NORWALK, Conn. -- In a letter to the U.S. Department of Transportation, state officials offered full support for Connecticut’s request for $12 million in federal aid for the design, engineering and construction of a new dock yard in Norwalk for Metro-North’s Danbury branch line.

Officials included Secretary Anthony Foxx, U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Congressman Jim Himes (D-4) and Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (D-5).

“This project is critical to stage and construct the replacement of the 119-year-old Walk Bridge on the NHL in Norwalk, but will also provide long-term benefits of operational flexibility, on-time performance, and increased capacity on the New Haven Line (NHL) and at NHL’s Danbury branch,” they wrote. “This core capacity improvement project will add sidings and extend electrification on the southern end of Metro-North Railroad’s Danbury branch of the New Haven Line (NHL) in an area formally known as the 'Dock Yard' in Norwalk, Connecticut.”

The Danbury Branch includes South Norwalk, Merritt 7, Wilton, Cannondale, Branchville, West Redding, Bethel and Danbury. Connecticut recently awarded $4 million to pay for the design, engineering and construction of a new dock yard in Norwalk to serve the Danbury branch of Metro-North Railroad. The new yard will allow for increased capacity and train service along the branch.