two of these
connect Norwich and New London, one on either side of the Thames River. The one on the
west side of the river serves Mohegan Sun, while the one on the east serves the city of
Groton and the Groton Submarine Base. The third regional route connects Groton, New
London, and Niantic, while the fourth connects Norwich and Jewett City.
SEAT operates seven regular local routes – three each in New London and Norwich, and one
in Groton. One of the Norwich routes serves Mohegan Sun.
The twelfth route connects New London with Foxwoods via Old Mistick Village. The final
route (operated by SEAT since 2003 using a special grant) is the Mystic Shuttle, a summeronly service connecting Old Mistick Village, Mystic Aquarium, Mystic Seaport, downtown
Mystic, and several marinas.
Connections to Amtrak and Greyhound can be made at the multi-modal center at Union
Station in New London, which is served by seven SEAT routes. (See the section on Amtrak
for a description of the ticketing arrangements for Amtrak-SEAT connecting service.) Figure
2.12-1 shows the SEAT routes in the Study Area.
Local Transit Facilities within the Study Area
SEAT buses load adjacent to Union Station, located in the center of the city of New London,
in the south central part of the Study Area. The station offers an enclosed waiting area,
restrooms, and pay telephones. Several rental car agencies, as well as Amtrak and
Greyhound, serve the station. The SEAT bus to Foxwoods stops directly in front of the
station. Other SEAT bus services use curb space adjacent to the station. There is a single
standard bus shelter and space for six buses. The station is across the street from a public
parking garage which offers about 900 parking spaces for commuters and the general public.
(As stated earlier, new pedestrian connections between the station and the garage are planned
and funded.)
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Page 2-40

Miles
1


Rte 1
Rte 2
Rte 3
Rte 4
Rte 5
Rte 6
Rte 9
Rte 11
Rte 12
Rte 13
Rte 14
Mystic Shuttle
Foxwoods (108)
0
1
2
3
SEAT Routes
85


2


95



East Lyme
Salem
Lebanon
Mohegan Sun
395



Norwich
New London
Downtown
New London
Waterford
395



Montville
82


Bozrah
Franklin
Figure 2.12-1: SEAT Public Transit System Routes
Groton
Ledyard
2


