April 30, 2018

CT Construction Digest Monday April 30, 2018

Transportation Campaign Links

FOR THOSE THAT NOT HAD THE CHANCE YET TO CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW PLEASE DO SO AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. LETS MAKE A BIG PUSH OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS GOING INTO THE WEEK


Everyone please take the time to follow the link below this is extremely important.
Legislative Alert
The Connecticut House of Representatives may be voting on a solution to fix the Special Transportation Fund as early as next week. 
Use this link https://www.votervoice.net/CCIA/campaigns/58617/respond
to call your State Representative tell them to vote in favor of using the existing car sales tax to fix the funding shortfall in the Special Transportation Fund.
Make the call.  Leave a message.  $4.3 billion of projects are at stake! Please forward this message to as many people in your organization as possible

Some lawmakers still pushing for tolls as session winds down

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Some state lawmakers aren't giving up on passing legislation before the General Assembly adjourns in less than two weeks that could eventually lead to highway tolls on Connecticut's highways.
Democratic House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz said he hopes the House of Representatives will vote this week on a bill that would require the Department of Transportation to come up with a plan for tolling, including discounts for in-state drivers and commuters and possible long-term reductions in the state gas tax. The Berlin lawmaker said he's "no longer afraid" of the political ramifications of supporting tolls, given the state's deteriorating transportation infrastructure and a spending account for transportation projects that's facing insolvency beginning fiscal year 2019.
"If it happens here, at least I can personally walk out of here with a clean conscience saying I have done everything to put the issue right out in center, in front of everybody, and we couldn't get the votes," he said.
Even if the bill clears the House, where Democrats hold a slim majority, its fate is doubtful in the Senate, where there are an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. The legislature is scheduled to adjourn its regular legislative session May 9 and then begin campaigning for re-election in November.
Republican Sen. Toni Boucher, of Wilton, a co-chairwoman of the Transportation Committee, said GOP senators recently discussed the prospect of tolls in a closed-door meeting.
"By the end of it, every single person that I spoke with there just didn't have any appetite for a toll bill this year," she said. "Even the Democrats on their side are having a difficult time trying to bring any toll bill out."
Boucher argues that Connecticut taxpayers have been taxed too much since the state ended tolling in the late 1980s. She said there "might be room to negotiate" if there was an immediate reduction in the state gasoline tax, among the highest in the nation."We see this tolling scheme as another additional tax on a state that has been devastated by too many additional taxes," Boucher said. "We need to show where they're going to take another tax off the table so we're not adding more to the tax burden."
Electronic tolling is one of the proposals being pushed by the group Move CT Forward, a coalition that includes the construction industry and trade unions.
Move CT Forward has been running a series of TV, radio and online ads warning about the condition of Connecticut's roads and bridges and the lack of funding in the Special Transportation Fund. The group is also calling a $3 fee for each new tire purchased, a seven-cent increase in the gasoline tax over four years, higher motor vehicle license and other fees, and a new transportation authority to oversee transportation-related revenues. Those are the same actions Democratic Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has proposed. Under his plan, tolling would begin in Connecticut in fiscal year 2023.
The governor has warned that $4.3 billion in transportation projects will have to be delayed or canceled if there isn't new revenue generated for the transportation fund.

Meriden announces bidder for Mills Apartments demolition

Mary Ellen Godin
MERIDEN — Bestech Inc. of Ellington is the qualified low bidder for the Mills Memorial Apartments demolition, city officials said Friday.
Bestech’s base bid came in at $1,947,007, below the $2 million state grant awarded to demolish the 1960’s public housing complex.
City officials scheduled a pre-award meeting with Bestech for next week, according to city Economic Development Director Juliet Burdelski.
“Assuming all goes as expected, we would anticipate being able to start the abatement and demo by mid-May,” Burdelski said Friday.  “We do anticipate having all of the structures demolished by the end of 2018.”
The period to bid ran from March 1 through March 28.
The work includes cleanup and demolition of the complex, located at 144 Mill St. The 4-acre site has two high-rise apartment buildings and three low-rise buildings. Cleanup is expected to begin in May, with demolition anticipated in July.
The public housing complex operated by the Meriden Housing Authority was built in 1961. City Planner Robert Seale said the city has contemplated demolishing the Mills since the 1970’s.
The demolition of the Mills is a key component of downtown revitalization. Plans call for hundreds of mixed-income apartment units in several projects as opposed to concentrating poverty in one project or area.
Construction of Meriden Commons I is nearing completion at 177 State St., with the second phase of that project expected to begin in the coming months.
The two projects will add 151 apartments downtown with more than 15,000 square feet of commercial space. Eighty percent of units are considered affordable or covered under Section 8 income limits.
The Mills buildings now sit on land the Meriden Housing Authority swapped with the city that will allow it to continue the Meriden Green flood control project to Cedar Street.
An underground storage tank on the Mills property was set to be removed Friday, thus clearing the way for the city’s demolition. According to Robert Cappelletti, executive director of the Meriden Housing Authority, Meriden Commons developer Pennrose Properties paid for the $10,000 tank removal.
“Pennrose offered to help both parties,” Cappelletti said. “Obviously it's very exciting for the new projects to go up and the old to come down. It will be an amazing transformation for the downtown area.”

