HARTFORD — Faced with lawmakers upset over proposed rail fare hikes, higher gas taxes and highway tolls, state transportation officials on Monday painted a bleak future of reduced road improvements and rail service cutbacks if more funding is not obtained.
"Without additional revenue, we cannot sustain the transportation fund going forward," said James Redeker, state Department of Transportation commissioner.
Redeker told the Transportation Committee that DOT has over 400 vacancies, canceled $4.3 billion in needed road and bridge improvements and cannot sell bonds for future projects without a new revenue source.
“The choices are tough," Redeker said. "It’s my job to identify the problem. But I don’t fix the revenue the side. It’s a tough choice as to how to get there."
State Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, and co-chairwoman of the committee, said tolls and tax increases will hurt the state “We are selling bonds to pay our bills ... It has hurt our state,” Boucher said. "Riders are making decisions about whether it makes sense to be here. They are pleading to you, and there is concern you will go back to the office and go forward."
Commuters are facing a 10 percent Metro-North fair increase this year - and more increase in future years - and canceled weekend service on the branch lines.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s proposed budget raises the gas tax by seven cents, increases bus fares by 25 cents, boosts the sales tax on cars and places tolls on state’s interstate highways and state roads, such as Rt. 8 and Rt. 9.
Those tolls could bring in as much as $800 million a year, a significant portion of the new revenue DOT officials are seeking. DOT officials said the governor’s proposals would restore $4.3 billion in canceled transportation projects and eliminate Metro-North fare increases and service cutbacks
Lawmakers clearly were not happy with the choices, but struggled to find alternatives. State Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vehey, D-Fairfield, and a transportation committee member, said voters are not happy."Commuters are very concerned about the fare increase," McCarthy Vehey said. "As we raise fares it’s become cheaper to drive to New York City and that will increase congestion."
McCarthy Vehey added "We have to look at other costs that will happen if we do this. The people who take the bus, that’s often the only way to get to work or the doctor or to school Redeker blamed the current financial crisis — the STF will be insolvent next year and in serious deficit by 2020 — on decisions by past legislatures to not fully fund transportation, leaving the state with enormous bonding debt. State Sen. Carlos Leone, D-Stamford, noted the federal government is reducing transportation funding and the state is going to have to find new revenue sources."It’s too vague to say we will find the hundreds of millions you need," Leone said.
State Rep. John Hennessy, D-Bridgeport and a truck driver, said the state has to “fund these projects to keep our roads safe and stay economically viable."
Redeker said the financial hole will be "thousands of times more dollars if we don’t fix the problem."
Meriden downtown “gateway” project underway
By Leigh Tauss
MERIDEN — Work is underway on a $2.7-million project to transform Pratt Street into a boulevard-style “gateway” to downtown.
The project will reduce the road to one lane in each direction with a landscaped median.
LaRosa Construction Co. was awarded the contract after a bidding process last summer. The local firm was previously hired for the $14-million transformation of the former Hub site to the Meriden Green.
The Pratt Street work is funded by a state grant. It is designed to improve pedestrian and driver safety, while also beautifying the strip as the new entrance to the city from Interstate 691.
LaRosa crews, who began late last year, have completed a retaining wall near Camp Street. On Monday, workers were digging on the side of Pratt Street in preparation to realign the intersection with Camp Street so the two streets meet at a right angle, said Associate City Engineer Howard Weissberg.
After the intersection is realigned, Weisseberg said work on the median is expected to begin.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
“It’s going to instill a positive effect on citizens coming into town because the first thing they are going to see is a nice entryway to get into the downtown area,” said Acting City Manager Ken Morgan said.
New Route 82 proposal still calls for roundabouts and median dividers
Norwich — Residents here may feel a sense of déjà vu after hearing the state’s latest proposal to address safety concerns along the busy Route 82 commercial strip, also known as “Crash Alley.”
