Author: chelsea

Oh boy, this one’s a doozy. So, who wants to ride a bus for 2 hours straight? Yeah, me neither. I’m not exactly an “extreme commuter” or anything like that. However, we do have a route that fits the “let’s ride a bus for 2 hours” bill. Meet: the Coastal Link.

Some backstory: So, I first found out about this route through a Miles in Transit video where he rode it the other way (Norwalk-Milford). At that point, I haven’t even considered making this blog yet, and when I did make it I wanted to do the Coastal Link, just for how long it is. Sounds fun, right? Then, I wrote my entry on the 261, and came to LOATHE stroads for the lack of anything interesting to say about them. That’s when I said “oh dear god no” when I saw that the Coastal Link was on my todo list. And, while it isn’t the longest bus I’ve ridden for distance (that’s the 95X), it definitely is the longest route by runtime (by bus, beating the 14’s two branches). So, let’s get into this 2 hour marathon.

So, waiting at the mall after getting off the 271, all seems normal, right? Where’s the bus? It’s supposed to be laying over! I check the tracker, nothing. One bus even DISAPPEARED. My first thought was “oh crap” until 10:25 (3 minutes late!), a Milford Transit bus pulls in with the destination sign reading “CL COASTAL LINK”.

That explains it, because Milford Transit doesn’t even have GTFS or tracking of any kind. So, aboard the bus and off we go, down Route 1. Oh dear god, stroads…

So, we go down Route 1, turn down a street into downtown Milford, and down Broad Street. At this point, we’re in flag stop territory as Milford Transit doesn’t really have signed bus stops. Several people got on, and we high tailed it out, turning onto South Broad and eventually Bridgeport Avenue. Fortunately, it was a straight shot into Stratford and deviation #1 (2? Would the mall count?)

Alrighty, now that we crossed the… *looks at pronunciation key*

Hauser Tonic River? Did I get that? They named a river after Stjepan Hauser?! Oh, oh HOOSA-tonic. Damn, that’s disappointing.

After crossing the Housatonic River, we entered Stratford, left flag stop territory (stops were signed), and deviated to The Dock Shopping Center, and a double deviation to Stop & Shop specifically. Upon finishing this, we turned onto Barnum Avenue, passing a Walmart. Turning down Main St. brings us past Stratford’s Metro-North station. From here, we pressed on further down Main St., eventually turning down Stratford Avenue, and soon enough entering Bridgeport. At this point, we had townhouses lining the streets and, while it wasn’t the best-looking area, it wasn’t the worst either. Around here was where ridership started to pick up, with the bus eventually reaching about 80% capacity. Yeah, I didn’t think I’d see a Milford Transit bus this full. As we pressed on, we crossed a couple more rivers, passed a Bass Pro Shops, and went under the interstate twice, passing homeless camps, until we deviated into the GBT Terminal.

Alrighty, so after deviating into the GBT bus terminal, swapping an 85% full bus for a 95% full bus, we turn down John Street and Fairfield Avenue. From here, we still pass a bunch of houses and shops, pass under the New Haven Line again, and pass under I-95 again. And it’s more of the same. Again. But at least we pass a Dunkin’ and a creek! Neat.

At this point, we were in Fairfield, and we’d reach Route 1. Again. But, the interchange was a bit hacky since the bus stop was positioned in such a way where a sharp turn was necessary. And yes, someone DID get on here. We kept on down Route 1, through Fairfield’s town center and past the town green. I must admit, it seems like a nice area, save for on-street parking on a stroad. We also passed by a side street near Fairfield’s Metro-North station. But, once we left Fairfield for Westport, it was stroad HELL.

Of course, once we entered Westport, it was stroad HELL. It legitimately was nothing but shopping centers on either side. No deviations either. But, wait, there’s a proper downtown area in Westport?! Holy CRAP! Sadly, though, it’s nowhere near Westport’s Metro-North station. But then we crossed the Saugatuck River and it was the same crap. Strip malls and needlessly wide roads, all dragging on forever. Until, oh crap, we’re entering downtown Norwalk! Yeah, we took a turn at East Ave., passed the Norwalk Green, crossed the Norwalk River, and a few more turns and FINALLY we made it to the WHEELS Hub!

