Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said he doesn’t know a whole lot about “mileage taxes,” but he wants the task force created to come up with ideas to fund his 30-year, $100 billion transportation initiative to consider everything.
The idea of taxing drivers based on how much they drive is an idea that’s being piloted in Oregon and it’s one of the many funding concepts raised by the Transportation Finance Panel last week. The panel is expected to make their recommendations in a final report due to Malloy and the General Assembly in mid-October.
“I think they’re looking at every way to do it,” Malloy said Tuesday at an event in East Hartford.
He said a mileage tax wasn’t his proposal, but that’s why they have a panel to look at all the options.
Former state Rep. Cameron Staples, who chairs the transportation panel, told the panel that they “are not embracing anything particular,” but “should be open to all forms of revenue that are reasonable ways to finance part or all of the governor’s transportation plan.”
Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, couldn’t even believe a mileage tax was raised for consideration by the panel.
“This is another tax residents simply cannot afford and this is not the direction Connecticut should be headed,” Boucher, the ranking Republican on the Transportation Committee, said in a statement. “. . . I cannot understand how anyone can think this is a good idea.”
Most of last week’s meeting involved a discussion about reinstating tolls on Connecticut’s highways. A bill to allow electronic tolls to be placed on Connecticut’s highways failed to get called for a vote on the floor of the House and lawmakers are divided about whether it’s a good idea. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
New Milford roundabout construction planned for spring 2016
By Susan Tuz
NEW MILFORD — A spring 2016 construction start date is targeted for a modern roundabout at Grove Street and Still River Drive in New Milford.
Public Works Director Mike Zarba said the roundabout is in the design stage at this time. A $590,150 grant has been received toward the construction cost through the Department of Transportation Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program.
In a modern roundabout, drivers slow down as they approach and yield to vehicles already in the circle, where traffic never stops moving. In older-style traffic circles, drivers often have to stop first, and traffic withing the circles often gets congested, Zarba explained.
Micheal Moorehouse, project manager on the town’s traffic study in 2014, said a roundabout would not only keep traffic moving but would also have a “calming” effect on the speed of traffic in the area. He recommended against installing a traffic signal at the intersection as it would do nothing to little to reduce rush-hour queueing or lessen the speed of traffic.
Old I-95 bridge replaced, but more work remains
Have you been across I-95’s Moses Wheeler Bridge between Milford and Stratford lately?
If you have, you might have noticed some changes on the bridge over the Housatonic River.
Yes, there’s still more work to be done, but here’s one signficiant fact: I-95 traffic is now traveling on new bridge structures in both directions via narrowed lanes. With the completion of these two stages, the old Moses Wheeler Bridge built in 1958 has been completely taken out of service.
In the latest update on the project, the state Department of Transportation says demolition of the center portion of the highway structures has been completed on Bridge numbers 133 and 134, the ones on the Stratford side of the bridge. Demolition of the center portion of the bridge is well underway with the concrete deck and structural steel 100 percent removed and the substructure piers is nearly complete. Roadway embankment and drainage is being installed on the Milford approach to the brudge. The final lift of pavement has been installed on most of the Stratford approach, along with installation of the permenant concrete median barrier. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Old Lyme selectmen recommend proceeding with Sound View project
Old Lyme — The town's selectmen are recommending the town proceed with the Sound View improvement project.
The selectmen had been seeking public comments on the proposal, after they said higher-than-anticipated cost estimates meant that the town could only fund part of the project: upgrades to Hartford Avenue.
The original concept encompassed a town green and permanent restrooms.
The selectmen voted at a special meeting last week to recommend proceeding with the final design and construction documents for the Hartford Avenue upgrades.
Selectwoman Mary Jo Nosal said at Monday's Board of Selectmen meeting that the preliminary design report will be submitted to the state Department of Transportation for its review. The Hartford Avenue upgrades, intended as the first phase of the project, would cost an estimated $751,000, with $532,000 in reimbursement anticipated from the state.
Town officials have said they will continue to seek grants to implement the other improvements. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
East Hartford's Burnside Ave. to get $3.8M in renovations
EAST HARTFORD — A portion of Burnside Avenue will be renovated by the state, and the work will include the installation of bicycle lanes, state and town officials said Tuesday.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy announced the $3.8 million project on the state-owned road at a press conference at Martin Park, which is off Burnside Avenue.
"This road behind us has a very sorry accident history," Malloy said. "I'm not sure what it was designed for, but it wasn't designed for safe pedestrian and bicycle traffic."
East Hartford Deputy Police Chief Mack Hawkins said there has been an average of 164 accidents a year on Burnside Avenue since 2013, with 114 accidents to date this year. Most recently, 8-year-old Carlos Hernandez died after being hit by a car on Burnside Avenue on April 16.
The project is part of Malloy's 30-year, $100 billion transportation plan, which includes highway, bridge, rail and bus proposals, along with $100 million for bike trails.
The work, covering about 2 miles between Main and Mary streets, will consist of converting the four-lane road to one lane in either direction. The road will also have dedicated bicycle lanes and shoulders on both sides. Deteriorated sidewalks, curb cuts and driveway aprons will also be replaced under the plan.