Groton ceremony recognizes workers who died on job

Erica Moser
Groton — A 55-year-old construction worker died on Friday after she fell through the floor of a building under construction in Vernon.
To Congressman Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, this is the kind of tragic story that illustrates why it's important to recognize Workers' Memorial Day, and why it's important to maintain worker safety regulations.
He was one of the speakers at the annual Workers' Memorial Day ceremony held at Washington Park here on Saturday. It was sponsored by the Southeastern Connecticut chapter of the AFL-CIO, and more than 200 people attended.
Chapter President Wayne Burgess explained that the day has been observed since 1989, to recognize workers who were killed on the job or died from work-related illness. He said that in 2016, nearly 5,200 workers were killed on the job, and another 50,000 die every year from occupational diseases.
Groton City Mayor Keith Hedrick spoke of efforts to develop a "culture of safety" in the city.
"This is not a memorial service that's sort of about the ancient past," Courtney said. "It's the present we're living in now."
He criticized the U.S. Department of Labor, under the administration of President Donald Trump, for rolling back a dozen Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations in the past 18 months, calling it the opposite direction of where the nation should be headed.
Personnel data shows that OSHA dropped 119 permanent employees between December 2016 and September 2017, a 6 percent decrease, the Washington Post reported.
"We have to fight harder for more safety rules," Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman said at the Groton ceremony. Wyman and other speakers made a plea for attendees to vote for those who listen to these concerns.
Lori Pelletier, executive secretary-treasurer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, lamented the U.S. Senate campaign of Don Blankenship in West Virginia. Following a mine explosion that killed 29 in 2010, Blankenship was found guilty of conspiring to willfully violate mine safety and health standards, and he was sentenced to a year in prison.
Connecticut Deputy Secretary of State Scott Bates, noting that he had a neighbor who died of lung disease from working with asbestos, said that while our parents and grandparents built an America with good jobs that people can come home from every day, there is no guarantee this will continue.
The ceremony also featured Joyce Harris playing taps and then Jessica McCombs singing "Amazing Grace" as union leaders placed seven wreaths at the Memorial Monument.
Following the Workers' Memorial Day ceremony in Groton was one in Hartford.
On Thursday, Courtney joined with four Democratic members of Congress to introduce a resolution in support of Workers' Memorial Day.

Bradley International Airport officials prep new 20-year, $1.4B master plan

Bradley International Airport officials are recommending $1.4 billion in projects over the next two decades as part of an ambitious master plan that would prepare the state's largest airfield for millions of additional passengers.
Nearly two years in the making and involving the Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA), which operates Bradley, myriad consultants and other stakeholders, the plan will serve as a guide for accommodating future airline and passenger growth and building the airport's capacity as a key tool in the region's economy.
It's the first master plan under the CAA since the authority took over Bradley operations from the state Department of Transportation in 2013 and the first master plan update since 2005.
Notable projects recommended in the 417-page, $1.25-million plan include:
• A new passenger Terminal B connected to the current Terminal A.
• A new consolidated rental car and ground transportation facility with 830 parking spaces that will put all rental car companies in one space on-site and eliminate shuttling to rental sites.
• A reconfigured Schoesphoester Road that includes four roundabouts for smoother flow along the airport.
The Route 20 connector road into the airport is already being realigned through the former Lot 1 surface lot, to improve traffic flow into the airport and make room for the future rental car facility.
Other projects include taxiway enhancements, a new baggage inspection/federal inspection service facility, additional parking and more.
"We have plans that were already progressing that we know we're going to build, for example, the transportation center," said Kevin Dillon, CAA's executive director. "We're very close to getting to the point where we're going to go out and finance that project," which is estimated at $220 million and will be paid for through fees on rental cars, known as customer facility charges.
Dillon hopes to see ground broken for the project, near the Sheraton Hotel and in front of where the former Terminal B (Murphy Terminal) was, later this year, with completion in about 2021.
A new Terminal B, with about 440,000 square feet, would roughly double existing terminal space to about 843,000 square feet and connect to Terminal A for a "more cohesive terminal experience for passengers as well as the added benefit of lower costs," the plan says.
It's the plan's biggest project, pegged at about $509.5 million over three phases starting with phase one in the 2023-2027 time period and phases two and three in the 2028-2037 period.
Before work would begin on a new Terminal B, though, the airport would maximize the capacity of Terminal A by relocating baggage explosive detection equipment currently consuming lobby space and making other changes to improve passenger capacity and flow.
"I've often said, I do believe at some point this airport could be a 10-million passenger airport," Dillon said. "If we're going to get to that number and go beyond, we're going to need to improve this infrastructure over time."
There were 6.4 million Bradley passengers last year, still below the 2000 and 2005 peaks of roughly 7.4 million and 7.2 million passengers, respectively. The 2000 peak was before the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the 2005 peak was before the Great Recession, rising fuel prices and massive industry consolidation that reshaped the industry and hit small- and medium-hub airports — including Bradley — hard, Dillon said. The master plan contemplates roughly 9.4 million passengers by 2037, an average annual growth rate of 1.82 percent. Passenger totals last year grew 6.2 percent.
Wish list or reality?
Although not cast in stone, the master plan is generally a road map to follow based on what's known today and will be periodically updated, based on changes that may occur after the plan, Dillon said.
"For example, if we're able to cultivate a major cargo development here at the airport, that could alter how we're looking at some of the expenses under this plan," he said.
The plan will be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration, which must approve it.
While it's difficult to say if every recommended project will get done, "as I sit here today, I do believe this is an accurate reflection of where I would look to take this airport if I were here for the next 20 years," Dillon said.
To approach 10-million passengers requires Bradley to recapture passenger leakage to New York and Boston, he said.
"So in a market like this, it's all about seats," Dillon said. "I continue to believe if we can get the seats here, we will fill them, that there's that much market strength."
More passengers means more flights, which leads to more landing fee revenue, and rental car, parking and concession revenue, he said.
"Passenger numbers really drive our business across the board," Dillon said.
Bradley's No. 1 selling point is convenience, Dillon said, so the master plan focuses heavily on projects enhancing that. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Farmington is on the cusp of another development wave with the construction of apartments, condos and medical offices