Preston
2



Lisbon
Mystic
Foxwoods
Stonington
1


North Stonington
Griswold
Figure 2.12-1: SEAT Routes
TranSystems Corporation
95



49


138


Final Report
In Norwich, the SEAT terminal is currently in an open parking area adjacent to the Route 12
Viaduct. There is a single, large shelter and space for approximately six buses. There is
parking for at least 100 cars. Federal funds have been earmarked to construct an intermodal
transportation center on Hollyhock Island in Norwich.
In general, SEAT operates flag stops rather than fixed bus stops. Shelters have been placed
in Norwich through an arrangement with Lamar Advertising. Additional shelters have been
placed by SEAT and SEAT member towns along some of the higher ridership routes. SEAT
hopes to expand this program to other locations in the region and migrate toward fixed bus
stops with shelters.
SEAT’s vehicles are stored and maintained at the SEAT facility in Preston. The facility has
adequate capacity for existing SEAT service, plus capacity for maintenance of Foxwoods’
employee shuttle buses which are maintained under a contract with Foxwoods. A renovation
of the existing facility is scheduled to begin in 2005. The current facility has four
maintenance bays and a free standing paint booth.
Vehicles
The current SEAT schedule calls for 13 standard buses in peak service. For this service,
SEAT has operated a fleet of 25 standard length (40 foot) diesel transit coaches manufactured
in 1991. As these buses have a useful life of 12 years (under Federal Transit Administration
guidelines), the entire fleet is scheduled to be replaced between 2004 and 2006. SEAT was
part of a state procurement of new vehicles and was scheduled to obtain a mix of 30-foot, 35foot and 40-foot transit coaches to fully replace its fleet. Five had been delivered and put into
service early in 2004, and another two (Gillig low floor 30-foot buses) were scheduled to be
in service by September 2004. None of the new buses use alternative fuels; they all are lowfloor buses. In addition to the above fleet for its regular service, SEAT operates the Mystic
Shuttle with smaller buses (two minibuses and one raised roof van) dedicated to this service.
SEAT also has a contract to maintain a fleet of five 2002 NOVA 35-foot buses owned by
Foxwoods.
Level of Service
The three regional routes that pass through New London provide service every two hours for
11 to 18 hours daily on weekdays. The New London-to-Norwich route, via Mohegan Sun,
runs hourly in the early morning and has the longest span of service (until 11:45 p.m.). Both
New London to Norwich routes also operate on Saturdays. The Norwich-to-Jewett City
route operates only on weekdays with three morning and three afternoon trips.
The seven local routes each operate hourly service Monday through Saturday. On weekdays,
service is provided for 11 to 13 hours. On Saturdays, a shorter span of service is provided on
most routes. The New London to Foxwoods route operates every 100-120 minutes from 6:00
a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is scheduled to meet Amtrak arrivals and
departures. Sunday service is more limited. The Mystic shuttle operates in summer months,
every 30 minutes, every day from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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Final Report
Fares
SEAT charges a base fare of $1.10 for local service. Zone fares are charged for regional
services and reduced fares are available for children and seniors. SEAT fares are shown in
Table 2.12-1. The Mystic Shuttle fare is $0.25. Transfers at designated transfer points are
free. Ten-ride tickets are available.
Table 2.12-1: SEAT Fares
Passenger Type
Adult
Ages 5 through 18
Over 65/Disabled
Children Under 5
Local
$1.10
$.80
$.55
Free
Zone 2
$1.60
$1.20
$.80
Free
Zone 3
$2.10
$1.55
$1.05
Free
Source: SEAT
System Ridership
Total annual system ridership for the period ending April 2004 totaled 852,000. Ridership
was almost 900,000 in FY2001 and dipped to about 800,000 in FY2003, but appears to be
recovering. It is projected that for FY2004, SEAT will carry 0.96 passengers per revenuevehicle-mile and 16.6 passengers per revenue-vehicle-hour, on average. Ridership on Route
108, the New London to Foxwoods service, designed to serve employee needs and funded by
Foxwoods, carried 138,426 riders in the year ending April 2004. Ridership on the Mystic
Shuttle is reportedly about 130-150 passenger per day. During the summer of 2003, the
shuttle served a total of 8,900 riders, or about 6 passengers per revenue-vehicle-hour (or less
than one rider per revenue-vehicle-mile). SEAT reports that the general system ridership is
very transit dependent. The ridership on the Mystic Shuttle is a mix of tourists and workers,
who also largely have no car available.
2.12.2 ADA Service
Specialized paratransit service, operated by Eastern Connecticut Transportation Consortium
(ECTC), is designed to meet SEAT’s ADA requirements. ECTC is a non-profit organization
that operates the service under a subcontract with SEAT. ECTC uses up to three SEATowned vehicles and provides additional vehicles for back up. ECTC provides the operating
personnel. Over 200 registrants have been certified as eligible by SEAT. Over 200 trips are
provided each month including some routine subscription riders. ECTC reports no denials of
service. The service operates from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, in most
towns corresponding to the fixed route schedule. The geographic area includes nine towns
(New London, Norwich, Waterford, Groton, Ledyard, Montville, Griswold, Lisbon and East
Lyme) and extends three quarters of a mile on either side of SEAT’s fixed routes. In the
Town of Stonington, wheelchair accessible curb-to-curb dial-a-ride service is provided using
a FTA Jobs Access Reverse Commute grant on weekday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This
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Final Report
service began July 2001 and is continuing through this fiscal year. It was implemented after
SEAT discontinued a fixed route service.
2.12.3 System Financing
SEAT has an annual operating budget of $3.8 million. The cost of providing service in
FY2004 is $4.28 per mile and $74 per hour. Approximately 30% of costs are recovered
through the farebox. (SEAT appears to obtain an average fare of 71 cents per unlinked
passenger.) Local governments provide another 10% with the remaining 60% paid by the
State of Connecticut. The State’s contribution to operating funding is relatively fixed; it
would not increase as a result of increasing the level of service. Funding for specific capital
purchases can draw from federal sources and typically requires a non-federal (including
State) share.
Some services have special funding arrangements. Service between Norwich and Mohegan
Sun and between New London and Mohegan Sun have been funded using Jobs Access and
Reverse Commute (JARC) funds. The Mystic Shuttle obtained JARC funding for summer
2003 and 2004 from the Workforce Investment Board (future funding from this source is
doubtful). Foxwoods pays the full cost of the New London to Foxwoods route designed to
serve its employees (who use an ID card subsidized by Foxwoods to obtain a free fare).
2.12.4 Expansion Possibilities
Given additional funding, SEAT would have the capacity to expand service. While the
current schedule calls for 13 vehicles, the current fleet could serve a schedule with a peak
requirement of about 20 vehicles. The SEAT maintenance facility could also accommodate a
fleet somewhat larger than the present 25 bus fleet. The facility can service up to 26
additional full size buses. A larger increase in capacity would require a facility expansion.
SEAT has sufficient property for such expansion.
SEAT has proposed a new route to connect its Norwich terminal with Mohegan Sun and
Foxwoods and has been seeking financial participation by the two casino resorts to
implement it.
2.13
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF INTERMODAL CONNECTIONS
The previous sections in this report have presented existing conditions and service
characteristics for individual transportation modes in the Study Area. Where intermodal
connections exist, they have been noted in these separate sections. However, in order to
present a picture of strengths and weaknesses of the intermodal connections in the region, it
is important to tie this information together in one place. This section does so in several
ways: by summarizing all the existing public transit services in the Study Area in one table;
by summarizing significant intermodal connections that already exist in the region; by
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Final Report
presenting observations on strengths and weaknesses at a regional level, and by discussing
strengths and weaknesses at a local level.
2.13.1 Summary of Existing Public Transit Services
As described earlier in this report, many different public transit services operate to and from
and within the Study Area. These services include:

