Unique Solution Discussed To Address Future Development Near Branford Train Station

By Jack Kramer, Correspondent

BRANFORD, CT — One of the recurring themes of the many Transit Oriented Development (TOD) meetings held in Branford over the past year is the vast number of unused parking spots at the Shore Line East train station.

At the most recent TOD meeting, a consultant for BFJ Planning, who were hired by the town with a state grant to propose future development options near the Branford train station, proposed a unique solution to that problem.

Frank Fish, of BFJ, told audience members that perhaps a developer might consider building a parking deck coming off Kirkham Street to accommodate train station parking – and that the extra parking lot built by the state Department of Transportation (DOT) might be better suited for other, possibly development, purposes.

Acknowledging that what he was proposing was for something far down the road – Fish said “possibly 5-10 years from now,” he said it might be a better plan for Branford if it truly wants to see prosperous development adjacent to the train station.

“It has happened in other towns (parking decks),” Fish said. “Other Connecticut towns are doing this.”

Fish said that in every survey BFJ has taken it has found that the number of parking spaces used at the train station on an average day is “about 25 percent.”

Fish said issue of parking spaces is sensitive with the DOT because “they’ve spent a lot of money on parking.”

But, again emphasizing he wasn’t proposing it for now but perhaps sometime down the road, if a parking deck had the same number of spaces in it that the current parking configuration has for those who drive to the train station, it might be a better long-term plan for the state and the town of Branford.

Photo by Jack Kramer