Post a Comment On: the beat bike blog

People often ask me, "You work in Bridgeport and live in Hartford, and you bike to work?!"

Actually, people almost never ask me that, because I don't meet new people very much, and when I do, they usually speak Spanish. But it's true: I live in West Hartford (which is just like Hartford except totally, godawfully different, but geographically close) and I work at least three days a week in Bridgeport and environs. And most times, I do not drive. This makes for an interesting commute, and since this blog is all about the advocacy and pro-biking ideas and what-not, I figure I'll share my pan-Connecticut commute and ruminate on what would make it easier. Because honestly, I'm incredibly tough and undaunted by adversity, so I can handle the tribulations of a 60-mile, multi-modal commute. But if we hope to get mere mortals to do it, we're going to have to make some changes (or, you know, make gasoline impossibly fucking expensive).

So here's how it goes (click on the pictures for a larger version). I leave mi casa at around 5:50 a.m.:

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I ride down Sedgwick / Park Road / Park Street, past the good old Quaker Diner:

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Eventually, I get to Union Station in downtown Hartford, fold up my bike, and settle in on the 6:26 to New Haven. Here's the bike, folded up on the train, as rosy-fingered dawn comes through the windows somewhere around Wallingford:

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Eventually, I get to New Haven, where I grab a cup of coffee and wait for a few minutes:

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Then it's onto Metro North:

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And soon I'm enjoying the sights of the Park City:

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Now, what could make this less of a pain in the ass? Basically, it's all about the train: It's too expensive, it doesn't run frequently, it's hostile to bikes (even my folding bike), and, um, did I mention that it's too expensive?

Cost
Seriously: a discounted ten-ride ticket amounts to $12 for a one-way from Hartford to New Haven. That's way more expensive than driving 40 miles. The only reason it's not prohibitive for me is because my work pays part of my travel costs. Come on, Amtrak! That's crazy! I mean, Metro North can carry me an equivalent distance, from Waterbury to Bridgeport, for $2.25. $2.25! And their trains are always on time, unlike yours, which are frequently forty-five minutes late with no explanation.

Frequency
There are two morning trains to New Haven. One of them leaves at 6:26, the other at 7:45. That sucks. And you can't tell me there isn't demand - I've driven to New Haven during morning rush hour, and there are people commuting from Hartford and everywhere in between. Parking in New Haven is a nightmare and gas costs a fortune, so I'm sure that people would take advantage of train service . . . if it didn't cost a bloody fortune and leave at only two times!.

Bike Accommodations
Amtrak rules basically treat regular bikes as baggage that needs to be boxed and checked an hour before boarding, which wouldn't really work for commuters. The thing is, though, all of the trains have these huge open areas at the end of each car (see the photo above of my bike) that could easily accommodate two or maybe three full-sized bikes. Also, the conductors are really touchy about even my folding bike, which fits neatly into the little utility closet at the end of each car (which is otherwise always empty). It's strange: They see the bike and they're like, "Whoa! This is unusual! Must object!" But when people ignore the luggage racks and just pile their suitcases in the bathroom (I saw this happen), the conductors are totally OK with it. Plus, there's a cafe car, which is nice but, based on the amount of business I've seen it do, neither profitable nor an efficient use of space. It has about eight tables that no one uses because everyone carries their stuff back to their seats. That would be good bike space!

So what's the solution?

Well, one solution is that I could drive to Waterbury and take Metro-North from there, which I sometimes do. That's a lot less driving than going all the way to Bridgeport, and it gives me a chance to ride my bike around Bridgeport, which keeps me looking svelte. But surely, there has to be a way to get Hartford in the game, right? There is, of course, the perennially unrealized Springfield-New Haven Commuter Line, and we should definitely lobby our legislators and wish-granting genies to make that a reality. But in the mean time, what else can be done? Any suggestions, people?