Tweed-New Haven Airport: Replaced by a rail line?

I am writing you regarding the Op Ed piece authored by Gretl Gallicchio, 8.30.2022, CT Examiner. My contribution here to the East Haven Patch on this matter will offer a point-by-point rebuttal to some of Gretl's arguments which I believe to be weak, unverified and patently wrong. Further, I think her expressed views paint her as the NIMBY she so vehemently denies.

Cleared for Takeoff!

Gretl begins her opinionated and biased salvo against a Tweed supporter with a glaring inaccuracy and falsehood:

...and what is being lost, by tripling the size of a small airfield ...

Triple the size of the Airport? Where within the annals of the Tweed-New Haven Master Plan does Gretl ascertain this information? The extension of the runway and addition of a new passenger terminal both occur on CURRENT airport property. Neither project makes its footprint outside of the current airport boundaries in any manner, shape or form. Read the Airport Master Plan and view the documents yourself to see the inaccuracy of Gretl's statement about tripling the size of the airport.

The new terminal is proposed to be built on former and now closed Runway 14-32. Further, the Runway 2-20 extension is proposed to occur entirely on the grass surfaces at each end of this runway; referred to as "Overruns" or "Runway Safety Areas". Tweed-New Haven Airport is currently 394 acres and will remain so after each project is completed.

If Gretl's Op Ed starts out with such errant and wrong information, can we trust the rest of her contribution to shed true light on the Tweed Airport issue?

Here's more.

Many of us who oppose Tweed’s expansion are asking the same question–has the state even looked into the feasibility of adding a spur to Bradley International off the New Haven-Springfield rail line? Wouldn’t that serve the convenience of travelers just as well, without the collateral damage to the environment and public health of the shoreline?STILL be used to justify the irreversible destruction of coastal wetlands in this era of climate crisis?

Mind you, I am no Engineer (Neither is Gretl) but last time I checked, a rail line to Bradley International Airport would be built through woods, wetlands, animal habitats, near or through neighborhoods, adjacent to schools...or simply on Earth! Sounds like environmental impact to me.

Is Gretl aware of the materials, processes, chemicals and other man-made materials that would be used to construct this branch train line? Clearly, she isn't. Had she dedicated the time to think of the environmental and economic dilemma involved with constructing such a project, she might realize the bias of her opinion; but she doesn’t. NIMBY'ism at its finest! Gretl is also painting herself to be an idealist too. Sure, just build a branch line to Bradley Airport…no harm in that!

Truth be known Gretl, I would love to see a branch train line built to Bradley Airport. I am in favor and a proponent of multi-modal transportation concepts, but I recognize that those concepts come at a cost; Financial and Economic. It might be far easier to enhance a resource already in existence (HVN) than it would be to construct entirely new infrastructure. People who live in the potential path of this rail-line or those with natural or business assets in the area might not be as pro branch line as you and I Gretl. No matter what, there is environmental impact to building a rail line.

When insulting others, be sure to not contradict yourself.

...I understand that Mr. Cameron may not be an investigative journalist, but his article was a missed opportunity to talk honestly and deeply about transportation policy in our state...

Gretl? Neither are you an investigative journalist. I think you just ate your own words on this one! You certainly wrote them. New rail lines come at cost too. You obviously did not consider those environmental and economic costs, did you? Apparently, your literary tirade is about moving that cost out of your proverbial backyard and to someone else’s.

Gretl, are you really pro-environment or really just a Nimby? Are you thinking things through or just being an idealist? Your failure to illustrate environmental costs of railway to BDL Airport certainly paint you into the NIMBY and Idealist corner.

Pulling into the station!

The harms being done to the entire coastal area of New Haven County go far beyond ‘noise’ (although, having experienced both myself, I will say that living close to 20+ daily take-offs and landings of Boeing 737s is nothing like living near I-95, as Mr. Cameron would have discovered had he done more research for his piece.)

Instead of accusing Mr. Cameron of not doing research for his piece, you might have done some for your own Gretl. Would an active train, trolley or monorail line to Bradley Airport come without consequences to the environment? To indulge in such an infrastructure project would require time, money, effort and consequences to the environment, would they not?

The building of platforms, raising of catenary towers, railroad crossings, bridges and tunnels and the laying of track are just the tip of the environmental cost to your “helpful” alternative to Tweed. No matter of convenience (or lack thereof) to frequent travelers, there is an environmental impact to your branch line to Bradley.

Gretl? Have you thoroughly vetted how significant the above consequences would be? The people who live in the path (or near) to this connector line would like to know. Whilst calling out others for specific actions or lack-thereof, you should not commit those same acts yourself. Think. Trains lines aren't built in clouds!

The neighborhood was here first argument. But it wasn’t.

...surrounded by long-established residential neighborhoods?

Should a connector line be built from the New Haven/Springfield train line, I wonder how many trains would utilize their horns, rumble down the tracks, cause train crossings to activate and maybe, Heaven forbid, cause fatalities...all through well-established neighborhoods. Did you think about those issues Gretl? Or just your issues?

Espousing long-established neighborhoods as a defense against Tweed Airport improvement, ignores the fact that the airport was there long before any of those neighborhoods. Further, you trumpeting for a Bradley connector line fails to consider the long-established neighborhoods such a project could affect. Whether a rail line is built or not, we know one thing for certain; the neighborhoods that might be affected by such a project were actually here first. They’re here today. Now. I think those people will certainly have a valid cause against such project, don’t you?

Please–we depend on local journalism to dig deep on local issues, not to repeat the talking points of appointed officials and internet trolls.

Gretl, your Op Ed piece certainly does not strike me as investigative journalism. Having read your opinion, I find no facts, just lopsided opinions used to favor your point of view. Your effort to call out Mr. Cameron in an accusatory and authoritative way, portrays you as a petty incendiary to preventing a real discussion about improvements at Tweed-New Haven Airport. For every point you raise against Tweed, you fail to consider the counterpoints and impact an alternative would have to others in the area or region. Walking off the set as you do, dusting your hands off of the new rail line to Bradley Airport is pretty easy, isn't it? It is, especially when you're a NIMBY.