Farmington is on the cusp of another growth spurt, one where new development of apartments, condos, senior-living spaces and medical offices predominate.
The affluent, suburban enclave seven miles west of downtown Hartford has about 25,000 souls who lay heads there at night, but its daytime population swells to 32,000 — the result of commuters who arrive daily to work at UConn Health, Jackson Laboratory, Carrier, Otis Elevator and Stanley Black & Decker.
With a name derived from its once lush farmland and a history of bivouacking Colonial and French troops during the Revolutionary War, Farmington today is highly regarded for its diversity of employment in manufacturing, health services/medical research; its many recreation options; and its quality schools despite possessing one of the lowest property-tax rates in the state, at 26.68 mills.
The latter is courtesy of a large commercial tax base, achieved with the foresight of town leaders who more than a generation ago created an industrial park to house commercial employers, to shoulder the property-tax burden. Farmington does not offer tax or other incentives to lure companies.
"Our philosophy is that our economic incentives are our low taxes,'' said Town Manager Kathy Eagen.
Those elements have combined to reignite a fresh wave of planning and construction, says Rose Ponte, the town's economic-development chief and other town leaders. But with nearly all of Farmington's developable acreage built out and homebuilding slowing, Town Planner William Warner says the focus now is to allow commercial developers, in certain areas, to pack more structures onto a lot.
Among projects underway or planned is a 12-unit luxury condo community on the former Chuck's Steak House site in Farmington Village, the town's historic section; an assisted-living facility with companion seniors-only apartments on Route 4, opposite Wood-n-Tap Bar & Grill; and an upgrade of the town's sewage-treatment plant.
Meantime, behind the Starbucks on Route 4/Farmington Avenue, Newington landlord Reno Properties Group is eyeing the site of a historic home to erect apartments, Ponte said.
"Rentals are so in demand right now,'' she said.
More recently, a West Hartford church put up for sale an undeveloped 18.5-acre tract on Farmington Avenue, opposite UConn Health and Jackson Laboratory. With barely 8 percent of the town's developable land left, Farmington Avenue Baptist Church's parcel could draw a high price tag, observers say.
Jackson Lab's arrival in Oct. 2014 exposed a need in Farmington for more apartments — particularly smaller, affordable units — to shelter young scientists and other professionals.
Robert Wienner, developer of West Hartford's successful Blue Back Square residential-retail-office development, is eyeing a makeover of a ?-acre strip fronting Farmington Avenue/Route 4, in the Farmington Village district.
There, Wienner subdivided the tract, keeping the Farmington Avenue frontage and selling the rear portion that once held Chuck's to Tolland builder/developer PAC Group LLC. PAC is finishing The Pennington, a 12-unit luxury condo community overlooking the Farmington Country Club.
Wienner say he's deliberating what to do with his leftover strip, but his plans will be consistent with the town's vision for its eastern "gateway."
"The town's vision is to turn the village into a more pedestrian-friendly, walkable area,'' he said. "It's an unusually charming and desirable place. They're really smart and clear-thinking about what they wanted to happen in the Village, and I wanted to be a part of it.''
Nearby, Newington landlord Reno Properties Group LLC owns a 4-acre parcel, site of a 300-year-old farmhouse, bought 10 years ago for $900,000 to redevelop into a retail center, anchored with a bank branch, said Reno broker Dan Garofalo.
"We felt it was a great town. A great corner. A gateway site,'' Garofalo said.
There, state transportation contractors are due to wrap in June their $12 million makeover of the heavily-congested Route 4/Route 10 interchange.
Crews have widened, repaved and re-signaled a stretch of Route 4, leading from the curve that once housed a Chevy dealership, to the Route 10-Main Street/Waterville Road connector. (The length of the project has frustrated some local merchants who say the added congestion has cost them business).
That's atop an earlier widening and rebuild of a Route 4 bridge spanning the Farmington River a few years ago. Also underway is a long-awaited capacity upgrade of the town's sewage-treatment facility, once a frequent source of neighbors' odor complaints. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE

Buyers Sought For Hartford's XL Center As General Assembly Opens Bidding For Aging Arena

