http://www.connpost.com/localnews/ci_6952883
Commuters fume over delay to finish garage
RICHARD WEIZEL rwei...@ctpost.com
Article Last Updated: 09/20/2007 10:51:09 PM EDT

STRATFORD - Commuters reacted angrily Thursday to news from the state
Department of Transportation that a 640-space parking garage they've
been waiting a decade for near the railroad station will be delayed at
least two years and that construction won't begin until 2010.

With about 1,200 people on a waiting list for a permit to park at the
station, DOT Rail Administrator Eugene Colonese told commuters during
a public session at the Stratford Library that groundbreaking on the
four-story garage in Stratford Center will not occur until at least
2010.

When the DOT and state approved more than $12 million for the station
several years ago, bids for the project were scheduled to go out in
2008, and the station completed by 2010, officials said.

Outraged commuters asked Colonese why there is a delay. "There is a
problem with land acquisition near the station," Colonese said. "I'm
not really sure what the problem is. I'll have to research the matter
further."

Currently there are 350 parking permits at the station, but commuters
rarely give them up, town officials said.

"I'm shocked to hear tonight that there is a delay when the funding is
in place and the town has been waiting years for this station
already," said state Rep. John Harkins, R-Stratford. "This is not
acceptable and we need to convince the DOT to meet its original
schedule."

Commuters said they are outraged over the delay, as well as the fact
that other promised improvements at the station
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have not occurred.

"I don't even bother calling any more to find out where I am on the
list because it takes forever to move up at all," said Holmes Street
resident Patti Sperling, who has been on the waiting list for five
years. Jane Wilson, of Bittersweet Lane, said she's been waiting two
years for a permit, but at 1,140 on the waiting list has been advised
it will take six more years.

"The way things are going who knows if I'll ever get a permit," Wilson
said.

Commuters also complained that a canopy that was supposed to be placed
on the westbound side of the station to protect commuters from
inclement weather has also still not been provided, as well as other
improvements.

Colonese agreed that Stratford is "probably the only main station on
the westbound side of the Metro North line without a canopy," and that
he would look into why one hasn't been provided. Other commuters said
they are forced to park a long distance from the train station, and
when they do people yell at them to move their cars.

"I used to live in Stamford and still work there, but moved into
Stratford in May and I can't believe how bad the train station parking
situation is here," said Carla Mackintosh of East Main Street. Some
commuters suggested alternate solutions, such as the town making
parking illegal around the train station for out-of-town motorists.
Other suggestions included using the Shakespeare Theatre lot and other
town properties for commuter parking, and providing shuttle buses from
some satellite locations.

"Even when the garage is completed it's not going to entirely solve
the problem," said Larry Haddad of Stratford Drive. Mayor James R.
Miron asked commuters if they would prefer doing away with the permit
system and just allowing people to park daily on a first-come first-
served basis.

Commuters were about equally divided over that idea.

"There are a lot of good ideas that we are considering, but no easy
solutions," Miron said.

Richard Weizel, who covers Stratford, can be reached at 330-6470.