Amtrak intercity rail service;
Shore Line East commuter rail service;
Intercity coach services;
Ferry services;
Air services;
Casino coach services;
Casino-oriented connecting services, including ferry/bus services and Metro North
Railroad/bus services;
Hotel-casino shuttles; and
SEAT local public transit service.
Table 2.13-1 summarizes the characteristics of these existing public transit services,
addressing stations in southeastern Connecticut; service description; frequency; travel times;
fares; ridership; and sources of operating funds.
2.13.2 Existing Intermodal Connections
A number of intermodal connections already exist within the southeastern Connecticut Study
Area. These vary from major connections between many modes at the New London
Terminal, to more routine connections between modes such as rail-rental car connections at
area rail stations, or bus-taxi connections at bus terminals. One of the main goals of this
study is to increase the number, size and convenience of intermodal connections in the Study
Area. Some of the significant intermodal connections that presently exist in the region
include:

Orient Point-New London ferry/bus connection and joint ticketing arrangement;
Amtrak/SEAT rail/bus connection and joint ticketing arrangement;
The New London Multi-Modal Facility or Terminal, which includes local bus,
intercity coach, express rail, regional rail, and ferry services;
Port Jefferson-Bridgeport ferry/bus connection and joint ticketing arrangement; and
Metro North joint rail/bus connection and joint ticketing arrangement through New
Haven.
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Final Report
Table 2.13-1: Existing Public Transit Services
General Services into the Region
Amtrak
Shore Line East
(ConnDOT)
New London
Stations/Stops in
Southeast
Connecticut
New London,
Mystic,
Westerly (RI)
Services
express and regional rail local rail service from
New Haven and
Stamford
Frequency
2 daily express round
trips;
9 daily regional round
trips
Travel Times
Boston 1:41
New York 2:39
to New London
Express/Local:
Boston $132 / $84
NY $174 / $94
round trip to New
London
Fares
1-2 daily round trips to
from New Haven to New
London; frequent service
from New Haven and
Stamford to Old
Saybrook
Old Saybrook 0:22
New Haven 1:05
to New London
Old Saybrook $7
New Haven $15.50
round trip to New
London
Regular Intercity
Coach
Orient Point (NY) New London Ferry
(Greyhound)
(Cross Sound Ferry)
New London,
Foxwoods
New London
coach service between
Boston and New York
via Providence,
Foxwoods, New London,
New Haven and other
intermediate points
high speed passenger
ferry (SeaJet) and
regular vehicle ferry from
Orient Point, NY
Casino Services into the Region
Scheduled Air
Service
(Boston - Maine
Airways / Pan Am)
Groton - New London
Airport
Casino Intercity
Coaches
Port Jefferson (NY)
- Bridgeport
Ferry/Bus
Metro North
Railroad/Bus
Mohegan Sun,
Foxwoods
Mohegan Sun,
Foxwoods
turboprop air service
from Baltimore,
Manchester,
Portsmouth, Halifax,
Hyannis, Nantucket, and
Martha's Vineyard
(US Airways service to
Philadelphia has been
discontinued)
direct coach service from
numerous locations in
CT, RI, MA, VT, NH, ME,
NY, NJ
ferry service from Port
Jefferson, NY to
Bridgeport CT with
connecting buses direct
to each casino
coach service from New
rail service from
London ferry terminal to
Manhatten, the Bronx,
each casino
Westchester and
southwest Connecticut to
New Haven with
connecting buses direct
to each casino
3 daily round trips from
Baltimore, one daily trip
from each other
destination
one or two daily round
trips from each location
one round trip daily
Boston 2:35 - 4:05
New York 2:40 - 4:20
to New London;
Boston $35
New York $39
round trip to New
London
SeaJet 0:40
regular 0:60-0:90
Baltimore 1:30
Manchester 1:00
varies
3:30 to 4:00 from Port
Jefferson to casinos
SeaJet $31
($25 same day)
regular service $16
vehicles $74
round trip to New
London
2,100 average daily
passengers to New
London (estimated 450
to destinations in SE CT
region);
500 average daily
vehicles
fares
Baltimore $245
Manchester $340
round trip
$35 round trip
$15 - $35 round trip
($25-$28 from New York
City )
(service began in June
2003)
average daily
passengers to casinos
3,000 Mohegan Sun
3,300 Foxwoods
fares
fares (casinos provide discounts and coupons as incentives)
only 5 average daily
boardings in New
London in Aug. 2003
NA
Sources of
Operating Funds
fares and federal
operating subsidies
state subsidized, only
14.2% covered by fares
fares
New London,
Mohegan Sun,
Foxwoods
Hotel - Casino
Shuttles
SEAT
casinos and hotels
terminals at New London
and Norwich;
some fixed bus stops in
Norwich;
only flag stops elsewhere
van service from Mystic
hotels to each casino
(provided by a
contractor);
other hotels operate their
own van service to each
casino
local services in new
London, Norwich,
Niantic, and Groton;
two routes between New
London & Norwich (one
stops at Mohegan Sun;
New London-Foxwoods
route (serves as Amtrak
connection)
6 daily SeaJet round
trips;
15 daily regular round
trips
avg. daily boardings:
146 at New London
27 at Mystic
New London Ferry Casino Shuttles
Mohegan Sun,
Foxwoods
6-8 daily round trips
Ridership *
Services within the Region
NA
4 daily round trips to
Mohegan Sun;
8 daily round trips to
Foxwoods;
(both use existing casino
coach services)
Mohegan Sun 3:20
Foxwoods 3:40
from New York City
$37 Mohegan Sun
$40 Foxwoods
round trip from New York
City:
4 daily round trips
(5 on wekends)
meet SeaJet ferry;
not coordinated with
Amtrak
varies
(typically hourly)
hourly on local service;
hourly to Foxwoods;
every 2 hours on New
London-Norwich
Mohegan Sun 0:20;
Foxwoods 0:30
varies
free with ferry ticket
$10 for service from
Mystic;
others free for hotel
guests
Norwich 1:00;
Foxwoods 0:45;
from New London
$1.10-$2.10
(zoned fares)
reduced for youth &
elderly
380 average daily
average daily
passengers to casinos in passengers to casinos
Aug. 2003:
65 Mohegan Sun
87 Foxwoods
casinos
NA
877,000 annual
passengers
hotels
30% farebox, 10% local,
60% state
NA = Not currently available
* Average daily riders in one direction based on annual ridership unless otherwise noted
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Final Report
2.13.3 Regional Access: Strengths and Weaknesses
In terms of regional access to the Southeastern Connecticut Study Area, some of the
strengths of the existing transportation system include:

