Revised Plan for Thompsonville Transit Station Presented to Town Council

A crowd of roughly 40 residents joined the Enfield Town Council Tuesday evening to hear the presentation of the proposed Transit Center, located at the intersection of Main and North River Streets in the Thompsonville section of Enfield. The project would see the construction of a commuter rail station and bus terminal as well as parking, bicycle paths, and walking paths.

Representatives from the firm S E A Consultants, Will Hardy and Neil Kulikauskas along with Enfield Director of Community Development Peter Bryanton explained the key elements of the current proposal for the project. The current plan, which incorporates the suggestions of Enfield citizens from three public hearings in January and February of this year, calls for the re-use of the Casket building with parking near the Bigelow Commons apartment complex. The plan seeks to place the Transit Center within the context of a larger redevelopment opportunity for Thompsonville.

Rather than a transportation oasis, the design calls for incorporating the facility into a village model connecting the public transportation with the commercial center of Thompsonville. Other changes included minimizing the impact on the riverfront.

The estimated cost of the project are $2.9 million for the first phase, and $3.4 million for the second phase. These projections do not include some of the potentially most costly portions of the plan, including parking, environmental remediation, property acquisition, and costs associated with the re-use of the Casket building.

The properties sought could carry a price tag of $335,000 but the environmental condition of the parcels might make the costs lower should significant remediation be necessary.

“The property acquisition could be everything,” Bryanton said, “the property values are so low, they might be acquired through negotiations over environmental factors.”

The consultants stated they would seek funding from the Environmental Protection Agency under the Brownfields program should significant pollution be present. Phase one environmental survey results are expected on some of the parcels in the coming weeks.

The plan will be available on the Town website in the coming week with an opportunity for public comments. The public will have 60 days to review the plan and offer suggestions. 80% of the construction costs for the first phase of construction would come from the Federal Transit Authority.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation would also be involved in the project connecting the commuter rail system. The plan calls for the terminal being used as the nexus for fixed bus routes through out the town. The buses would be operated by the town, but funded through State and Federal grant funds.

In other business, Director of Social Services Pamela Brown requested a transfer of funds in the amount of $20,364 for the neighborhood resources office due to a lack of receipt of a State grant. Councilors were divided in their opinion about the transfer citing the fiscal year had only just begun, and that more State funding for municipalities might fall short.

Councilwoman Cynthia Mangini voiced impassioned support for the transfer, noting that the issue “cut to the core of humanity,” and that “the people of Enfield should not be held hostage due to the mismanagement of funds by the State of Connecticut.” The council tabled the transfer until its August meeting.

A bid waiver was approved for the construction of press boxes at the athletic fields of Enfield High School. The project would cost in excess of $150,000, a figure normally requiring a bidding process. Councilors were divided, but the waiver passed by a 6-3 margin largely on the desire to have the construction completed for the fall season. With the press boxes in place, Enfield would meet the requirements to host tournament and playoff games. Town Manager Matthew Coppler received quotes from several contractors for the project.