For sale: Fixer-upper with potential in the heart of downtown Hartford; built in 1975 with a roof that was replaced five years later; sold in “as is” condition.
Bidding starts Monday.
The Capital Region Development Authority is issuing the “request for proposals” for the purchase of the aging XL Center in hopes of attracting a buyer that would relieve taxpayers, at least in part, of the costs for operating and upgrading the arena.
One bidder — Oak Street Real Estate Capital, a Chicago private equity firm — already has stepped forward with an unsolicited bid.
In addition, “we’ve gotten two or three pokes, but we don’t know if they will manifest themselves,” Michael W. Freimuth, executive director, said.
Freimuth said the state is not pledging to devote funds for improvements as part of the RFP, but “the state could be a player. I would think honestly whatever proposals come in, it would require some state participation.”
A buyer is being sought after CRDA’s recommendation for a $250 million makeover of the arena failed to gain traction in the legislature. State lawmakers, instead, last year required that a sale of the 43-year-old Veterans Memorial Coliseum be explored.
The proposals are due by June 29, but a decision isn’t expected until the fall after evaluation and negotiations by a review panel. The panel will include a representative from Stafford Sports, a New Jersey sports venue consultant that has worked with CRDA on past plans to makeover the arena
The panel also is likely to include members of CRDA’s venue committee, Freimuth said.
The Hartford city council also would have to sign off on any agreement because it owns the property. CRDA leases the arena under a long-term arrangement and manages it.According to a draft of the RFP, a buyer would continue to operate XL Center as an arena and to professional industry standards. CRDA is seeking bidders who would operate with diminished future investments by the state or city. The arena also may have to close temporarily for renovations or upgrades.
The future of the XL Center has been debated for more than a decade, as the aging arena has lost its competitive edge against newer concert venues at Connecticut’s two casinos. And now, the arena faces a new threat in MGM’s Springfield casino and entertainment complex, set to open Aug. 24.
The arena still has strong sports tenants — its mainstay business — in UConn women’s and men’s basketball, UConn hockey and the AHL minor league Wolf Pack.
Upgrades to the arena have become a political football. Some state legislators argue it is no longer worth pouring state funds — $40 million since 2014 and another $40 million approved last year — into the money-losing venue.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who has pushed for upgrades throughout his tenure as governor, proposed another $100 million this year, but the fate of that plan remains unclear as the legislature nears the end of this year’s session.
Closing the arena, right in the heart of downtown, would be a blow to restaurants and other businesses in the area, supporters say. The arena also is a key component of downtown’s revitalization, they say.
One estimate puts the cost of demolition at $40 million.
Bidding will be complicated by the uncertain future of CRDA’s negotiations to buy the atrium and retail space outside the arena, which are on-going. The space is owned by Northland Investment Corp. and is seen as important to boosting revenues in any future redevelopment.
For instance, the atrium space would be needed should a second concourse — as recommended in the $250 million CRDA proposal — ever be built. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE



April 27, 2018

CT Construction Digest Friday 27, 2018


MOURN For the Dead FIGHT For the Living

Workers Memorial Day Saturday, April 28
12:00 Noon
Workers Memorial, Bushnell Park, Hartford
Join the Connecticut AFL-CIO and the Health and Safety Committee to honor the men and women who were killed or injured on the job.Rain or Shine.

For more information about the Workers Memorial 2018, please contact the Connecticut AFL-CIO at  860-571-6191 UNITE/HERE 110 A


Transportation Campaign Links

FOR THOSE THAT NOT HAD THE CHANCE YET TO CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW PLEASE DO SO AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. LETS MAKE A BIG PUSH OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS GOING INTO THE WEEK


Everyone please take the time to follow the link below this is extremely important.
Legislative Alert
The Connecticut House of Representatives may be voting on a solution to fix the Special Transportation Fund as early as next week. 
Use this link https://www.votervoice.net/CCIA/campaigns/58617/respond
to call your State Representative tell them to vote in favor of using the existing car sales tax to fix the funding shortfall in the Special Transportation Fund.
Make the call.  Leave a message.  $4.3 billion of projects are at stake! Please forward this message to as many people in your organization as possible