Major interstate highways serve New London, Mystic and Mohegan Sun from the
north, east and west;
Inexpensive casino buses serve the region from other parts of New England, New
York, and New Jersey;
There are inexpensive, frequent rail/bus connections (via Metro North) from the New
York City area and Southwestern Connecticut;
There are inexpensive, frequent ferry/bus connections from eastern Long Island;
There is inexpensive, frequent air service at Providence and Hartford; and
Existing intermodal connections exist at the New London Multi-Modal Facility with
the potential for even greater use of this facility.
Some of the weaknesses of the existing transportation system include:

Serious congested conditions exist along I-95 to the west of the Study Area;
Congested conditions exist on 2-lane Route 2, the only access to Foxwoods;
Bus travel times are negatively impacted by highway congestion;
There is relatively slow travel speed on the Metro North rail/bus connection, with the
bus using congested I-95;
There is minimal Shore Line East service to New London;
High fares for Amtrak service to the casinos make it not cost-competitive with casino
or intercity coach services;
The one hour headway on the SEAT bus service to Mystic and Foxwoods is relatively
unattractive to visitors;
There is little intercity bus service other than to casinos;
There is infrequent, high-priced, air service at the local airport in Groton;
There is a lack of low-cost connections to Providence and Hartford airports; and
There is a lack of links between transportation terminals and hotels.
2.13.4 Local Access: Strengths and Weaknesses
In terms of local access within the Southeastern Connecticut Study Area, some of the
strengths of the existing transportation system include:

Major interstate highways connect New London, Mystic and Mohegan Sun;
Low fare local transit service exists for basic connections;
Local transit service exists to Foxwoods and Mystic from New London;
Local transit service exists to Mohegan Sun from New London and Norwich;
Seasonal, low fare shuttle exists for circulation in Mystic; and
Hotels provide shuttle services to casinos.
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Final Report
Some of the weaknesses of the existing transportation system include:

Congested conditions exist on I-95 and Route 2 in the Study Area;
Congestion on I-95 and Route 2 congestion negatively impact bus travel times;
There is limited parking in Mystic;
Local bus service is relatively unattractive to visitors;
There is infrequent service between Foxwoods and Mystic;
Existing bus service between Mohegan Sun and Mystic is indirect; and
Hotel shuttle services are infrequent, have limited hours and only serve casinos.
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