The good: You can’t say it doesn’t serve a lot! Yeah, it serves quite a bit. Three RTA jurisdictions (5 if you include the Stamford and New Haven divisions of CTtransit!), several towns, all stretched out over 20 someodd miles. Plus, it’s pretty much THE definition of a cross-regional bus route, serving multiple major cities along the way and with the various smaller communities. Also, it’s only $1.75 (which seems to be standard statewide, regardless of authority), vs. $4.50 for an intermediate ticket on Metro-North (from Milford to South Norwalk). And it runs to 10pm?!

The bad: It’s a bit long! I mean, yes, it’s intended to connect multiple places together, but it just drags on. The fact it’s all stroads doesn’t help much here. And, no front-door service to Metro-North? Would it have hurt to deviate into Stratford’s inbound platform at least, along with Fairfield’s?

Nearby points of interest: Norwalk! Bridgeport! Stratford! Milford! Also the Post Mall (which is the largest in the state!)! Also, whatever is in Westport. Yeah, there’s not much around there given the stroady nature. There’s also Fairfield, which seems alright.

Total crossings over the New Haven & Danbury Lines: 7

Total crossings over I-95: 10

Overall, it’s a decent route. A marathon, sure. But, it gets the job done as a link between the communities it serves. Plus, the connection between transit authorities and CTtransit is always nice. But, if you’re looking for speed, just take Metro-North.

Rating 9/10

Alrighty, another CTtransit route! Now, this one’s a bit tricky as there’s THREE(!!!) variants of the route. But, looking at the schedule, the 271M to Milford is the full run, with the 271S to Savin Rock and the Sunday-only 271R being short-turns. The full run also runs every 40 minutes, while trips go to Savin Rock every 20. Now, with that out of the way, let’s get into it.

So I got on the bus at Union Station instead of the New Haven Green, and from there we were off to the races. A few turns and Route 1 later, we were on Howard Avenue. Was there a prison? Not really. However, I wouldn’t describe this as the best part of New Haven. Dangerous still? Not really, though. But it was a high ridership area, and from here, we turned down Kimberly Avenue. We passed through a bunch of row homes and shops, even a school and a park. Soon enough, we went under the interstate and over the West River, into West Haven.

So, at this point, the road became Elm Street as we passed more of the same. Yep. More houses, more shops. Same stuff, different town. We made a turn, down Campbell Avenue, which seemed sorta walkable, I guess. It has parking on the sides of the street. Eventually, though, we’d make our way to the ocean and Savin Rock Park. By this point, ridership has fallen significantly, but there were still a few people on the bus.

Alright, from hereon out it was what is probably rich NIMBY hell. Following the ocean, on the side I was sitting on, it was just houses upon houses, sometimes a park, but it all looked like it’d belong to rich people. There was also a beach along the way at one of the turns, and the other side had much more for the eyes to see. Eventually, there were some shops like Sunoco and Dollar General. At one point, we even turned down a side street that probably shouldn’t have buses on it. And yes, it’s part of the route.

Finally, we made it to Milford. From here, we turned down New Haven Avenue, deviated towards Milford’s MNRR station, and went back up the way we came. From there, we went further up Gulf Street, and down Route 1 to the end of the route at the Connecticut Post Mall.

The good: Well, it serves a lot of mostly high density neighborhoods! It also directly-ish serves Milford’s Metro-North station, along with the Connecticut Post Mall. Short-turns to Savin Rock are also nice, since not everyone needs to go the full hour ride out.

The bad: What’s with Sunday routing being different? It also feels like it drags on forever through rich NIMBY hell, but to be fair not many people there are probably looking to take CTtransit.

Nearby points of interest: Milford’s downtown and the Post Mall. Also, Savin Rock and the West Haven Green.

Overall, it’s a decent enough route. It definitely serves a lot, and, at least on my run, was a few minutes early. Nevertheless, I’d say that this route would be better having the express variant over the 261.

Rating: 7/10

Nono, this isn’t Fairfield (Metro-North). That’s next time I’m in the area. This is Fairfield Metro (Metro-North). Okay? We good? I know, it’s a little confusing. But, let’s dig into it.

Okay, so of course, getting off the train, the platform is very much still seemingly immaculate. You’ve got benches, a huge parking lot (this was built to relieve pressure on Fairfield!), and would ya believe it, it’s fully accessible! YAY! That’s by virtue of a bridge over the tracks, which have elevator access! Ticket machines also exist here. Lastly, you have bike racks on the inbound side, along with what looks like a busway. If it is a busway, it’s kinda useless since nothing stops here, well, at the station itself. GBT stops on Kings Highway just outside the station (0.1 mile walk) with one route.

