New Haven to Providence Railroad Study “Pop-Up” Q&A Session In Ninigret Park
When: Thursday, August 6 at 6 p.m.
Where: Ninigret Park (where in the 172 acre park was not specified!)
With less than 48 hours notice before the event, a notice went up on the Town of Charlestown’s web site and Facebook page that Amtrak would be conducting this pop-up event. No notice was sent by Amtrak to the many residents who have signed up to be notified via the study email list.
Amtrak’s Outreach and Engagement Plan for the New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study describes the purpose of a “pop-up” event as a way to distribute information about their study and collect input from community members.
Based on the description of these pop-up events in Amtrak’s outreach plan, the Amtrak study team may distribute pamphlets, poster displays, surveys, engage in question-and-answer sessions, and mapping activities.
Background About The Study
In 2016, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) released a plan to bisect Charlestown with new high-speed track that would have crossed into Charlestown from Westerly, run from Charlestown’s western edge to its eastern edge, and finally reconnected with the existing railroad near the Great Swamp State Wildlife Management Area in South Kingstown.
Land in Charlestown and Connecticut was squarely in the middle of the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass.” The Bypass was the “preferred alternative” in the Federal Railroad Administration’s Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
More than 16 organizations worked tirelessly against the Bypass, including Greg Stroud and his organization SECoast, the Charlestown Citizens Alliance, and the Charlestown Town Council elected in 2016.
When the Federal Railroad Administration released its Record of Decision on July 12, 2017, and dropped the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” from the decision, it was great news and a big win for Charlestown. However, the Bypass was replaced by a required study that was needed to develop a new preferred alternative and that left Charlestown at risk for an alternative that would be similar to that of the Bypass.
Amtrak made an announcement on May 21, 2026, that the study required by the FRA’s 2017 Record of Decision had finally received federal government and other funding to proceed. Amtrak estimates that the study—the New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study—will take up to two years.
In early June, Amtrak launched a website, https://newhavenprovidencestudy.com/ that included a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. Amtrak says the website will be enlarged as the study progresses and more information becomes available.
We’ll keep you updated as we learn more. We are committed to protecting Charlestown and the natural resources and public and private property that would be destroyed if anything like the “Old Saybrook to Kenyon Bypass” returns.
Visit Amtrak’s Website New Haven To Providence Capacity Planning Study Visit Our Railroad Page To Learn More About Past Work To Stop The Bypass Sign Up For The CCA Newsletter To Stay Informed
The New Haven to Providence Capacity Planning Study website allows the public to sign up for the study’s mailing list and optionally to provide input to Amtrak about the study. Please do sign up, but since the launch of their mailing list in early June, no messages have been sent to those who signed up.
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