ACEC/CT Update

Governor's

The Governor's Steering Committee on Climate Adaptation will hold a public informational meeting on Thursday, December 17, 2009, at 10 am in room 2E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford. Members of the Joint ACEC/CT - CSPE - DEP Liaison Committee participated in the Committee's discussion. Click here for more information.

Democrats Talk Transportation

Just got back from the Keep CT Moving Transportation Forum with the six candidates for Governor.

Jim Amann touted his work for transportation as Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives and promised to spend much more money on transportation.

Susan Bysiewicz, current Secretary of the State, noted that in order to expand the job market in the state, particularly for green jobs, we must improve our transportation infrastructure. She advocated PLAs and giving contracts to in-state firms. (The feds prohibit in-state favoritism if using their money.)

Ned Lamont emphasized his experience as a CEO of a high-tech cable firm and noted the importance of transportation in moving the private sector. "Transportation is the best investment a state can make for economic development."

Senator Gary LeBeau talked about short and long range spending. Connecticut should take advantage of lower bids now and must develop a transportation strategy for 5, 10 and 15 years out. He emphasized his experience in the state Senate on the Commerce Committee.

Former Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy asked the audience to "Think about a governor who actually built something." He claims his experience as Mayor gives him an edge in executive experience and in collaborating between federal, state and local agencies.

Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi talked about his ability to be elected as a Democrat in a majority Republican town and said that we need a Governor who can implement plans into action through collaboration and communications.

Time constraints prohibited very detailed discussions about candidates plans but I think the primary goal of the forum was to impress upon the candidates that there is a large construction industry in Connecticut very interested in this subject. If the 250+ people attending this morning's meeting made that impact, the forum was a success.

Second Stimulus?

Congress looks at a second stimulus for transportation projects. Click here for WSJ article.

Funding key to Georgetown wire mill project - Greenwich Time

"We're focusing on the off-site work," said Chris Lynch, a project manager who works at LiRo Engineering and Construction Management in Redding. "We're hoping it will be just enough to get things going. We don't want the traffic flow to have a negative impact on the town.

via www.greenwichtime.com

This is one of the state's few transit-oriented development projects. I hope it will succeed.

Bonding Delay Sends Jitters

This article in the Fairfield County Weekly News discussed the fallout from the last minute removal of a ConnDOT project from the State Bond Commission agenda last month. The New Haven-Springfield line is a high priority for transportation advocates and the delay in getting state bonding may not look good to federal grant makers.

Dallas Fort Worth traffic: Congress must debate gas tax increase, transportation secretary says

LaHood pledged to work with Congress on passing a five-year transportation bill in 2010. The main sticking point, he said, is that about $500 billion in highway, bridge and transit needs have been identified, but the federal gas tax -- currently 18.4 cents a gallon for gasoline -- can't generate that kind of dough.

via startelegram.typepad.com

Some progress by the Transportation Secretary on federal funding.

NYT article "Entering the Superproject Void"

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/29/weekinreview/29uchitelle.html

MinnPost - Cityscape: Oberstar waiting for green light as U conference urges reform of nation's obsolete transportation system

With the health care debate sucking all the oxygen out of Washington these days, the task of reforming the nation's obsolete transportation system has been pushed to the back burner — and nearly off the stove.No one's more frustrated about that than U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn. As chairman of the House transportation committee, he expected last year's Democratic sweep to supercharge his plans for a major update of the road and transit network. Instead he's been stuck at a red light … waiting."I never anticipated having this much difficulty with a Democratic administration," Oberstar said of President Barack Obama's reluctance to push ahead. "I thought that with 'yes we can' and 'change you can believe in' they would embrace the ideas I've set forth, especially after two national commissions recommended that we invest $450 billion in transportation. I thought it would be a breeze, but it's been a frustration."

via www.minnpost.com

Chairman Oberstar may have a two-part strategy for transportation reauthorization.

Rell plan for rail line angers river ‘friends’- The New Haven Register - Serving New Haven, Connecticut

