ACEC/CT Update

Transportation Committee Oversight Hearing

Acting DOT Commissioner Emil Frankel appeared before the General Assembly's Transportation Committee for a pre-session overview of the Department of Transportation. A copy of the Commissioner's statement to the Committee can be downloaded in the Bill Tracking section at right.

Commissioner Frankel is a temporary fill-in while the Governor conducts a national search for a permanent DOT chief. Frankel stated that he is not applying and would not accept the position on a permanent basis.

The Commissioner addressed bridge safety, projects advertised, mass transit projects, I-84 corrective work, transit-oriented development and staffing problems.

In order to assist the Acting Commissioner in addressing the many problems facing the troubled agency, Frankel is bringing in four experienced transportation administrators form the federal government and other states to act as consultants: Michael Saunders from Federal Highway Administration; Peter Stangle former Chairman and CEO of the MTA; Jack Lettiere, former Commissioner of NJDOT and Gail Stenard, former Administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration. They will assist Frankel in starting the process of designing a new ConnDOT structure, focusing on what staff is needed and what skills that staff needs.

In other comments during the hearing, the difficult contracting process was again discussed. Legislators are hearing from business which refuse to work for the DOT or suffer economic hardship when they do contract with the State.

Several legislators talked about the convoluted lines of authority and responsibility for transportation and planning in the state among ConnDOT, the Office of Policy and Management, the Bond Commission, the Transportation Strategy Board and 15 Metropolitan Planning Organizations. Who's responsible for transportation planning? (I don't know, but ConnDOT seems to always get the blame!)

CT Sues Firm fow CWF Violations

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal has filed a law suit against the Atlantic Wire Company of Branford for repeated violations of the Clean Water Act. Four other firms signed consent decrees. Each firm was found to have discharged toxic waste into state waterways in excess of their DEP permits. Read Hartford Courant story.

This represents a turnaround for the DEP which had been working with firms to get them into compliance rather than bring firms to court for repeated violations.

TRIP Report Forecasts Transportation Shortfall

Connecticut’s faces a $3.1 billion shortfall in transportation infrastructure funding over the next 9 years, according to a report by TRIP, a national nonprofit research organization. According to the TRIP report, entitled “Preserving Connecticut’s Highways and Bridges: The State’s Challenge in Maintaining its Aging System of Roads, Highways and Bridges,” from 2008 to 2017, $10.6 billion is needed to repair, maintain and expand the state’s roads, highways and bridges to accommodate growing traffic levels. However, the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CDOT) estimates that only $7.5 billion will be available for road, highway and bridge repairs and improvements during this period, leaving a shortfall of approximately $3.1 billion over the next ten years. This shortfall is exacerbated by rapidly increasing highway construction costs. The TRIP report contains lists of needed road and bridge improvement and reconstruction projects that currently lack adequate funding to proceed.

NYT: Mikhail Gorbachev for DOT Commissioner?

In a rather satiric editorial, the New York Times compared the Connecticut DOT to the Soviet Union and wondered if Mikhail Gorbachev was available to take over the job as Commissioner.

While I’m no big fan of some of the Department’s policies and decisions, I think this hit is a cheap shot. Much of ConnDOT’s problems arise from decisions made at higher levels: early retirement plans that decimated the management, four commissioners in five years, decisions on project selection made by politicians, etc.

Did the Times have any recommendations for improving the Department? No. But that’s probably for the best, the Times has been losing money for years and rumors are that “the paper of record” will be soon sold for parts.

Integrated Project Delivery

AIA has a new guide out on Integrated Project Delivery(IPD). This new idea is really a combination of Building Information Modeling (BIM) and partnering. It's clear that BIM is a coming thing in building design and construction. Its implemention will alter how projects are designed and built. It will need different contractual forms and business relationships. Here's a first look at what may be coming down the pike.

New Building Energy Standards

ASHRAE, the US Green Building Congress and others have released new drafts of energy saving standards that are likely to make their way into Connecticut's building code. Read article in ENR.

Big Dig Settlement

ENR reports that PB, Bechtel and other design firms have reached a settlement on the Boston Central Artery Tunnel project also known as the"Big Dig."

The settlement has a provision that if there is another catastrophic failure, the program managers would still be on the hook for additional damages. Also, this settlement does not incude the suit from survivors of the women killed when concrete panels fell from the tunnel.

DOT Reform Commission Reports Out

The Governor's Commission to Reform the Connecticut Department of Transportation Friday issued a draft report which recommends many leadership and management fixes to make the DOT a functional organization, more responsive to the public, more transparent and better situated to the future. The Commission suggests that it continue to study how the Department will finance projects in the future.

The report does not recommend that the DOT be broken into separate departments or authorities for transit, airports, ports and highways. It does recommend splitting the operations and engineering functions into separate bureaus. The report does recommend a new study by DOT or an outside consultant on staffing levels and when to use consultants. It does not recommend a major expansion of ConnDOT staffing as demanded by public employee unions. The report recommends that the department's plans and staus of future projects be laid out on the DOT website. Design-build and other prject delivery systems would also be studied.

Already Governor Rell thanked the Commission for their report and said that she is planning reforms beyond those recommended by the report. Senator DeFronzo, Co-Chiar of the General Assembly's Transportation Committee, has statated that he was disappointed that the Commission didn't reorganize the Department.

The Commission was composed primarily of business people who looked at the Department like a business in trouble. Not a bad perspective. Reading between the lines and hearing some of the comments expressed by Commission members, much of the blame for ConnDOT's troubles extend beyond the headquarters, particularly when criticizing the DOT for a lack of planning or focus on mass transit. As one Commission member noted, "The General Assembly can be thought of as ConnDOT's 'board of directors.' They and the Governor bear some responsiblity here."

DOT Commission Meets Friday

The Governor's Commission on the Reorganization of the Connecticut Department of Transportation will meet Friday afternoon approve its report. The final report was to be approved back in December but was pulled at the last minute.

The Hartford Courant reports on a draft of the final report. The story is highly critical of the Department and is not likely to be helpful in improving morale at the embattled agency.

Transportation Summit Rescheduled

The Transportation Summit has been rescueduled for March 24, 2008 at the Belvedere in New Haven. Click here for registration form. Don't miss this opportunity to meet and support increased federal funding for Connecticut's transportation infrastructure. This meeting is being held by the Keep CT Moving Coalition of which ACEC/CT is a member with contractors, unions, chambers of commerce and others interested in this important issue.