If Gov. Ned Lamont and the General Assembly want to slowly kill Shore Line East rail service, they have come up with the perfect approach.

The recently approved Connecticut state budget cuts funding for the passenger rail line that runs from New London to New Haven Union Station. The governor and lawmakers point to lower usage of the rail service as justification for the subsidy cuts. Ridership plummeted during the pandemic. That was no surprise. It is also unsurprising that it has not roared back, particularly considering that the state Department of Transportation cut service by one-third during the pandemic and has not restored it.

Given the budget reduction, Shore Line East operations will be further trimmed, to 44% of pre-COVID levels. The resulting infrequent service will make ridership recovery unlikely. Instead, use of the line could further drop. Critics will then use worsening ridership numbers as justification to further reduce support for the rail service or eliminate it entirely.

That would be a terrible and short-sighted outcome.

To drive down auto emissions, cut traffic on Interstate 95, and encourage smart development, the legislature should increase commuter options, not cut them, even if in the short-term it requires heavy subsidies.

Transit-oriented development can both help house a growing workforce resulting from expansion at Electric Boat in Groton and New London and provide more affordable housing options. But developers will not invest along rail lines or work with the state on affordable housing efforts when service is being cut.

Failure to support Shore Line East does not make economic sense. Southeastern Connecticut is a great part of the state, with strong job growth and a robust tourism industry. Shore Line East connects to Metro-North and that ties the line to the New York City metropolitan area. Connecticut has never done a good job of exploiting this opportunity to attract visitors via rail, while getting cars off the highways. The state should extend service east to the tourism strongholds of Mystic and Westerly. Instead, with this latest move, the legislature further undermines the opportunity for tourism ridership.

The best way to reduce the need for subsidies is to build ridership. The only way to build ridership is by providing regular, frequent, and reliable service. When it comes to Shore Line East, Connecticut is moving in the wrong direction.

With the decision made, all Shore Line East backers can do is fight for its survival and push for increased fiscal support during future legislative sessions. In the meantime, the state should do a better job of advertising and promoting the service that will remain. We note that the budget calls for a competitive bidding process to select an operator for Shore Line East. Seeking ideas from bidders on how to better market the commuter service should be included in the selection criteria.

The Day editorial board meets with political, business and community leaders to formulate editorial viewpoints. It is composed of President and Publisher Timothy Dwyer, Executive Editor Izaskun E. Larraneta, Owen Poole, copy editor, and Lisa McGinley, retired deputy managing editor. The board operates independently from The Day newsroom.