The good: It’s got ridership, that’s for sure! Given that most of the parking lot was used when I was here, it’s clear that it’s serving its purpose as a relief station for Fairfield. Furthermore, most trains stop here unless it’s an express.

The bad: The platform is kinda long, maybe overly long, but then again some trains CAN be long. Plus, what’s with that thing that looks like a busway?

Nearby points of interest: Not a lot, but there are a few shopping centers nearby.

Transit connections:
Metro-North (New Haven)
GBT (5 on Black Rock Tpke., 7 on Kings Hwy.)

Overall, it’s a servicable station. It’s not bad, but it just feels like it’s lacking in character. Or, maybe, the character is in how modern it is. And, as a relief station for Fairfield, it gets the job done pretty well.

Rating: 7/10

So, from the middle of absolutely nowhere, to the heart of a small city (kinda). Let’s look at South Norwalk.

So, getting off the WHEELS bus (no entries on that yet!), I made my way up towards the station. Wait, oh crap I got off the wrong spot. Turns out, you don’t enter through the parking garage like at Wickford Junction. So, some more walking later, and finally I found the entrance to the platforms. And there’s a station building here, too! Sweet!

Of course, it’s your standard Metro-North affair, but the platforms are configured in a slightly more unusual way. With it being the terminal for the Danbury Line, the trains need somewhere to lay over. So, that’s where the extra tracks and the partial islands come in. Tracks 1 and 2 are your standard express tracks, mostly for Amtrak and express trains. Tracks 3 and 4 are used for trains to New Haven and Grand Central, while tracks 5 and 6 are used for Danbury trains. Here’s a visual from Wikipedia.

So, how’s the station itself? Well, the platforms are your standard affair with benches, a Pepsi vending machine, ticket machines, and a parking machine to pay for parking. Inside the station, you have some vending machines, plus bathrooms which are only open during morning and evening rush hour periods. The inside of the station looks nice though, with waiting areas on either side, connected by an underpass.

The good: It’s pretty much in downtown Norwalk! Furthermore, you also have Norwalk WHEELS deviating in here with every route that serves the station. Parking is (as far as I can tell) aplenty, and you even have two nice indoor waiting areas. Plus, it’s also the terminus for Danbury trains, so one could transfer between lines here.

The bad: That said, sometimes the platform listing is only a suggestion, as the Danbury train above was too long to fit on track 5. It’s also a bit of a ways away from the WHEELS Hub, and the locked bathroom is annoying.

Nearby points of interest: If you’re willing to walk a little, downtown Norwalk is nearby! You also have the Sono Collection shopping center and the aquarium nearby.

Transit connections:
Metro-North (Danbury, New Haven)
Norwalk WHEELS (9, 10, 11)

Overall, it’s a nice station. In a way, it reminds me of Wickford Junction, but with actual service. And, unlike some other stations, it’s properly set up to handle branch services. It’s also centrally located in Norwalk so one could get here without much hassle.

Rating: 7.5/10

Hey kids! Ever wanted to be in what seemed like the middle of absolutely NOWHERE, but also with the sound of I-95 whirring about in the background?! Well now you can, at GREEN’S FARMS!!!

Alrighty, so first off, the platform situation is much the same as Stratford. You’ve got a mostly sheltered inbound side, and a bus shelter on the outbound side. Benches are everywhere, though! Plus, there’s what appears to be a cafe in the station building, but as far as I can tell it’s only open on weekday mornings during rush hour. Otherwise, all you get is a Pepsi vending machine. Ticket machines are also on the inbound platform.

As for parking, it’s obviously a park & ride, so it’s aplenty. Some spaces were left unused, but the vast majority of them were taken up. It’s also an alright spot for rail foaming, if you’re into that. However, I’d instead recommend another place, such as Bridgeport or South Norwalk, if the weather is bad.

