CT Post: Parking garage plan stalls, sparks task force
David Mooney
I'm glad Rep. Harkins is starting to come around to the idea that the
garage he has talked about for years is going to be insufficient. Last
year he gave me the same brush off Colonese gave me at the meeting
last week. There is not one single person making decisions about the
train station who rides the train. I think a commission is a no-
brainer and should be given real authority to set train station policy
such as parking permit rates, overbooking rates and approval authority
for train station budget.
Parking garage plan stalls, sparks task force
RICHARD WEIZEL rwe...@ctpost.com
Article Launched: 09/23/2007 11:57:27 PM EDT
STRATFORD - A group of commuters frustrated by the latest two-year
delay in the state's plan to construct a 640-space garage near the
train station is calling on Mayor James R. Miron to appoint a task
force to study alternatives and other issues at the depot.
The commuters were frustrated at Thursday's announcement by the state
Department of Transportation that groundbreaking for a long-awaited
parking garage will be delayed until 2010.
Now, they want a special panel to be set up by the mayor to include
commuters and legislators to look into other parking options.
There are about 1,200 people on a waiting list for a permit to park at
the station, and commuters on the list now wait up to six-years. About
350 permits are now in effect, town officials said. "We definitely
need some kind of an official panel to represent the commuters and our
interests," said Lisa Donnelly, a California Street resident who
commutes to Stamford daily and was able to obtain a parking permit
seven years ago.
"When I got my permit I had to wait two years, now it's six years and
who knows how long it will be by the time this parking garage is
ready," said Donnelly, adding she would be willing to serve on the
panel. She said a task force is also needed to study other problems at
the station, including the need for canopies to protect commuters
during bad weather, better lighting, improved traffic control, updated
signs and a crackdown on motorists without permits who use the lots.
"The town and state need to know there are a lot of people who utilize
this train station, and we have to come up with ways to alleviate the
severe parking shortage, as well as other issues," Donnelly said.
State Rep. John Harkins, R-Stratford, who attended the meeting and has
been working to get work started on the parking garage, said he
strongly supports the idea of a commuter task force and believes Miron
agrees.
"The mayor and I have discussed establishment of a commission or task
force to study the train station and other options for parking that
could suit commuters," Harkins said. "Finding parking lots for
commuters and establishing bus shuttle service are ideas that a task
force could study," Harkins said.
"This is very timely. We know the garage is going to happen, but it's
taking longer than expected and is only the first phase of alleviating
a larger, long-term problem."
Harkins also said he would be willing to serve on a task force.
He said he's still shocked the parking garage is being delayed and
sent an e-mail Friday to DOT Commissioner Ralph Carpenter seeking ways
for the process to be expedited.
While funding for the garage has been secured, Colonese told about 40
people who attended the special meeting that "there is a problem with
land acquisition near the station."
Commuters at the meeting were divided about a proposal by Miron to do
away with permits and allow parking at the station on a first-come,
first-served basis. Those with permits reacted angrily.
"It took years to get my parking permit and to change the process now
and take away permits from all of us who have waited would create an
uproar," said Betsie Gutcheon of Lovell Place. "But parking and
congestion at the train station are among major problems there that a
task force would study."