Special New Haven Line Schedule Set For Bridge Project

MTA Metro-North Railroad customers should anticipate schedule changes over the July 4th week that will allow work on a bridge in Connecticut. Over the nine-day period from Saturday, June 29, through Sunday, July 7, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) will replace the Atlantic Street Bridge located at the east end of the Stamford station.

Officials said this bridge replacement work will reduce the number of main-line tracks available in Stamford from five to two, reducing track capacity by 60 percent; it also significantly constrains the railroad’s ability to move trains into and out of Stamford Yard, one of the two major train-servicing facilities on the New Haven Line.

Recognizing that the bridge replacement will have a significant impact on New Haven Line track capacity, restricting the number of trains that can operate on only two main-line tracks, CTDOT scheduled the bridge-replacement work for the week of the July 4 holiday, a time period when the New Haven Line sees a reduction of approximately 25-30 percent in weekday ridership.

This special New Haven Line schedule generally protects the existing peak-hour frequencies at New York stations, with most stations retaining the same frequency of service, and no station having a peak-hour reduction of more than two trains. In Connecticut, several stations east of Stamford have no reduction in peak-hour frequencies, with no station having a reduction of more than three trains. Due to the reduced track capacity at the station, Stamford has six fewer morning rush-hour trains and ten fewer evening rush-hour trains.

To accommodate the bridge replacement project, the railroad must reduce the number of trains operating during rush hours; this reduction will primarily effect service at and east of Stamford.
On July 1-3 and 5, typically a period of reduced ridership because of vacations coinciding with the Independence Day holiday, 44 morning rush hour trains are scheduled, 10 fewer than normal, and 37 evening rush hour trains are scheduled, 13 fewer than normal. To minimize impact to customers, schedules are being adjusted and some trains will add additional stops. As a result of the changes, departure times at most stations will vary by up to five minutes earlier or later than the normal scheduled departure times, and crowding is possible.

Danbury Branch and Waterbury Branch service frequencies remain the same, but schedules have some adjustments in order to connect with main-line trains, and customers should be aware of schedule changes to main-line trains. On the New Canaan Branch, substitute bus service will be in effect after 10:30 p.m. on Friday, June 28, through Sunday, June 28.

The special schedule will not affect weekend service.

Metro-North encourages customers to preview schedule changes at specific stations by using the MYmta app or MTA.info, or visiting this link to see the special, temporary timetables.

On July 8, when the special schedule concludes, minor schedule adjustments will take effect on the New Haven Line. The new schedule is designed to reflect more accurately where and when trackwork and infrastructure projects are occurring along the lines, resulting in more reliable and dependable service for customers.

Metro-North crews will be out in this summer making aggressive infrastructure improvements in the Bronx. The railroad will put its new SMARTRACK program into action, strategically shutting down a continuous segment of track between Woodlawn and Mott Haven so that multiple work groups have uninterrupted access to maintain and enhance the system. Crews will make drainage improvements, replace rail and install new ties.

The New Haven Line — which has the greatest number of infrastructure projects and densest volume of trains — shares the tracks between Woodlawn and Mott Haven with the Harlem Line.

On July 8, the following minor schedule adjustments will be in effect on the New Haven Line to accommodate track work in the Bronx:

• Most trains have the same end-to-end schedule times, with intermediate times adjusted for trackwork projects.
• Most peak-hour trains have minor schedule adjustments of 1-2 minutes.

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