The good: Well, it’s a decent enough spot for foaming! Plus, there’s plenty of parking and it’s pretty much right off I-95, so there’s that. Unfortunately…

The bad: If you want to get anywhere, you gotta go at least half a mile. By car it isn’t bad, as the interstate is only a mile and a half away. On foot, though, it’s a mile and a half to US-1. Yeah. This station’s pretty much in no man’s land. And, as for accessibility, it’s dubious at best. Yes, there’s level boarding, but good luck changing sides. Service here is also largely neutered vs. the rest of the New Haven Line, being a train an hour, vs. at least 2-3 on the rest of the line

Nearby points of interest: There’s a beach nearby if you’re willing to walk half a mile!

Transit connections:
Metro-North (New Haven Line)

Overall, it’s literally just a park & ride. I got nothing much to say about it. It’s also got neutered service, but given the fact ridership as-is is high enough, if service is to increase, there should be a shuttle that runs to here and times with trains. Or, just go to Westport if you need midday service.

Rating: 5.5/10

Oh boy, a Metro-North station! Yeah, the next several entries are going to be Metro-North. Anyways, let’s get into Stratford!

So, like the rest of Metro-North’s New Haven Line, Stratford is fully high-level. However, the platform’s a little short, as on the train ride here, the conductor came on and announced that doors would NOT open on the last two cars. Yikes.

Of course, what does the station have? It’s just your standard Metro-North affair with ticket machines, a vending machine, trash, and benches. Of course, the southbound platform is fully sheltered while the northbound one only has a small shelter. While annoying, this makes sense since most people here are going towards Grand Central, not New Haven. Fortunately, the station is technically accessible by way of ramps up to the platforms. However, crossing over isn’t really the most accessible, just like Milford. But, since the sidewalk is a little flatter, at least it’s easier.

The good: It’s quite close to where most of the things in Stratford are. It’s also close to the interstate as well, so one could theoretically use it as a park & ride. Furthermore, it’s your standard Metro-North affair of having garbage bins and benches on the entirety of the platform, along with a ticket machine. It’s also a transfer point with some Waterbury trains.

The bad: The lack of an inbound shelter, and the questionable accessibility. Hell, wouldn’t it be easier to just install an elevator to sidewalk level on both sides?

Nearby points of interest: The national helicopter museum on the outbound side! There’s also a bar on the inbound side, but I’m not sure how good their food is. The Docks is also nearby, along with a Dunkin’ and a Cumberland Farms.

Transit connections:
Metro-North (New Haven, Waterbury)
GBT (23)
Coastal Link

Overall, it’s an alright station. Worse than Milford? Not really. But, I wouldn’t say it’s much better either. In a sense, I guess it’s just a copy-paste and not much else.

Rating: 6/10

The WHEELS on the bus go round n’ rou- oh, not that kind of wheels? Oh, ok. 🙁

Whelp, that’s it. That’s literally all of the Wheels Hub. What ya see is what ya get. Now, it isn’t the worst thing in the world, but the biggest gripe is that the berths are haphazardly labelled with seemingly no rhyme or reason. Fortunately, however, you do get some seating and a little bit of shelter. But, as far as I can tell it isn’t heated. Also unfortunate, and I ain’t gonna sugarcoat it, there’s also a number of homeless people sleeping here. Make of that as you wish. Oh, there’s also a dot matrix sign that lists departures! Neat!

The good: It’s got labelled berths and countdown clocks! For a small-ish RTA like Norwalk WHEELS, I honestly would’ve expected less. But, hey, it’s a nice thing to have! Plus, the system operates on a pulse schedule (where all routes, excepting the Coastal Link, leave at the same time, guaranteeing connections with one another)

The bad: I mean, the lack of an information booth can be quite offputting. And, for an RTA’s central hub, I would’ve thought some kind of an indoor waiting area would’ve been halfway decent. Also, be ready to inhale the occasional diesel fume from the Danbury Branch’s diesel locomotives from time to time.

Nearby points of interest: Pretty much all of Norwalk! You also got CTtransit’s 341 to Stamford and the Coastal Link to Bridgeport and Milford. A short ride to South Norwalk’s Metro-North station can also get one to either New Haven, Grand Central, or Danbury.

Transit connections:
Norwalk Transit (most routes)
Coastal Link
CTtransit (341)

Overall, it’s a serviceable transfer point. It’s not the best, and quite truthfully I’m sure worse exists. It’s a central hub for a small RTA, and it also serves as an inter-system transfer between the Coastal Link, CTtransit, and Norwalk Transit. Just be ready for the occasional Brookville, EMD, or GE diesel locomotive to pass under the nearby overpass.

Rating: 4.5/10

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