Forum on Connecticut highway tolls to be held in Milford on Saturday

By Pam McLoughlin
MILFORD — As tough as it is to discuss bringing back highway tolls when so many are struggling financially, it’s a subject that needs to be addressed, and it will be on Saturday morning at an informational forum to be held at City Hall, said state Rep. Kim Rose, D-Milford.
The forum, to be attended by several area Democratic legislators will address current legislation that calls for a study of tolls and what impact that may have on residents and commuters in Connecticut.
The dialogue will be open and those slated to attend include: state Reps. Rose; Dorinda Borer, D-West Haven; Philip Young, D-Stratford and Joe Gresko, D-Stratford.
Rose said there is a lot of “incorrect information” circulating on social media about tolls.
“I have always tried to educate my constituents and be honest as to why we are where we are, what the facts are and why we have to make the hard decisions,” Rose said. “I heard from one constituent who said her commute from Milford to Stamford will cost her $400 a month. I’m not sure where those figures came from.”
Rose said legislators were told by Department of Transportation officials that a commuter with an EZ Pass may expect to pay $1.73 traveling from Milford to the New York border. The number and locations of the overhead tolls will be determined later following a finite study, Rose said.
The forum will help constituents make “informed decisions,” about tolls, Rose said.
The forum will take place at 10 a.m. at Milford City Hall, 110 River St.
“The thought of tolls is a huge issue among voters in CT. It brings back the memories of that horrific crash in Stratford. It brings about anger that we will be facing another cost and expense,” Rose wrote in an email response. “Anytime we are faced with an increase in cost it’s concerning.”
Rose said many people are living on a strict budget and adding cost to the commute and daily lives will in many cases mean cutting costs somewhere else But she said there needs to be a way to fund the State Transportation Fund. Rose said some have suggested bonding, but that’s like, “kicking the can down the road. Our grandchildren will be straddled with the bill much like we are now trying to fund the unfunded pensions.” Bonding also means Connecticut residents will foot the whole bill, Rose said. “Although a difficult conversation, it is one that we need to have,” Rose wrote in the email.
Rose said she’s heard Connecticut is one of the costliest states for road repair.
Rose said this year’s proposal regarding tolls is to allow the Department of Transportation to do a study, the first phase of which is an environmental study required by the federal government. The turn-around time is 18 to 24 months, she said, noting the DOT will come back with a concrete proposal, and legislators will go through it, “with a fine-tooth comb.”
After that, it will go to state residents in the form of public hearings.
“There are really so many unknowns right now,” Rose said. She said federal law will not allow border tolls Rose said there is no question that somehow the transportation fund has to be funded to keep it sustainable.
“We cannot continue to let our roads to fall in disrepair. We need to enhance our bus and rail service and infrastructure so that commuters can get to work via a clean, affordable and reliable system,” Rose wrote in her email. “And we can no longer allow out-of-state vehicles to use our roadways without sharing in the cost of repairs.”

Bethel voters to decide on police station overruns

By Julia Perkins
BETHEL — The Board of Finance unanimously recommended Wednesday night that the town spend almost $889,000 to cover overruns in the police station project.Voters will consider approving the funding needed to complete the station, which was originally budgeted at $13.5 million, at a special town meeting at a later date. Town officials said the funding must be approved before May 15, otherwise the project will fall behind schedule and staffing costs will increase.
The station went over budget in part because plumbing and HVAC work was more expensive than estimates. Members of the building committee and Downes Construction Co. said the estimates did not fully account for a tight construction market and the high quality of materials the town sought to ensure the station will last longer.But Downes and building committee officials offered assurances that the station would not need more money after this request is granted.
“We are very confident with the number we put forth,” said Deno Gualtieri, a member of the Public Site and Building CommitteeThe project is 70 percent complete and is expected to be finished by the end of July, and prices for nearly all the remaining work have been confirmed, officials said.
Downes promised it could complete construction for $12.4 million, and building committee members said other work would cost almost $2 million, for a total of almost $14.4 million.
Without the additional funding approved Wednesday, the firing range and landscaping would be left incomplete. Officers would also need to bring furniture from their existing station to the new one.
Some residents and finance board members were frustrated that no one has been held accountable for the mistakes that took the project over budget. Although officials had known for months the project was heading over budget, the building committee did not request more funding until mid-March. Cynthia McCorkindale, a board of finance member, said residents should have known about the overruns sooner because that knowledge could have affected approval of the school renovations or the 2018-19 budget process.
“What makes me very uncomfortable is that no one is taking the reins,” she said.Resident Bill Hillman called for First Selectman Knickerbocker to replace Jon Menti, chairman of the building committee.
Menti’s term is up in January 2020, but the Board of Selectmen can remove appointed members “for cause,” according to the town charter.“A $1 million overrun, failure to tell the town months ago is cause to remove Mr. Menti as chair,” Hillman said. Residents said they want town officials to ensure that errors like this would not happen again, especially on the renovation projects at Rockwell and Johnson elementary schools.
“You must demand full accountability,” resident Frank Mineo said. “It’s the only way to get the faith back.”The town has hired an owner’s representative for the renovations to help the building committee. Members said an owner’s representative would likely have been unnecessary for the police station, but is critical for the larger, more complicated school renovations.
Some board members said they wish they could grant $1.5 million to cover the equipment in the firing range, a cost that was not in the budget voters approved in December 2015.
But members worried the town would not meet the May 15 deadline if voters rejected the higher request.“It's just frustrating to me, because here is a project that should be done the right way, and it’s not going to be done the right way,” finance board member Bryan Terzian said. “We're going to risk that the firing range isn’t going to be done down the road.”Police Chief Jeff Finch has said he plans to ask later for a special appropriation to outfit the firing range. This might cost $600,000, but officials said they do not have a firm cost yet.

