Fairfield Metro is a planned 1100000 square feet (102,193.3 m²) commercial development and regional commuter rail station situated on 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) in the town of Fairfield, Connecticut

Fairfield, Connecticut

Fairfield is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is bordered by the towns of Bridgeport, Trumbull, Easton, Redding and Westport along the Gold Coast of Connecticut. As of the 2010 census, the town had a population of 59,404...

. At present, the station is scheduled to open on December 5, 2011.

Name

As the station neared completion, a debate emerged within the surrounding community concerning the name of the station. The station was named "Fairfield Metro" as indicated by signs on the station platforms. This was the name preferred by the developer of the surrounding site, Blackrock Realty, and was the one being used by the state. Fairfield residents, however, called the name bland. First Selectman Kenneth Flatto noted that the Town would prefer something different, and an online survey was posted asking residents of the town and surrounding areas to voice their opinions. Popular suggestions included: Black Rock, Black Rock Turnpike, Ash Creek, and Grasmere, among others. The state had the final word in naming the station and could choose to follow or disregard the town's recommendations. To meet the opening deadline of November 2011, a name had to be chosen by February 2010. The final name of Fairfield Metro was announced on March 18, 2011.

Funding history

In late December 2009, State Senator John P. McKinney and Governor Jodi Rell announced a bond authorization for $20 million wherein the state would assume the developer's obligations for infrastructure work and thereby continue the project. In late April 2010, the developer's obligation for infrastructure improvements was reduced to $5.2 million with the balance being financed through the aforementioned state bonds. Responsibility for construction of the 1,500-car parking lot and access road at the town's third train station on lower Black Rock Turnpike was transferred to the town as the developer's financial obligation was reduced. In July 2011 an audit of the contract and the cost overruns was been approved by the Fairfield Board of Finance and members of the Representative Town Meeting

Representative town meeting

A representative town meeting is a form of municipal legislature particularly common in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont....

.

Current status

The station and the surface parking lot will be owned by the state and will have 1,500 parking spaces. The building complex will have its own parking to accommodate the expected automobile commuters. As the project is completed, it will increase the commercial space inventory in the town of Fairfield by 30%. The project includes a railroad station to be located between Fairfield station

Fairfield (Metro-North station)

The Fairfield Metro-North station is the main train station in Fairfield, Connecticut, serving commuters, students of Fairfield University and Fairfield Prep, and casual travelers via the New Haven Line. It is one of three stations in the town; the others being Southport and the yet-to-be-opened...

 and Bridgeport station

Bridgeport (Metro-North station)

The Bridgeport Metro-North Railroad station serves the residents of Bridgeport, Connecticut and its surrounding towns that do not have a Metro-North stop like Trumbull, via the New Haven Line. The station is the transfer point between the Waterbury Branch and the Northeast Corridor mainline...

. Many expect that this station would become a second express pick-up from Fairfield heading toward Stamford and Grand Central, in addition to the downtown Fairfield station. The complex is be accessible by exit 24 of I-95

Interstate 95 in Connecticut

Interstate 95, the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, runs in a general east–west compass direction for 111.57 miles in Connecticut from the Rhode Island state line to the New York State line. I-95 Southbound from East Lyme to the New York State...

, through the traffic circle at Kings Highway, and a two-lane road. As a special permit approved for the Metro Center owners, the town created a special five story zoning district just for this project. The special district will allow the planned buildings to become an office park with vibrant supporting retail and one hotel. The project has been designated as a "major traffic generator" by the CT State Traffic Commission with the proponents of the project representing that it will improve traffic conditions in the area.

The station is expected to open on December 5, 2011. The project includes creation of a ten acre open space and public park along Ash Creek between Kings Highway in Fairfield and the Black Rock neighborhood of Bridgeport. The project is being monitored by local and state agencies and by environmental experts.

Station information

The Fairfield Metro is in the same rate zone as the other stations in Fairfield and is the first new station on the New Haven Line main line in approximately 100 years. This location is ADA-compliant, providing access for the mobility-impaired.

See also

• Fairfield (Metro-North station)
  Fairfield (Metro-North station)
  The Fairfield Metro-North station is the main train station in Fairfield, Connecticut, serving commuters, students of Fairfield University and Fairfield Prep, and casual travelers via the New Haven Line. It is one of three stations in the town; the others being Southport and the yet-to-be-opened...
  
  , another Fairfield train station.
• Southport (Metro-North station)
  Southport (Metro-North station)
  The Southport Metro-North Railroad station is one of two New Haven Line stations serving the residents of Fairfield, Connecticut.Southport is 48.9 miles from Grand Central Terminal and the average travel time from Grand Central is one hour, 12 minutes though this varies depending on run and time of...
  
  , another Fairfield train station.