Revitalization in motion on Railroad Street

NORTH CANAAN — In recent years, downtown North Canaan has welcomed new businesses, infrastructure improvements and spruced-up building facades.

In an effort to continue the positive momentum and identify funding options, First Selectman Brian Ohler toured Railroad Street with state officials Friday, April 4.

The group included State Senator Stephen Harding, R-30, Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto and Transportation Engineering Administrator Mark Carlino.

Ohler relayed a number of ideas for innovation on Railroad Street regarding pedestrian walkways, power line relocation and railroad track upgrades.

“Canaan is the welcoming committee for Connecticut with Route 7, all the travelers coming down,” Ohler said. “We want to roll out the red carpet, but the carpet really isn’t what it should be aesthetically right now.”

A Railroad Street crosswalk abuts a tall curb.photo by riley klein

Walkability

Ohler pointed out a crosswalk on Railroad Street that abuts a seven-inch curb. “There’s no ADA consideration,” said Ohler.

Eucalitto explained that while the state does not directly fund sidewalk construction, DOT supports municipalities seeking grants for such projects. He noted the Community Connectivity Grant Program and Transportation Rural Improvement Program as two potential avenues for funding.

Eucalitto said grant applications approved by CCGP and TRIP typically fund construction, but municipalities are expected to pay for an engineer to design the project.

Eucalitto said TRIP applications can receive up to $800,000 and CCGP applications can receive up to $1.2 million.

With the help of Northwest Hills Council of Governments and Mark Carlino at DOT, North Canaan can itemize the specific work required to improve the pedestrian infrastructure, enabling the town to apply for grants.

Power lines

The group addressed the dated power lines and utility poles along Railroad Street. Ohler suggested moving powerlines behind the buildings or underground.

Carlino said the cost of relocating powerlines is immense. He suggested the town partner with Eversource to install new utility poles and clean up some haphazard wiring.

Newer utility poles — like the ones nearby on Main Street — are taller, allowing for wires and tranformers to be placed above building facades.

Ohler agreed that would be an efficient option, but said he still plans to research the cost to relocate power lines to the municipal parking lot behind the buildings.

Railroad track

The group considered upgrades to the railroad and how to achieve varying levels of improvement.

Ohler noted ongoing efforts to extend passenger rail from Danbury to New Milford, as well as a desire on the Massachusetts side of the border to connect passengers from Danbury to Pittsfield.

Eucalitto said the existing railroad track that runs through North Canaan is graded for freight trains and would require considerable upgrades to permit passenger trains. He said there is a third rail option: “holiday trains,” such as the scenic and historic train rides between Thomaston and Torrington on the Naugatuck Railroad.

While a passenger railroad requires full-length electrification for signaling and equipment, a holiday train “is much easier to accomplish by investing in a freight railroad,” said Eucalitto.

Ohler and Harding envisioned a “foliage train” for the autumn season.

“Then you kind of get the tourist feel to it,” said Harding, who compared it to another holiday train in Essex, Connecticut. “They bring in hundreds and hundreds, if not thousands, of people per season.”

“We have funds that can help a freight railroad upgrade their tracks,” said Eucalitto, adding the money can be used to build a passenger platform where people can onboard.

The group identified a potential landing spot for a platform north of the auto dealer on Railroad Street. Utilizing Union Deport for onboarding was also considered.

To be awarded funding, Housatonic Railroad Company would need to apply to DOT and the federal government for track upgrades.