Fairfield's newest train station, Fairfield Metro, will be renamed the Fairfield-Black Rock Station, the state Department of Transportation said.
The DOT announced plans to rename the train station, which is the second Metro-North station in Fairfield, in the coming months.
The name is being changed to follow traditional naming of stations in Connecticut - which indicate the town or geographic area being served.
DOT officials said some commuters have reported that they get confused finding the Fairfield or Fairfield Metro stations when using navigation apps.
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“Renaming this station will limit any public confusion about when and where they need to be to catch their train. With added pedestrian safety features also getting underway, the Fairfield-Black Rock station will continue serving as a vital transportation hub," DOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto said in a statement.
Authorities said the parking lot will also be made safer for pedestrians that walk to the station, or to the platforms.
Construction will include new concrete ramps at the street and mid-lot sidewalks, as well as a new clearly defined pedestrian walkway from the street to the platform area.
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Fairfield's first selectman said he welcomes the name change because it "more clearly describes the location of the station."
“Fairfield-Black Rock, I like the way it sounds. Metro-North applauds the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s choice to include Black Rock in the renamed station name because the change is aligned with the MTA’s own principles for station names in New York to emphasize community names," Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi said in a statement.
Construction at the station is expected to take about three months. During this time, new signage will be installed, websites and travel apps will be updated and on-board messaging will change.
The train station is one of 21 stations along the New Haven Line in the state, and more than 28 million passenger trips happen every year.