Engineering firm defends controversial Tilcon study

Written by LISA BACKUS
A New Britain official and Lenard Engineering Vice President James Ericson defended his company’s environmental study on the potential impacts of a proposed Tilcon quarry expansion Wednesday before a state council reviewing the 500-page document.
The study, which encompasses many aspects of Tilcon’s plan to mine 131 acres of protected watershed near Bradley Mountain, has come under fire from residents and environmental advocates throughout the state. Lenard concluded that species of animals and plants would be destroyed in the mining process but that the city would nearly double its water storage capacity in 40 years when the land is returned to the city of New Britain as a reservoir.
Tilcon would pay the city to lease the mining rights and give nearly 300 acres of open space to New Britain, Southington and Plainville as part of the deal.
Run-off water from Coppermine Brook in Bristol would fill the reservoir through a practice called “flood skimming” and remain there until needed in times of drought, said acting New Britain Water Department director Ray Esponda. “With the water stored in times of plenty, we can better deal with times of need,” said Esponda, who was appointed acting director at the tail end of a months-long drought in late 2016. “Having a reservoir of this size, we can make better decisions and we will have the basis of creating a regional water supply.”
Ericson and Esponda both spoke before the Council on Environmental Quality which in its review of the study points out several flaws in the document. A two-member subcommittee of the council found that the study didn’t fully document the potential destruction to mammals, amphibians and the forested habitat and didn’t examine the water quality of the flood waters generated by Copper Mine Brook run-off.
The subcommittee also felt the study “grossly exaggerated” New Britain’s future population, failed to include that the city-owned Patton Brook Well can provide 1.2 millions of water a day and didn’t provide any information on the cost of upgrading the infrastructure to capture the flood skimmed water and channel it to the reservoir. Nor did it discuss conservation measures as a way of increasing water supply.
Tilcon and New Britain officials had touted the project as a “free” reservoir when the proposal was announced in early 2016. Ericson and Esponda said they have no idea how much the upgrades to connect the quarry to the water system would cost or who would pay for them. Ericson also confirmed that his firm would likely be in the running to engineer the project, but he had no estimate on what engineering services would cost.
The scope of the study was laid out in a state law passed in 2016 that required the city to hire an independent firm to review the environmental impact of the project according to six categories. These included looking at the long-term water supply needs for New Britain and other interconnected water companies. The law indicates that the study “need not be limited to” the six categories, but Ericson told the Council on Environmental Quality during Wednesday’s meeting, that many of what the council considered flaws in the study were not listed in the law as areas to examine.
“The scope of the act said what is the impact of the project on the safe yield,” Ericson said. “The scope of the work wasn’t to look at alternatives.”
Ericson also said Patton Brook Well wasn’t included as a New Britain water resource because the well hasn’t been connected to the system in years. Esponda’s team connected the well late last year and pumped about 1 million gallons a day for two weeks to determine if it would work.
The Council on Environmental Quality and the state Water Planning Council are reviewing the study and any comments sent by the public before preparing a final review that will be given to city. The city will hold a public hearing on the project sometime in the summer. The state Department of Public Health must approve the plan before it can go forward.

Calif. utility fans bidding war in second pitch to upend CT Water merger

Joe Cooper
There is a bicoastal water war brewing in the United States and Connecticut is in the middle of it.
California Water Service Group of San Jose confirmed Thursday it made an offer to acquire California-based SJW Group, which recently announced it reached a deal to purchase Connecticut Water Service for about $750 million.
SJW's board, however, recently rejected California Water's April 4 offer, the company said.
Meanwhile, Eversource Energy last week said it made an unsolicited bid to purchase Connecticut Water on April 5, weeks after SJW Group reached its mega deal with the Clinton-based water utility. That puts all four companies in a heated competition to purchase major water assets in California and Connecticut.
California Water confirmed Thursday it offered $68.25 a share, or approximately $1.9 billion, to purchase SJW Group.
Martin A. Kropelnicki, California Water's president and CEO, said in a release that his company has "repeatedly sought to discuss privately our superior proposal with SJW's board," which refused to engage in negotiations and responded Wednesday night that its board rejected the offer on April 13.
"Their lack of engagement has prevented their stockholders from learning about the substantial and immediate value we can deliver," Kropelnicki said. "We are now making our proposal public so stockholders can evaluate it for themselves. We are confident they will view it as clearly superior to the Connecticut Water transaction and to SJW's standalone prospects."
California Water said its proposal provides superior value than SJW's merger agreement with Connecticut Water, which is valued at about $750 million, or $61.86 per share. The value of the deal since then has gone up to $63.70 per share.
By joining forces, California Water says the two would create the nation's third largest water utility, serving more than 3 million people in California, Washington, New Mexico, Hawaii and Texas.
SJW and its subsidiaries include San Jose Water, which serves over 1 million people around San Jose, Calif., and Texas.
California Water, meanwhile, is the third-largest publicly traded water utility in the country, operating in California, Washington, New Mexico and Hawaii, its website says.
In statements released Thursday, SJW and Connecticut Water each reaffirmed their commitment to the "merger of equals."
"The SJW Group board continues to be committed to its existing merger agreement with Connecticut Water, which remains on track to close during the fourth quarter of 2018," SJW said.

