Solar Panel Contract Approved for Westport’s Saugatuck Metro-North Train Station

The Saugatuck Metro-North train station may soon be that will hopefully permit additional parking.

“Our goal is to end up with a net increase in parking spaces through negotiations with the tenants that are there,” said Building Official Steve Smith.

are smaller and thinner than typical gasoline cars and SUV’s. Smith said the ones that will benefit from the charging stations are the parking pass holders, who will have the ability to pay to recharged their vehicles with a credit card.

In addition to the parking benefit, the solar panels will also generate a power surplus. At the Board of Selectman’s meeting Wednesday there were discussions about allowing the tenants, and , use the additional power. Public Works Director Steve Edwards suggested the town ‘net meter’ the electricity to their electric meter instead of giving the surplus energy to the tenants for free.

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If everything goes to plan, Westport will receive more than $100,000 from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund, which will cover purchasing and installing the solar panels and charging stations, Smith said. The construction would then begin this summer.

that the train station may, at some point, house 20 electric vehicle charging stations -- something he hopes will promote the use of electric vehicles.

“The town has consciously decided, particularly with the new leadership at the police department, which oversees this, to upgrade as best we can using funds that are available to us, both state and local, to make it safer, more attractive and more energy efficient,” Joseloff said of the train station repairs and modifications.

Joseloff added that the train station, in many cases, is the first thing people see when they visit Westport.

“Obviously we want people to have a good impression, he said.”

The car charger will be a level one charger -- the first of its kind in the country, according to Smith.

“It will put us on the map,” Smith added.