Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has placed $839 million worth of upgrades to Connecticut’s transportation system on the agenda for approval at the next meeting of the State Bond Commission.
The governor, who serves as chairman of the State Bond Commission and determines which projects get placed on the agenda, said that these upgrades are long overdue and complement projects that are expected to be financed through the recently adopted federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
“Between our administration’s commitment to improving Connecticut’s transportation system and the bipartisan infrastructure bill that was recently approved by President Biden, we are about to enter a new era of transportation upgrades that will finally address some of our state’s most congested areas and transform our roads, bridges, rail, buses, ports, and airports into an efficient network that supports the needs of businesses and the people who live here,” Governor Lamont said.
“These transportation priorities are an important down payment on Connecticut’s infrastructure future,” Transportation Commissioner Joseph Giulietti said. “By advancing these state dollars, Governor Lamont is ensuring we can get more transportation jobs out on the street, we can create more jobs, and most importantly, the State of Connecticut will have an opportunity to secure more federal transportation dollars from Washington as we move forward. The federal infrastructure bill is a game-changer, and the governor is making sure the cards are stacked in Connecticut’s favor.”
Some of the transportation upgrades set to be approved at the meeting include:
- Dual Power Locomotives: $280 million to procure dual-power locomotives to replace aging diesel locomotives. The new dual-power locomotives will enable electric train service where overhead wire is available and enable new express train service to New York City.
- Town Aid Road: $30 million representing the first of two annual payments for municipalities to maintain local roads.
- Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program: $51.7 million for the LOTCIP revolving fund to continue providing support for close to 100 local roadway projects in coordination with Councils of Governments. Examples of projects include:
- Meriden: Downtown Paving Project
- Darien: West Avenue at Noroton Avenue Intersection Improvements
- Putnam: Grove Street (Route 12) Sidewalk Project
- Hartford: Boce Barlow Bridge Membrane & Main Street Pavement Project
- Trumbull: Route 111 Traffic Signal Improvements
- State Local Bridge Program: $13 million for grants providing 50% of the cost for 24 local bridge projects across the state. Examples of projects include:
- Canton: Bridge No. 05172 (Washburn Road over Jim Brook)
- Danbury: Bridge No. 034021 (Franklin Street Ext. over Mercer Pond Brook)
- Durham: Bridge No. 037010 (Picket Lane over Hersig Brook)
- Madison: Bridge No. 075010 (Garnet Park Road over Bailey Creek)
- Norfolk: Bridge No. 097004 (Mountain Road over Norfolk Brook)
- Winchester: Bridge No. 162004 (Wakefield Blvd over Taylor Brook)
- Enfield Train Station: $35 million to build the new Enfield Train Station on the Hartford Line. As a demonstration of Governor Lamont and the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s commitment to advancing this project, these funds intend to serve as a state match for a federal grant application pending with the Federal Railroad Administration.
- Derby-Shelton Train Station: $12 million to renovate the Derby-Shelton Multimodal Station. These funds will serve as a match to the recently awarded $12.6 million RAISE federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- I-91/1-691/Route 15 Interchange in Meriden: $61 million to reconfigure the interchanges of I-91, I-691, and Route 15 in Meriden to reduce congestion and improve safety associated with crashes in this segment of highway.
- Community Connectivity and Alternative Mobility Program: $12 million for an additional round of grant awards to local projects that improve roadway safety and access for pedestrians and bicyclists. Prior to this allocation, the department has awarded $30 million to 90 municipalities under this program.
- ADA Improvements: $4.2 million to upgrade and install new curb ramps and sidewalks, and improve accessibility for all residents. This builds on the $10 million in investments to date under the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s ADA improvement program.
- Battery Electric Bus Program: $2.5 million to match $10 million in federal funds for purchasing battery electric buses for CTtransit to replace their existing diesel vehicles, consistent with Governor Lamont’s recent executive order to combat climate change.
- Local Transit District Support: $13.5 million to support local transit districts, including capital projects and the procurement of new vehicles. Among these funds is support to initiate the development of a new transit facility in Middletown for the merged Middletown Area Transit and Estuary Transit District.
- Moosup Valley State Park Trail: $4 million to construct three new segments of the Moosup Valley State Park Trail in Plainfield and Sterling to East Coast Greenway standards. It will also provide a connection to the Trestle Trail in Rhode Island.
- I-95 Safety Study: Nearly $4 million to fund a planning and environmental study of I-95 between exits 19 and 27A in Fairfield and Bridgeport. This study will identify safety improvements along this section of I-95, particularly in the northbound direction.