Constitution State Looks to Freight Rail to Boost Economy, Ease Highway Congestion
Connecticut officials are banking on freight rail investments to reduce transportation costs and roadway congestion while also helping the economy and creating jobs. Steps to modernize freight rail infrastructure will link Connecticut to the national freight rail network, boosting existing businesses and luring new companies to Connecticut.
Connecticut's nine freight railroads operate over 571 miles of track and employ 111 in the Constitution State.* It would have taken approximately 163,000 additional trucks to handle the 2.9 million tons of freight that started, ended, or moved through Connecticut in 2021. Moving freight by rail prevented 519,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, the equivalent of taking 102,000 cars off the road or planting 7.86 million trees. Nonmetallic minerals and waste and scrap make up the majority of freight rail shipments beginning in Connecticut. Primary metal products are the largest rail imports to the state.
*2021 data