Construction began July 27 and is scheduled to be completed in July 2016. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Guilford Commons shopping center adds three new stores
GUILFORD >> What used to be an eyesore for the town soon will become a destination point for those driving through Guilford and observers coming off Interstate 95.
The Guilford Commons shopping center, formerly known as the “Rock Pile,” is adding three new businesses to the 139,000-square-foot development, which is set to open this fall, according to Economic Development Coordinator Brian McGlone.
The Fresh Market, anchor store of the shopping center, soon will have company as a Michaels craft store, a DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) and a Bed, Bath & Beyond are set to join the center.
The shopping center is now more than half leased with the addition of the three new stores, with an estimated 75,000 square feet being leased at the moment, according to McGlone.
“So far, everything is running pretty smoothly with the developing process of the Guilford Commons and only time will tell as to whether the center will be full by the time the stores open in the fall,” said McGlone. The developer in January said plan called for “three junior anchors and one restaurant to occupy the shopping center,” which leaves a possible restaurant still in the plans.
“We’re fed information from the developers themselves, so we don’t even really know what else could be in the shopping center until we’re told,” said McGlone.
DDR Corp., the developer for the shopping center, estimated the center would be up and running in October, a deadline that is rapidly approaching. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Subcontract labor prices advance solidly in July
Materials and equipment prices continue to drag down overall construction costs, according to IHS and the Procurement Executives Group (PEG). The headline current IHS PEG Engineering and Construction Cost Index (ECCI) registered 48.4 in July, up from June’s reading of 47.4, but below the neutral mark. The headline index has not indicated rising costs since December 2014.
The current materials/equipment index registered 47.4 in July, up from 46.0 in June. The pricing environment appears to be stabilizing, a change from the weakness seen in the first half of the year, but remains soft. The underlying detail shows falling prices for half of the 12 individual components tracked by the survey. Prices for copper-based wire and cable, carbon steel pipe, and fabricated structural steel registered the weakest performance. Six components did show higher prices in July, led by turbines, which overtook ready-mix concrete prices as the strongest price performer. Ready-mix concrete prices have held the top spot since January.
“Material and equipment costs remain subdued, although conditions appear to have firmed somewhat since spring,” according to John Mothersole, research director at IHS. “With the exception of cement, material prices continue to be soft. In contrast, equipment prices started to tick higher in July, with the market for turbines showing some tightness.”
The current subcontractor labor index registered 52.1 in July, higher than June’s reading of 50.7; moving the index solidly above the neutral mark. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
New Litchfield Courthouse taking shape
TORRINGTON — The pinnacle of the new Litchfield Judicial District Courthouse was hoisted into place on Tuesday, marking the end of the building's steel construction and a significant step toward the project's completion. The $81 million courthouse construction project began last year and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2016. Once completed, the courthouse will house all criminal and civil courtrooms for most of Litchfield County under one roof.
The final frame of beams was put in place in what is known as a topping off ceremony because it's the last major steel assembly piece. On top of the steel frame was placed a small tree, the American flag and the flag of KBE Building Corp., the project's general contractor. The Farmington-based company said the American flag and tree symbolize pride and the building coming to life.
The final structure stands above the rest of the three-story building. It's part of the tower that will anchor the courthouse and contain the main staircase. There will be frosted glass on the top of the building and interior lighting so the tower will light up at night.
Just before the pinnacle went up, state Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Melody A. Currey, as well as city and construction officials, signed their names on the beams during the ceremony at the construction area on Field Street.
Mayor Elinor C. Carbone also wrote a note that read: "God bless all who enter these doors."
Then in the span of about a minute, a crane from the Bristol-based Eastern Steel Erectors hoisted the 14,000-pound, 20-foot-high steel pinnacle into place.
"This signifies the last substantial piece of the steel erection process and moving on to another phase of construction," said Antonio Mancini, vice president of field operations of KBE Building Corp.
Carbone said it was exciting to see the final steel structure lifted up Tuesday.
"It's satisfying to see this (project) on the track that it is on," Carbone said.
The next stage involves fire proofing the building and the masonry work, followed by interior work.
Out of the $81 million, $67.8 million is being spent on the design and construction of the 183,600-square-foot courthouse, said Kenneth Russo, director of preconstruction services at KBE.
What's different about the courthouse project is that it's a design-build project, which means construction on the courthouse was started even while the building's design was still ongoing.
"It's a trying process, but at the end of the day ... it allows the project to get delivered in a shorter time frame because your building as you're finalizing the details and documents," Mancini said.
The construction is a long time coming for city and area legal officials, who have spent 40 years trying to bring a courthouse to Torrington. The current district courthouse, built in 1888 and long outdated, is in Litchfield. Bantam Superior Court also will move to the new courthouse in Torrington.
The city set aside $240,000 to rebuild some of the sidewalks on Prospect and Pearl streets to accommodate the expected increase in foot traffic. The city also is working with the property owner across from the construction site on Field Street to fix the sidewalks there.