Stamford East Siders Await Word On Mass Transit Expansion

STAMFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork) - For years, there has been talk of a new Metro-North Railroad station on Stamford's east side, but it looks like a bus link to the downtown station may be what is recommended.

The rail option would be a station, possibly at East Main Street. The bus option would be a new bus terminal and additional parking at that location with buses that would transport commuters to the downtown New Haven Line station.

A study was launched last year and the Stamford Advovate reported that the goal was recommending ways to link East Main Street with the still unfinished Stamford Urban Transitway. That would connect the existing Stamford train station to the east side.

The $180,000 study was conducted by the South Western Regional Planning Agency.

Its executive director, Floyd Lapp, told the Advocate that the likely cost as well as other challenges would make the bus option a good first step.

But Roger, an east side resident, has landed on the train side of the argument.

"You hear the trains and they'll get you up. You know that," he told WCBS 880's Paul Murnane, saying it'd be nice if the train stopped and he was able to get on in his neighborhood rather than having to go all the way downtown or up to the New Canaan Line.

Another resident named Walter likes the added bus idea, but doesn't want it to come at the expense of the new train station.

"A lot of community. A lot of business. It would be very, very, very, very good to have [the train]," he said.

Stamford's east side transit study is up for discussion in a meeting Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Stamford Government Center.

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