Governor Malloy and Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) staff announced that CTfastrak ridership has surpassed 4 million riders since opening in March, 2015 at a CTfastrak event held at the Parkville station on August 30th. Ridership in the corridor has reached 17,000 to 18,000 trips per weekday according to CTDOT.
“CTfastrak has exceeded all expectations. It is a transformative investment for our future – ridership levels we originally expected to see in 2030 are happening right now,” Malloy said at the event.
Malloy also praised CTfastrak’s value to economic development in the region. Local stores and restaurants along the corridor have reported increased revenue and customers thanks to the pedestrian traffic and increased access the routes provide.
CTfastrak was originally envisioned in the 1997 Hartford West Major Investment Study jointly undertaken by CRCOG, CTDOT, and the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency. The study called for the creation of a bus rapid transit system to curb traffic along the I-84 corridor west of Hartford. After significant planning efforts, CTfastrak was completed and service began in March, 2015. CTfastrak remains Connecticut’s only bus rapid transit system.
“If we want to improve our state’s economy, if we want to grow jobs and support business growth, then we must make crucial investments in our infrastructure that Connecticut failed to make for too long,” Governor Malloy said.
CTDOT Ridership information can also be found at http://crcog.org/ctfastrak-ridership/
More information about CTfastrak can be found at www.CTfastrak.com.