Agencies Gear Up for Projects Across New England

As temperatures warm and days grow drier, state and local agencies are gearing up for construction projects all over New England — some still in the planning stages, others, phases in ongoing plans. Here's a look at what's coming up:
Connecticut
Walk Railroad Bridge Program — Advance work necessary for the upcoming $550 million Walk Railroad Bridge Program is continuing with construction on the replacement bridge set for 2019. The 120-year-old bridge carries four tracks of the New Haven commuter rail line over the Norwalk River. It swings open and closed to accommodate commercial and recreational marine traffic on the river below. Work on related projects has been ongoing since 2016 and includes: The Fender Repair Project to repair the fenders around the piers that protect both the Walk Bridge and boats from damage in the event of a collision; the Danbury Branch Dockyard Project required to facilitate rail operations during construction of the Walk Bridge, including adding track sidings, signal work and electrification to the southern end of the Danbury Branch of the New Haven line; and the CP243 Interlocking Project to construct a new four-track interlocking to allow for two-track Metro-North Railroad operations during reconstruction of the Walk Bridge.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Avenue Bridge Replacement — MassDOT is preparing to move ahead with Phases 3 and 4 of the Massachusetts Avenue Bridge Replacement Project. The project replaces the bridges over Commonwealth Avenue in Back Bay. Phase 3, scheduled for May 5 through May 23, is the actual replacement. Phase 4, also slated to get under way in May, involves completion of the Commonwealth Avenue bypass barrier and Massachusetts Avenue sidewalk, barrier and surface work, including new lighting, traffic signals, refurbished fence, new pavement, pavement markings and bike lanes. Phase 4 is scheduled to be completed in September.
Boston Harbor — A contract for dredging portions of the Boston Harbor Federal Navigation Project's main ship channel was recently awarded to Cashman/Dutra, Joint Venture of Quincy, Mass. Work on the $122.2 million project is tentatively slated to get under way this spring. The dredging is expected to take approximately three years to complete to deepen the project to its newly authorized depths to accommodate large container ships that have begun calling on the U.S. east coast since Panama Canal improvements were completed.
The project calls for the dredging of approximately 11.7 million cu. yds. of silt, blue clay, till and weathered rock. The work is designed to deepen and widen the Broad Sound North Channel to -51 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW); deepen and widen the Main Ship Channel to the Conley Terminal, including the turning basin to -47 ft. MLLW; and deepening the President Roads Anchorage and deepening the lower Reserved Channel to -47 ft. MLLW.
The dredged material will be taken to the Massachusetts Bay Disposal Site (MBDS) approximately 20 mi. offshore of Boston Harbor, with the exception of a small fraction of the material being placed as a cap to the Main Ship Channel Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) cell, just downstream of the inner confluence of the Chelsea and Mystic Rivers.
Silver Line Gateway Project — Construction on Phase 2 of the $56.7 million Silver Line Gateway Project is scheduled to begin this spring. The Silver Line Gateway Project will provide new, dedicated bus rapid transit (BRT) service connecting Chelsea and East Boston with the Red Line's South Station and Seaport District in Boston. The Silver Line Gateway will offer fast travel times and the potential for high ridership.
The upcoming work includes relocating and constructing a new fully accessible Commuter Rail Station adjacent to the Mystic Mall at Everett Avenue. Other elements of the Phase 2 work include implementation of new traffic signals at the busway intersections with Everett Avenue, Spruce Street and Arlington Street and upgrades to the railroad signal system and grade crossings. Construction of the Phase 2 work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2020.
New Hampshire
I-93 Exit 4A Project Derry and Londonderry — The Towns of Derry and Londonderry and the New Hampshire Department of Transportation are moving forward on an updated environmental study for the I-93 Exit 4A Project. The project consists of a new diamond interchange on I-93 in the Town of Londonderry, approximately one mile north of Exit 4, providing access to the east side of I-93. The purpose of the project is to reduce congestion and improve safety along NH 102, from I-93 easterly through downtown Derry and to promote economic vitality in the Derry/Londonderry area.
Planning is decades in the making with the first Draft Environmental Impact Statement conducted in 2007. Construction of the project is anticipated to begin in 2019 and be completed by 2022. The programmed cost of the Project within the 2017–2026 Ten Year Plan is $56,855,000, including preliminary engineering, right-of-way, and construction costs.
Vermont
North Hero – Grand Isle Drawbridge — June is the set start date for construction to begin on a project to replace the North Hero – Grand Isle Drawbridge. The historic twin leaf bascule bridge is the only vehicular moveable bridge in the state of Vermont. Work includes building a temporary drawbridge prior to replacing the existing drawbridge in order to minimize traffic impacts. According to the Vermont Agency of Transportation, the project will be contracted following the Construction Manager/General Contractor (CMGC) process.
“The selected contractor to work with the HDR Engineering team through the design phase is Cianbro Corporation. The CMGC process is different than a traditional design-bid-build in the way that the contractor is awarded in two separate phases. Phase 1 — the contractor performs a construction management service during the design phase of a project. This is helpful for the success of projects that require specialized construction methods and services. Phase 2 — the contractor is contracted for general construction services to construct the project. Work is set to be complete in 2022. 

April 26, 2018

CT Construction Digest Thursday April 26, 2018

Transportation Campaign Links

FOR THOSE THAT NOT HAD THE CHANCE YET TO CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW PLEASE DO SO AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. LETS MAKE A BIG PUSH OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS GOING INTO THE WEEK


Everyone please take the time to follow the link below this is extremely important.
Legislative Alert
The Connecticut House of Representatives may be voting on a solution to fix the Special Transportation Fund as early as next week. 
Use this link https://www.votervoice.net/CCIA/campaigns/58617/respond
to call your State Representative tell them to vote in favor of using the existing car sales tax to fix the funding shortfall in the Special Transportation Fund.
Make the call.  Leave a message.  $4.3 billion of projects are at stake! Please forward this message to as many people in your organization as possible!