At a meeting Monday night, the state Department of Transportation unveiled its latest proposal for a reconstruction project along Route 82, and although it's still in the preliminary stages — with only about 5 percent of design completed — the proposal is similar to a controversial plan proposed three years ago.
Similar to the 2015 plan, the new proposal calls for six roundabouts throughout the Route 82 strip and a wide median divider along most of the stretch to prevent all left-hand turns. The project would also require the acquisition of some properties along the strip, but at this point DOT is not yet sure how many. No cost estimate is yet available.
The new proposal represents the most recent effort in a saga that spans more than a decade.
Research done by DOT found that this portion of Route 82 averages 117 crashes with 26 injuries a year. Debate over how to address Route 82 safety concerns ranges as far back as 2005 when the state’s original concept suggested widening Route 82 to five lanes.
That plan was shot down because it was thought to not really address the safety concerns, especially given the project's cost would have been more than $30 million.
The 2015 proposal, which the City Council supported, called for a $42 million reconstruction project featuring six roundabouts that would have replaced lights at key intersections. It would have run from just west of the New London Turnpike intersection to the intersection of Mechanic and Asylum streets.
That project would also have featured a 6-inch-high median divider to prevent all left-hand turns along most of the stretch, and involved the reconstruction of sidewalks to reduce steep driveway ramps leading into businesses.
Since that time, the DOT said its has conducted a ground survey, researched traffic volumes, conducted traffic modeling and capacity analysis, and reached out to more stakeholders to discuss the project's impact. However, the preliminary proposal still looks very similar to the one from a few years ago.
The roundabouts remain, as does the median, and once again the project would be done in two phases. Phase one would span from Asylum Street, heading west, to Pine Street, and phase two would run from Pine to Salem Plaza. Construction would take three to four years with phase one beginning in 2023 and phase two occurring in 2025.
This version of the project would also feature phase one being reduced to one lane in each direction. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
Komatsu Acquires Pine Bush Equipment
The PBE Group, consisting of Pine Bush Equipment Co. Inc. and East PBE Inc., entered into a purchase agreement Feb. 5, 2018, with Komatsu, through its subsidiary F and M Equipment Ltd., to purchase the assets of PBE group subject to a period of due diligence and final approval of Komatsu Ltd. (with the exception of the Kubota line of equipment and parts).
“The Boniface family felt strongly that this [purchase agreement] will strengthen the legacy our parents began as we celebrate 61 years in business, and although we will not be the owners, the Boniface Family remains deeply committed to you, your business, and our mutual well-being and success,” said Pine Bush Equipment in a prepared statement. “Over the years the business landscape will change. We must adapt and be flexible and responsive to these changes. We must do what's best for you, our esteemed customers and our group of dedicated employees. Remaining a Family Business
The Boniface family will remain with the operating companies.
“We understand that you, our customer, are our most valued asset,” the company said. “The employees you work with in our parts, service, rentals and sales departments will be here to support you as they always have; their level of quality service will not change.”
Pine Bush Equipment added that the goal of the agreement is to strengthen the company's reputation as a trusted partner. “We are now part of a much larger group of premiere distributors, which will increase our access to equipment and parts inventories available to you. We want to assure you we will be able to deliver greater value, service, support and innovation.”
For Komatsu America Corp., this is part of a strategic reinforcement of the distributor network. According to Komatsu, its goal is to place itself closer to the customer to “provide superior products, superior services and superior solutions.” Komatsu America Corp., a subsidiary of Komatsu LTD., the world's second largest manufacturer and supplier of earthmoving equipment.About Pine Bush Equipment
The family business started in 1956 when Edward “Ted” Boniface and his wife, Dorothy “Dot,” took a chance.
Ted was an excavating contractor in Pine Bush, NY, when the opportunity of a lifetime came along, one that he couldn't pass up. When Pine Bush Farm Implement — a local Case agricultural dealership on State Route 302 — was put up for sale, the couple knew what they had to do. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE