People are saying:

“The expansion of the Shore Line East to New London will boost the local economy and reduce the traffic on the congested I-95 highway.”

“It's madness to forego a regular New York-New London commuter line. Thousands of New Yorkers would visit, enroute to Block Island. We've been unable to figure out how to get there at all -- so instead we'll be going to Rockport, MA, this weekend.

Build the darn thing already.”

“I-95 is too crowded and wasteful! Last weekend my husband and I went to the new London Sailfest. We would have used the train if there had been service! Instead we had to drive from Branford each day and waste gas and add to the highway congestion.”

“We the people of Southeast CT need this train service and what is happening is in my opinion just another example of how SE CT is ignored by the state even though we are a major source of tax revenue. Yes Governor, the state does go east of the CT river. We are not all Fairfield county. We need commuter rail service!”

“The New London terminus is the logical end point for Shore Line travelers. It offers connections to Greyhound, the multiple ferry services to Orient Point, LI, Shelter and Block Island's, and would provide a more direct service to the I-395 corridor.

The ONLY way this service will actually motivate people to get out of their cars is to offer fast, frequent, hourly service along this corridor with New London being both the starting point and end point of this service.”
- Frank Fehr (excerpted from a letter to State Senator Prague)

“I commute from New Haven to New London two times per week. I have been forced to drive, because the train schedule, as it currently stands, is absolutely impractical. If regular train service were instituted between NH and NL, I would be certainly use it. However, the service must be "regular": adding just two or three more trains per day will not necessarily solve any traffic/environmental problems. Hourly train service would be ideal. Thank you.”
- Daniel Leisawitz

“I live in the New London area and have many friends in New Haven where I grew up... I would spend much, much more time in New Haven if I had a safe, comfortable, cost-effective mode of transportation to use to get there!”
- Cassandra Edwards, Pfizer

“The roads in this state are a deathtrap. Route 95 between Boston and NY is impossible at 4 lanes (north of New Haven) and is often closed down to 2 lanes with mowing and tree trimming with accompanying traffic backups a constant. The lack of transportation leadership is unconscionable. The road system is not only a deathtrap to people but to bringing new business to the state. The rail line along the coast is completely under-utilized and is bottlenecked in New Haven along with the road system. The state doesn't end at New Haven. Neither should rail service which would help alleviate some of the road congestion. Extend service from New Haven to New London and from New Haven to Springfield - it's a no brainer. Then do something about Route 95 along the shore. Are you completely unaware of the problem or don't you care? Where is the leadership?!”
- Nancy Schwarz

“My wife and I have children in Fairfield and N.Y. City and [Shoreline East] would make the trip to visit much easier and safer.”
- Harold Rosenthal

“I am a student at Mitchell College and I live in Weston, CT. It is a lot easier for me to take SLE instead of always taking Metro North and then Amtrak, it would cost me less.”
- Zacht, Mitchell College

“I-95 is a highly congested road. Train would be great to go into New York City.”
- Ruth Weisenberg

“Energy conservation.”
- Ronald Goodspeed

“Better for New London economy and easier for commuters to & from N.L. and for easier access to NYC for residents.”
- Karen Goodspeed

“Help alleviate the congestion on the disaster of a highway called I-95. Make it more convenient and cheaper to commute to New York and points west in CT. Stop wasting gasoline. It is unconscionable not to be maximizing mass transportaion in order to pander to a few wealthy boaters.”
- Janice Rosenthal

“My family often travels between NYC and eastern Connecticut, and we have missed many trains leaving Old Saybrook due to heavy tourist traffic on I-95. Being able to depart from New London would be vastly more convenient.”
- John Thomas

“As a college student in DC, it's so expensive for me to take Amtrak back and forth to New London. With this train service I could get into New York for a reasonable fare and hop on a $10 bus to D.C. It would also make my mother's life much easier; she goes into the city each month.”
- Jillian Mador

“Anything that will reduce road traffic is bound to be helpful in reducing congestion and improving air quality.”
- Ron Wilson

“This low-cost initiative will benefit CT in several ways: reduced greenhouse gases, easier connections between employees and employers and improved access to areas by tourists. All improve the revenue streams for the state with relatively minor startup costs.”
- Brad Huskinson

“New London is a transportation hub in many ways. Linking it to Old Saybrook via Shore Line East is practically a no-brainer. Anything to reduce traffic on I-95 should be implemented.”
- Martin Reiter

“It is vital to effective transportation. Look at the rail service in other countries e.g. Japan. Amtrak is cost prohibitive for many - even to New Haven. What a wonderful addition this would be to New London, which is trying very hard to be a tourism hub. I've wanted this for years and am so glad to be signing a petition in favor.”
- Marilyn Winter

“NEEDED FOR THE COMMUNITY, NEEDED FOR VISITORS, NEEDED BY ALL!”
- Gary Streimer

“To allow me to commute between NYC and New London, and to also support the local economy and growth of the New London city and community.”
- Kim Martin

“It is ridiculous that I live two blocks from the NL train station, yet find it more economically palatable to drive down I95 for an hour before boarding the train in New Haven. Environmentally, financially, logistically, this makes no sense!”
- Jill A. Mauritz

“Connecting New London to New Haven directly, will benefit everyone. It would become an asset to the entire region. Providing an alternative form of transportation to larger cities in the state opens opportunity for employers and employees to do business in the area while also providing opportunity for persons to commute elsewhere for work. I feel there should also be a rail line connecting New London to Hartford. Above all, it would provide an alternative to owning a car, something not everyone can afford. It will connect people to art galleries, theaters and restaurants along the New London/New Haven corridor.”
- Angela Moore

“We need to get people off the I-95 "parking lot"!”
- Sherburne Stidfole

“95’s travel is terrible.”
- Brian Albano

“New London is exactly the half-way point between NYC and Boston. it makes sense to do this.”
- Michelle Montavob

“Reduce pollution and open up the means of a more effective travel.”
- Shakeena Davis

“Save energy, reduce carbon emmisions. able to get to NYC with less stress.”
- Suzanne Maryeski

“Better commerce, cleaner, definitely pull the city into a better economic loo.”
- Carlos Carion

“This will help ease traffic off of I-95. New London is a natural starting/end-point for Shoreline East.”
- Mark Nickerson

“All one has to do is drive in either direction on the highway to know why this is critical!”
- Mark Grader

“I work in New York City. I’m from the New London area and travel back home about twice a month. I’ve always wanted/needed the Shoreline East to go one more stop!”
- Jessica Law

“I lived in downtown New London for over 10 years but needed a closer commute to NYC. So, after living in the New England city that I loved for many years, I packed up and now live in downtown Bridgeport, a city with a growing downtown that excites me the way New London used to. It was sad to leave but I feel that Downtown will have many more vacancies to come if they do not extend the Shoreline East!”
- Thom Darling

“Needed because it is an inexpensive alternative to car travel and the drive from New London to Old Saybrook is long.”
- Santo D’Asaro

“It is an inexpensive and "green" alternative to car travel. Plus I feel that the drive on I-95 between New London and Old Saybrook is one of the most dangerous stretches of I-95 in Connecticut because of the switch from 3 lanes to 2.”
- Jamie Harrington

“Amtrack costs more than driving. New London is a natural transportation hub, with access to parking, buses, and ferry. Half the people that catch the train in Saybrook would catch it in New London if they could.”
- Tim Harrington

“It will save residents money, increase income revenue within the area and lessen traffic on 95.”
- Matthew Montanari

“I travel back and forth to NYC and Boston. It makes no sense for me to drive 30 min pass by a train station in my town to go to another station, with limited parking. Tracks are tracks like roads are roads. Try to meet the needs of the customers. Furthermore, the revenue generated will be beneficial to the community especially during the summer and fall.”
- Marilyn Cortell

“I use Shoreline East when I spend weekends with my family in Ledyard and then to commute back to Manhattan. I would use the service even more if I could take the train to New London late Friday night and then back again on Sunday afternoon or early Monday morning.”
- David Parham

“I am a student at Connecticut College and I need a safe reliable way to get to New Haven and New York City at an affordable price.”
- Jason Cordova

“We often think of going into NYC but the cost is prohibitive and I have small children, so being able to ride the train from New London would be a huge benefit.”
- Catherine Ringling

“Very important to me and my family to be able to connect to New Haven, NY and the like.”
- Robin St. Pierre

“It would bring us into the twentieth century, just like the developed countries!”
- David H. Ericson

“Commuter rail in New London will provide economical, efficient, and environmentally sound mass transportation to the center of industry and tourism in eastern Connecticut.”
- Charles J. Slater

It’s a win/win for everyone involved; the city of New London & New Haven (and points beyond), the traffic on I-95 and the state of Connecticut.”
- Suzanne McCormack

“It will help commuters to use Newlondon station more, when there will be a choice to work in Yale or New Haven area. It makes it difficult to accept job in New Haven.”
- Rita Patel

“Commuter service will enhance New London's transportation center and increase business in the Historic Waterfront District.”
- Sandra Chalk

“It is about time. It makes zero sense to have to get off in Old Saybrook and have to be picked up in a car. This only adds to our increasing Carbon Bootprint.”
- Jimi Egan

“Please bring Shoreline East to New London on a regular basis. It will make travel much more convenient -- and it’s good for the environment.”
- Deborah McCann Connors

“This is so important!”
- Tess Williams

“A service like this would be invaluable to all commuters and would be a boost to tourism. I support this.”
- Brian Ellsworth

“Extending Shoreline East service to New London would benefit the entire region: less cars on the already crowded highways, easier access to the surrounding business and increased flexibility for workers and travelers.”
- Skye Tyler

“I find it hard to believe that in this age, when mass transportation is so vital to our future needs, that we have to go to such great lengths to simply use what is already in place. More stops equals more users.”
- Kenn Magowan