Environmental groups, residents and public officials who live along the Connecticut River from Old Saybrook to Middletown are objecting to Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s plan to convert a tourist steam train line for use by freight trains.Rell’s administration, including the state Department of Transportation, has applied for $15.5 million in federal stimulus funds to build the freight train line, which would extend for 22 miles.But Friends of the Connecticut River, based in Haddam, is charging the project would be “an environmental and economic disaster.”In addition, the Connecticut River Watershed Council, a nonprofit group with a state office in Middletown, has warned the freight line “could adversely affect the health of the Connecticut River.”“We are concerned about the environmental impact of running freight trains carrying fuel, chemicals, garbage and raw sewage in such close proximity to the Connecticut River and whether or not emergency provisions are in place to protect the river in the event of a spill,” the council’s interim river steward, Elisabeth Cianciola, said in a letter to the federal Department of Transportation.Cianciola noted the area in question is “an ecologically sensitive region.” She said an environmental impact study is needed before making a funding decision.Friends of the Connecticut River said in a news release they are also disturbed that when Rell applied for the federal TIGER Discretionary Grant stimulus money in September, she used a “stealthy approach” that did not allow residents to know about it and immediately raise objections.Rell’s spokesman, Rich Harris, said, “The governor has a very transparent and cooperative process for all projects.” But he added, “Sometimes our hands are forced by federal deadlines. Sometimes the process is very, very short.”As for the project, Harris said, “This is a freight line that existed for some time. It’s not as if you’re taking land that has never seen a freight railroad and building it through virgin territory.”In 1969, state officials paid $380,000 for the abandoned Valley Line from the Penn Central Railroad. Joseph Gill, who was then state agriculture commissioner, said the 300 acres along those 22 miles would be used for hiking, picnicking, nature study and scenic enjoyment.“We must assure preservation of the natural beauty of the Connecticut River Valley and provide an invaluable connector for multiple purpose outdoor recreational uses,” Gill said.Gill added the line might also be used for a scenic railway, which eventually happened with the Valley Railroad steam train.Alan Aronow, a founding member of Friends of the Connecticut River, said anybody who reads Gill’s 1969 announcement can see that converting the acreage into a freight train route “isn’t a comfortable fit.”“The state is working to benefit the parochial interests of a few ‘for profit’ companies by stealing from the public domain property purchased with taxpayer dollars for the recreational enjoyment of residents,” Aranow said in an e-mail message.According to Aronow, the first selectmen of Chester, Deep River and Haddam have sent letters of protest to federal officials. He said the principal regional regulatory agency for towns along the lower Connecticut River, th Connecticut River Gateway Commission, also wrote a protest letter. Hundreds of residents have joined this opposition, he added.The Friends of the Connecticut River said the freight line would hurt property values in the towns along the line and disrupt the recreational boating industry.But Harris said the goal of the freight train project is to create jobs and spur the economy. He also said Rell “has always been a conscientious warden of Connecticut’s environment, working to preserve and protect open space.”Randall Beach can be reached at rbeach@nhregister.com or 203-789-5766.

via www.nhregister.com

Connecticut: Road, Bridge Projects Face Funding Reality -- Courant.com

HARTFORD — - Across Connecticut, communities and business leaders are lobbying the state to widen their highways, build interchanges, replace bridges and expand public transit systems.But there's a $3.7 billion gap between what they want and what Connecticut can pay for, Transportation Commissioner Joseph Marie told legislators Thursday."What can get accomplished in the future will be drastically different than current expectations," Marie said.Lawmakers, Gov. M. Jodi Rell, state budget officials and Department of Transportation leaders will "need to have a dialogue" over the next year about setting priorities, Marie told the transportation committee.Several legislators called his report "sobering," and agreed the state will probably have to postpone or cancel projects — even politically popular ones — that have been in the works for years."We'll be very much constrained by our finances," said Sen. Donald DeFronzo, co-chairman of the transportation committee. "This will test our discipline and our will. We have more than enough projects in the queue and far fewer resources than we need." Marie intends to propose a priority list of major highway and transit projects for the next five years. He promised it will emphasize preservation of existing roads, bridges and transit infrastructure.Historically, the state has maintained "a 'wish list' for every project conceivable in the state. We must be more disciplined," Marie said. "Including projects that have little real chance of being initiated ... sets false expectations."Tom Maziarz, transportation director of the Capitol Region Council of Governments, told lawmakers just how painful that's going to be. He said between $200 million and $300 million worth of improvements in his region are at stake."Route 4 in Farmington, Route 44 and Route 6 in Manchester, New Britain Avenue in West Hartford, Burnside Avenue in East Hartford ... the list goes on," said Maziarz, who noted the 14 other regions in Connecticut all have lists of state road improvements that are at risk.He advised finding new revenue, and pointed out that the rate of annual bridge repairs trailed off a decade ago when the General Assembly reduced the gas tax that paid for them."We're relying too much on federal funds, and we're not putting enough state funds in," Maziarz said. "We really need to think about alternative ways to raise revenue."Lawmakers this year briefly discussed instituting tolls on state highways, and informally talked about raising the gas tax. But they didn't push either measure forward.Marie declined to specify which projects he thinks should be cut, but alluded to the Route 11 extension, the I-84 expansion in Waterbury and Route 7 improvements in southwestern Connecticut at one point."I am not suggesting that the project[s] mentioned above do not have their merits," he said. "But we must balance the financial requirements of these projects against what we can afford." State Rep. David McCluskey, D-West Hartford, cited the long-delayed $562 million New Britain busway as a project that deserves closer scrutiny. There's no sign of broad support for it in the communities along the proposed route, he said."West Hartford is less than enthusiastic about it; Hartford is quiet about it," McCluskey said. "The silence is deafening."

via www.courant.com

Connecticut engineering firms are already seeing the impact of constrained federal and state funding for transportation projects.