Originally published on 3/19/2015
Connecticut’s licensed drivers and commuters can attest to Connecticut’s inadequate transportation system. We have stop-and-go clogged thoroughfares, an aged infrastructure (e.g., more than 10% of our bridges are rated poor), a go-slow or go-very slow rail system, and disjointed air, rail, marine and road transport systems. The inefficiencies of our transportation system reach well beyond loss of time, wasted fuel, unnecessary pollution, and unaddressed safety concerns. Our outmoded transportation system is a limiting factor on our economic future. In digital terms, Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure is like dial-up Internet competing in a broadband world. Speed and efficiency to move people, goods and services is an important competitive advantage.
It is the Government’s job to fix this mess. And by Government – I mean the legislature, and by legislature I include our local State Legislators Toni Boucher, Jan Geigler and John Fry.
The politically easy approach, and the one typically taken, is to do the absolute minimum, or convene yet another panel to study the obvious. Governors Roland and Rell made piecemeal attempts to redo the transportation system. Governor Malloy, however, is tackling this issue head-on and has introduced a 5-year and 30-year plan to comprehensively modernize CT’s air, rail, marine and road systems. Governor Malloy has set out detailed plans with a description of each project, their projected cost, and timing. These plans are titled Let’s GO CT and can be viewed at transformct.info.
The 5 year ramp-up plan will cost a projected 10 billion dollars and includes a number of projects that will alleviate our transit woes. Many of these projects have been long-discussed, promised, and never delivered. Examples include widening of I-84 from exits 3 to 8; reconfiguring the route 7 and Merritt parkway interchanges, and upgrading the new haven rail line for capacity and speed.
Other states, with whom CT competes, have successfully financed these kinds of long-term projects by successfully implementing high-tech, computerized, no-slow toll systems which have improved traffic flows and traffic safety, minimized financial impacts on residents and commuters, while capturing “user fees” from interstate transients who use our roads but pay no taxes to support their maintenance. These funds, when combined with Federal matching grants, are then used to make the necessary capital improvements.
To ensure that funds dedicated to these plans are used solely for transportation, the funds would be placed in a Transportation Fund lockbox. Governor Malloy is proposing a constitutional amendment and a statutory change to protect the Transportation Fund. Neither the constitutional amendment nor statutory change will include any “escape clause,” such as an override option for the General Assembly or Governor.
The Governor has taken the lead and we encourage our Republican State Senator and Representatives to support this major and long overdue initiative. We ask you to bring to fruition tangible and comprehensive solutions. Many campaign promises have been made at the commuter rail stations to make improvements. Now is the time to get onboard this train.
The Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee supplies this column.