The Darien, Conn., MTA station upgrades are facing delays and increased costs to $40 million and are now expected to finish by March 2026. Manchester, Conn., will reconstruct the Tolland Turnpike with $6.7 million in state and federal funding. Work on the road will start in late 2026 or early 2027.
Banton Construction photo
The project involves the complete historical renovation of the existing station, in addition to installing a pair of elevators and new canopy systems over the existing platforms, Banton noted on its website.
Renovations on the Darien Metro-North Railroad train station in Connecticut will not be completed until next year following multiple setbacks, according to Darien First Selectman Jon Zagrodzky.
Construction has been ongoing to extensively renovate the downtown station, with upgrades including platform replacements on both sides, new hydraulic elevators and the state's first electrically-heated train platform, which would help the town to avoid salting it with ice during the winter, the Darien Times reported April 8, 2025.
Banton Construction Co. in North Haven is the contractor making upgrades to the Darien station, a key commuter stop on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North rail line, which connects Connecticut with New York City.
The project involves the complete historical renovation of the existing station, in addition to installing a pair of elevators and new canopy systems over the existing platforms, Banton noted on its website.
In order to construct the concrete structures for the new elevators, extensive work had to be performed on the existing railroad bridge over nearby U.S. Highway 1, which led to the use of driven horizontal tie-backs and soil nailing procedures.
Prior to the renovations, Banton also built a fully operational temporary station.
The replacement of the station's eastern platform is now slated to finish by the end of August 2025, while the entire project, originally slated to be finished in May 2025, will likely be pushed to March 2026 barring any further delays, Zagrodzky explained.
He said that the estimated cost of the project, which is state funded, is now closer to $40 million as a result of the impediments. The upgrades were initially budgeted at $34 million, but the slowdowns have added another $6 million to the cost.
One of the setbacks stems from production delays on the electric panels intended for the heated platform, which Zagrodzky said are difficult to manufacture.
Construction also reportedly ran into unexpected infrastructure while digging trenches for the electrical supply that would power the heated platform. Workers discovered the demolished remains of a 19th century building that had been paved over, Zagrodzky said, which needed to be excavated to allow for the station's electrical installation.
Crews also had to fix damage to the train station itself.
In the time between platform repairs — last replaced in 2003, Zagrodzky said — years of salting created worse damage than anticipated, affecting not just the platform but the structure's foundation as well.
Despite the delays, he told the Times that the Darien train station "really should look terrific by the time they're finished."
"After having met with the construction team and the leadership earlier this week, I'm confident that they're on top of this," said Zagrodzky in early April 2025. "They've also committed to keep us informed about any further delays."
Manchester Gets $6.7 million Funding for Tolland Turnpike Rebuild
Town officials in Manchester, Conn. are in the early stages of a plan to reconstruct part of the Tolland Turnpike, backed by $6.7 million in state and federal funding.
At a meeting on April 1, 2025, the Manchester Board of Directors allocated the grant from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) for the purpose of reconstructing Tolland Turnpike between Chapel Road and Buckland Street.
The funding consisted of $4 million from the federal government, along with $500,000 through the Surface Transportation Program Hartford and another $2.2 million in state funds through the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program.
In total, the project is anticipated to cost $7.2 million, with the remaining $500,000 to be covered by a local match allocated through a public works bond referendum approved by Manchester voters in November 2023.
Town Engineer Jeff LaMalva told the Manchester Journal Inquirer that the project involves reconstructing the pavement surface of a roughly mile-long stretch of Tolland Turnpike, including the two railroad crossings, as well as construction of a "shared-use path" on the south side of the road.
As for why the work is necessary, he said the targeted stretch of roadway is in poor condition with pavement conditions index ratings between 28 and 46, where 100 is the best condition possible and zero is the worst.
LaMalva added that the project is conceptual in nature, but the town will begin the design and permitting phase this summer, with the on-site construction anticipated to begin in late 2026 or early 2027. A public engagement meeting will be held as part of that work.
"We are very grateful for the federal and state funding for this project as this would likely need to be completed in phases if entirely funded locally," LaMalva said.
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