Highways
Interstate 95 serves as the east/west corridor in the region. Interstate 395 intersects the region and serves as the north/south corridor.
Infrastructure
The network of transportation corridors and services throughout the region consists of highways, rail lines, bus service, airports, passenger ferry service, and shipping services.
Regional Connectivity
Transportation
Commuter Rail
Amtrak provides passenger rail service with stops in New London and Mystic. Its Northeast Corridor connects the region with Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. Shore Line East offers commuter rail service to New Haven.
Foreign Trade Zone
The City of New London’s Foreign Trade Zone extends to seCTer’s entire region.
Freight Rail
Freight service is offered by New England Central Railroad and Providence and Worcester Railroad. Located on opposite sides of the Thames River, the lines diverge at Norwich and continue north toward Worcester and Palmer, Massachusetts, respectively.
Shipping
Long Island Sound supports passenger ferries, commercial shipping, and pleasure boating. The Admiral Harold E. Shear State Pier in New London, adjacent to the Central Vermont Railroad Pier, is a major commercial marine facility with on-site freight rail connections to the north, east, and west.
Public Transit
Southeast Area Transit (SEAT) operates public bus service in several towns and cities throughout the region. Windham Regional Transit District serves the Town of Windham.
Air
The Connecticut Airport Authority operates Groton-New London Airport and Windham Airport, providing general aviation services. Commercial passenger and freight services are available through Bradley International Airport, Tweed New Haven Airport, and T.F. Green Airport in Rhode Island.
Ferry
Cross Sound Ferry connects New London with Orient Point, Long Island, New York. The original regional overview notes an expansion allowing eight additional departures and arrivals.
State Pier Development
New London State Pier
On February 11, 2020, the Connecticut Port Authority, terminal operator Gateway Terminal, and joint venture partners Ørsted and Eversource finalized a harbor development agreement to redevelop State Pier into a heavy-lift-capable port facility.
The agreement was intended to support maritime investment and bring hundreds of well-paying jobs to the area.
The original project announcement described an investment of approximately $250 million, including $75 million from Ørsted and Eversource toward capital improvements.
The original page stated that construction was underway and that facility upgrades were expected to be completed in early 2023.
Historical project information from the original seCTer page. The completion timeline is not presented as a current status update.
Essential Services
Utilities
Immediate responsiveness during emergencies is highly valued. Southeastern Connecticut benefits from several local utility providers offering essential services, reliable supply, and customer support throughout the region.
Eversource Energy
Eversource distributes electricity to most of southeastern Connecticut and provides natural gas service to New London, Groton, and portions of other communities.
Visit Eversource →Groton Public Utilities
Groton Public Utilities provides electricity, water, and sewer services to the City of Groton and large portions of the Town of Groton, including major power users.
Bozrah Light and Power, a division of GPU, provides electricity to Bozrah. Jewett City Department of Public Utilities provides electricity and sewer service to Jewett City and adjacent portions of Griswold.
Visit Groton Utilities →Norwich Public Utilities
Norwich Public Utilities serves the greater Norwich area with electricity, natural gas, water, sewer, and fiber services.
In 2016, NPU and the Connecticut Municipal Electric Energy Cooperative installed a Community Solar Garden designed to provide more than 2.75 MW of renewable energy.
NPU also promotes alternative fuels and maintains two compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations, including one near the Norwichtown exit off Interstate 395.
Visit Norwich Public Utilities →