Enfield's $90 million train station could break ground this year after decades in the making
ENFIELD —
The state could begin construction of a
new train station in the
Thompsonville section of town sometime this year under its current
schedule.
Local and state officials have pursued development of a new
station in Enfield for decades, not long after the former train station closed
in 1986. The state Department of Transportation's current plan, proposed
in 2023, would connect Thompsonville to the
Hartford Line that already runs through town and provide access to
major stations in New Haven, Hartford, and Springfield, Mass. along with
existing and planned stops in Windsor
Locks, West
Hartford, and elsewhere.
Construction was previously expected to begin in 2025, and a
2023 presentation from the DOT anticipated that the project would be completed
by fall 2027 and cost $45 million.
Now, DOT officials say construction is slated to begin later
this year, and expected to take about two and a half years. The total project
cost is estimated at $90 million, split between roughly $17 million in federal
funds and $73 million from the state.
Representatives for the DOT said on March 31 the train
station is part of the Hartford Line Rail Program, a statewide effort to
modernize and expand passenger rail service along the 62-mile corridor between
New Haven and Springfield, Mass. Once open, the new Enfield station will be a
"vital link" between those two cities.
DOT officials said the planned station is designed for
future service expansions and multi-modal connections, like integration with
local bus routes, and is intended to encourage new mixed-use development along
the rail corridor.
Town Manager Matthew Coppler said last month that plans for
a new train station stretch back as far as 1998, and was a focus for Enfield
when he
last served as town manager from 2006 to 2015.
"It brings opportunities for commercial development and
residential development, and also provides people an access point to get to
Enfield a bit more efficiently," Coppler said. "We were looking at
places like Washington, D.C., where they extended areas of their rail network
to places that didn't have a lot of development."
Coppler said a significant aspect of planning for the new
train station is ensuring that public transportation within Enfield can get
rail passengers throughout town, lest they be stranded at the platform.
"It's something that we started thinking about when I
was here the last time," Coppler said, which led to the creation of
Enfield's "Magic Carpet" bus transit system. "We understood that
once we have a train station, we have to have a way to get people to other
parts of town."
Developers have planned a handful of multi-family
developments across Enfield, including at
the former MassMutual campus, the
Enfield Square Mall site, and along
North River Street. If those projects want to take advantage of the rail
service, Coppler said, there will have to be a way to get people to and from
the station.
"I think we see the link between the different types of
development we're having and increasing job opportunities within town, and
understanding the transit systems we're putting in place are going to be an
important factor in making these come to life," Coppler said.
As for commuting, Coppler said getting from Enfield to
Hartford used to be a "nightmare" at any time of the day, but rail
access provides residents with "alternate mobility" if they want
to avoid dealing with traffic.
Water main project to enter night work period
Brian M. Johnson
SOUTHINGTON — The water main replacement project on Berlin
Street and Lacey Road is entering a period of night work.
Superintendent of Water Works Douglas Arndt said the night
work will begin Monday and will continue through May 4, tentatively. The work
will be done from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. during this phase of the project.
“The intent of the upcoming night work is to minimize the
impact that road closures have on local businesses, traffic flow disruptions
and safety conditions for workers within the project area,” he said. “We
understand that construction work, particularly at night, can be disruptive and
that many of you have already experienced noise, traffic changes and temporary
inconveniences during earlier phases of this project. We truly appreciate your
patience and cooperation as this important infrastructure improvement moves
forward.”
The work is part of a $2.5 million project to replace water
service lines along Berlin Street and Lacey Road, install a new water main on
Berlin Street and Lacy Road and connect the new water main to the existing
water mains on side streets throughout the project area. Arndt explained
previously that many of the old pipes were more than 80 years old.
“The construction work scheduled to take place at night
includes the replacement of water service lines along Berlin Street from
Wheeler Village Road to Belleview Avenue and connecting the new water main on
Berlin Street to the existing water mains on Belleview Avenue and Prosperity
Court,” he said.
The project includes $300,000 from the water department to
cover repaving costs. The water department is operated separately from the
town. The remaining $2.2 million comes from the state’s Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund. Ludlow Construction Co. will continue using the open space area
at Berkley Court for storage of materials and equipment for the project.
Given that service lines are scheduled to be replaced at
night, Arndt advised residents within the project area to flush their pipes
every morning.
“This includes running faucets, showers, and other items
connected to the water system,” he said. “It is common for water to appear
brown or cloudy following construction work due to sediment settling inside the
water main while it is out of service. Flushing these connected items until the
water runs clear should remove these sediments from your home’s water line.”
East Hartford’s Premier Equipment Solutions acquires Old Saybrook dealer, rental business
East Hartford-based Premier Equipment Solutions has acquired
New England Power Equipment and Saybrook Rentals, expanding its footprint in
the Northeast equipment sales and rental market.
The company, which specializes in Bobcat construction
vehicles, said the deal adds a long-standing equipment dealer and rental
business serving customers across New England. Financial terms were not
disclosed.
Premier Equipment Solutions, formed in 2025 by private
equity firm Brenton Point Capital Partners, says it’s building a regional
network of compact equipment dealers. With the acquisition, it now operates six
locations across Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The acquired business, a John Deere dealer based in Old
Saybrook, will operate as New England Equipment & Rental, a division of
Premier Equipment Solutions. Existing staff will remain in place, the company
said.
Premier said the deal strengthens its ability to provide
equipment sales, rentals, parts and service to a wide range of customers,
including contractors, industrial operators and homeowners.