New Haven Line Metro-North riders, who have endured a year marked by serious service disruptions, could face 20 more years of compromised service if investment in basic maintenance is not sped up. That’s the conclusion of a new report from the Regional Plan Association, Getting Back on Track: Unlocking the Full Potential of the New Haven Line. RPA’s report calls for $3.6 billion in priority investments through 2020 so that the railroad can reach a state of good repair and run full, four-track service.

The Connecticut Department of Transportation’s 2013-2017 capital plan currently dedicates $962 million to the New Haven Line. At that rate of investment, it would take 20 years to complete the projects identified by RPA as necessary for it to function as a reliable railroad. Until those projects are completed, delays could remain routine. For example, the rail line’s movable bridges are frequently stuck open, and needed track, platform, and overhead wire repairs often necessitate taking portions of track out of service, resulting in slower service and reduced redundancy.

The New Haven Line has come under scrutiny after a series of incidents that can be traced both to aging infrastructure and management practices. Last Thursday, a power failure stranded riders for two hours. In September, an old electrical cable failed, crippling the line for almost two weeks.  In May 2013, a derailment near Bridgeport injured dozens of people and shut the line down for days (two of the rail line’s four tracks were out of service for a maintenance project in this area; had they been open, the railroad could have run limited service while repairs continued). Also in May, a worker was killed after an error by a Metro-North rail traffic controller. All of this has led to a decision by the Federal Railroad Administration to review the agency’s “safety culture.”

Despite its trying year, the New Haven Line still set an all-time ridership record in 2013, with 39 million annual rides. That shows the importance of the rail to the economies of Connecticut and New York. RPA’s report shows that investing in the New Haven Line must be a larger priority for Connecticut as it conducts its TransformCT strategic transportation plan.

This wouldn’t be Connecticut’s first time making critical rail investments: after a similar year of troubles in 2004, when nearly half the state’s rail cars were knocked out of service, then-Governor M. Jodi Rell ordered new rail cars to upgrade Connecticut’s fleet. And in 2007, the Connecticut General Assembly adopted a transportation bond package to help modernize the New Haven Line and other transit systems throughout the state. It remains to be seen if Governor Malloy and the General Assembly will pursue similar measures during this legislative session.