Governor Ned Lamont has promised to make transport improvements a priority in his proposed state budget, stating that “this is personal”.
“Annie and I drove over the Mianus River Bridge in Greenwich a generation ago a few hours before the collapse. So I know, ”said Lamont in his speech and outlined his spending strategy for the next two years. “If the thinking had been, ‘If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’ then that thinking has to change.”
According to Lamont, Connecticut’s proposed “highway use tax” on heavy vehicles such as tractor units will generate enough revenue from truckers driving across the state to fund more than $ 1 billion in transportation projects over the next five years.
This will “affect security, traffic jams and the modernization of our transport system,” said the Lamont administration.
Here are some of the top ticket items in Connecticut:
Improvements along I-95 to address specific safety concerns and bottlenecks in the event of congestion
Cars and trucks travel along the I95 in Stamford along one of seven Connecticut “throttles” identified in a national report that reveal 100 of the worst traffic spots in the country. (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)
The completion of the Route 7/15 motorway junction in Norwalk
Traffic converges on I95 in Norwalk. (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)
More train connections on the Waterbury Line
A North Metro train at Naugatuck station of the Waterbury branch.
Significant cuts in support to New Haven Line and Shore Line East
Governor Lamont proposes cutting support for the New Haven Line by $ 36 million each and for Shore Line East by $ 5 million over the next two years as the number of riders declines. (BOB MACDONNELL / Hartford Courant)
Improvement of the I-691 / Rt. 15 exchange
I-691 in Meriden. (Ronald DeRosa / Hartford Courant)
Traffic congestion control projects in Waterbury and Danbury
Looking north at the intersection of Rt 8 and I-84 during rush hour. (John Woike / Hartford Courant)
Governor Lamont has proposed a $ 3 million cut in express bus service for the next year. (MICHAEL McANDREWS / Hartford Courant)
Removal of the traffic lights to RT. 9
Traffic flows quickly over the intersection of Route 9 and Exit 16 to the Arrigoni Bridge. (John Woike / Hartford Courant)
Late night bus service in the New Haven area until 1am
The Connecticut Transit service would expand until 1 a.m. to provide transportation for key workers in the New Haven area. (Stephen Dunn / Hartford Courant)
Extended program for retrofitting electric buses
A man is charging a new electric bus. (JOAQUIN SARMIENTO / Getty)
Modernization of the Stamford Transportation Center
Commuters wait for the train at Stamford North Station. (John Krebs / Fox CT)
Purchase of new dual-power locomotives
New and old north subway cars wait at Union Station in New Haven. (Mark Mirko / Hartford Courant)
Maintenance of the motorway bridge
Workers on a motorway bridge along Route 2 near Hartford. (John Woike / Hartford Courant)
Reconstruction of the railway bridge and station improvements in Westport
A local train on the New Haven line of the Metro-North Railroad pulls into a train station in Westport. (DOUGLAS HEALEY / ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Improved pedestrian crossings and sidewalks
A worker clears the sidewalk at a Dunkin ‘Donuts in Hartford. (Don Stacom)
Hammertown Road, Salisbury. (Courtesy of Zillow.com)
Removing dying, dead, and damaged trees along highways
Multiple trees and power lines can be seen making Damascus Street in Branford impassable on Friday August 28, 2020 after the storm devastated the area on Thursday. (Kassi Jackson / The Hartford Courant)
