WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans spend a total of 600,000 years stuck in traffic every year. The nation has about 100,000 bridges old enough for Medicare. And a recent global ranking put the United States' infrastructure in 25th place, just behind Barbados. But Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says he sees signs the nation may finally be ready to tackle its "infrastructure deficit."
One reason for optimism is that some members of Congress are beginning to talk about specific proposals to shore up the federal Highway Trust Fund, which has been teetering on the edge of insolvency for years, Foxx told The Associated Press in an interview. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
CONCORD, N.H. — New Hampshire’s congressional delegation on Tuesday asked the U.S. Department of Energy to provide details of alternative routes for a proposal to run electrical transmission lines from Canada to southern New Hampshire. The DOE is preparing an Environmental Impact Study on the proposed Northern Pass, a $1.4 billion project that would transmit 1,200 megawatts of hydroelectric power from Hydro-Quebec into New England.
Opponents worry the project will damage the environment, scar the state’s scenic beauty and chase tourists away. Supporters point to job creation and to cleaner, renewable power helping to stabilize the New England energy market. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
The Virginia-class submarine program accounted for more than half of EB’s more than $4 billion in revenue in 2013. But soon, Geiger said, the company will ramp up its work on a new class of ballistic-missile submarines, as well as on the Virginia-class submarines that will have a module to boost firepower and on two Los Angeles-class submarines that will be converted to serve as training platforms. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
CT approves $4M for Hamden remediation
The State Bond Commission approved a $4 million grant to remediate Rochford Field in Hamden.
The field was built upon an industrial fill that has become a health concern for the community. The remediation grant will cover the park with an impermeable liner and a drainage layer before backfilling it with two feet of clean soil.Rochford Field is a popular place in Hamden for baseball, hiking, and general outdoor time.The ongoing maintenance and monitoring of the site after the restoration work will be paid for by the town of Hamden.
Congress reaches a $1.1T compromise on spending bill
Top congressional negotiators Monday night released a bipartisan $1.1 trillion spending bill that would pay for the operations of government through October and finally put to rest the bitter budget battles of last year. The massive measure fleshes out the details of the budget deal that Congress passed last month. That pact gave relatively modest, but much-sought relief to the Pentagon and domestic agencies after deep budget cuts last year.
Here’s what you need to know about it: CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING
Harwinton, Burlington residents vote down new athletic fields
Burlington >> Harwinton and Burlington residents rejected spending $2.9 million to construct a new multi-use athletic field at Lewis S. Mills High School by a large margin at a Tuesday referendum.
The official tally of the two towns was 920 in favor, 1409 opposed. In Harwinton, 275 voted in favor and 528 opposed. In Burlington, 645 in favor and 881 opposed. The improvement project would have included renovating the track, installing a turf field, adding bleachers and field lighting, renovating the school’s tennis courts and adding boat storage for its crew program. The project was initially slated to cost $3.4 million, but the regional Board of Education reduced the price tag at its meeting in December following a public hearing where many people and town officials expressed concern at the large price tag. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE READING