Speaker says toll vote next week
VIDEO

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) - The Speaker of the House, Rep. Joe Aresimowicz (D-Berlin), says a decision on moving forward with electronic highway tolls must be made next week and that lawmakers need only look out the window at the Capitol to see why.
He says the crumbling highway stanchions on Interstate 84 near the Capitol show how desperately the state needs more revenue for transportation infrastructure.
House Democrats in the House discussed electronic tolls in closed caucus on Tuesday night. Now, on Wednesday, the Speaker says the vote is coming early next week.
Related Content: 'Toll Trolls' invade Capitol ahead of expected toll vote
The Speaker of the House said that state lawmakers need to look no farther than just behind the State Capitol Complex to see why there must be a vote on electronic tolls next week.
The elevated I-84 highway that carries over 170,000 cars and trucks daily is nearly covered with paint markings made by the D.O.T. where repairs must be made to the deteriorating structure to keep it usable.
The highway system and ramps were built in the 1960's and have been slated for replacement, but the D.O.T. and the Governor say there is not enough cash flow coming into the 'Special Transportation Fund' to allow the state to borrow the billions of dollars the project would cost.
"Walk right behind the L.O.B. parking garage, take a pillar, a picture of the stanchions with more white paint and X's on it than anything else," stated Aresimowicz.
He said the bill he wants will instruct the D.O.T. to create a plan that will provide discounts or tax credits for Connecticut residents, regular commuters, and low income residents, plus require a cut in the gas tax once the tolls are implemented.
The House Democratic co-chair of the Transportation Committee (D-Rocky Hill) said, "One of my top priorities would be the reduction of the 'Gas Tax."
Related Content: Capitol Report: Talking potential tolls in Connecticut
The House Republican leader, Rep. Themis Klarides (R-Derby) added she's open to a discussion on tolls, but that all the plans they've seen are non starters.
She noted that a trip from New York City to Niagra Falls, which is about 400 miles, costs about $20 in tolls, adding, "Their proposal from Greenwich to New Haven, which is about 40 miles is almost $10, it's not realistic."
There appears to be no support at all for the Governor's proposal to increase the Gas Tax seven cents and impose a $3 fee on tires.

Aresimowicz promises House vote on tolls

KEITH M. PHANEUF AND MARK PAZNIOKAS
House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said Tuesday he intends to call a vote next week on legislation making an initial commitment to implementing electronic highway tolls, despite Republican opposition that could brand Democrats as the party of tolls.
Many Democrats are nervous at the prospect of an election-year vote on a still-developing bill that would provide no immediate financial relief to the depleted Special Transportation Fund, instead authorizing the Department of Transportation to begin what is expected to be a multi-year process.
"I'm not willing to walk away from this session with doing nothing to solve this problem," Aresimowicz told Capitol reporters. "Our job is to rep the citizens of the state and make very difficult decisions for the betterment of this state. This falls into that category for me."
The Democratic majority in the House has fallen from 114-37 after the 2008 election to 79-71, saddling Aresimowicz with the smallest working majority in decades. Opposition by just five House Democrats to tolls would scuttle the effort.
Aresimowicz said he did not fear Republican campaign mailers accusing Democrats of opening Connecticut motorists to tolls on every major highway, saying the counter message would be to label Republicans as choosing higher commuter bus and train fares and a freeze on transportation repairs as preferable to tolls.
"Are they prepared for the mailers of they're the party of no tolls and crumbling infrastructure that makes us not competitive with neighboring states?" he asked.
The legislature's constitutional adjournment deadline is midnight May 9. One of the challenges facing Aresimowicz is drawing a bill with sufficient detail to convince Democrats to risk an election-year vote.
Aresimowicz said he wants to see legislation that provides a significant discount — as high as 50 percent — to in-state drivers. This could be provided in several ways, including through an income-tax credit, or a reduced price for commuter highway passes.
Aresimowicz said he believes that even with in-state discounts, tolls could raise up to $1 billion per year once fully implemented, with close to half of the revenue coming from out-of-state motorists.
"Those are the discussions that we need to have," he said, adding that the alternative is to accept a series of wide-ranging cutbacks in Connecticut's transportation program.
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has been warning since November that the Special Transportation Fund, which uses fuel taxes and transit revenue to pay debt service on borrowing for transportation projects, is headed for insolvency.
Absent more funding, the state is facing scrapping some rail services, raising fares, and suspending 40 percent of planned capital projects worth about $4.3 billion in construction activity — including major highway projects such as rebuilding the Hartford viaduct, the Malloy administration says.
Republican legislators have countered that Connecticut must better prioritize its transportation program and borrowing in general.
"It's clear the majority of Republicans have staked out a position" on tolls, Aresimowicz said, charging the GOP is motivated by election-year politics. "It's clear we're going to have to do it on our own."
One tolls-related bill has cleared the Transportation and Finance, Revenue & Bonding committees, but it's fate remains uncertain.
That measure would direct the Department of Transportation to develop a plan to establish tolling on Interstates 84, 91 and 95, and on the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways. The department also would assess where toll gantries should be located, how much revenue would be raised from the system, and what types of discounts might be offered to Connecticut residents.
The bill also would allow the legislature 30 days to act upon the report after receiving it during the 2019 General Assembly session. But if the House and Senate did not reject the DOT's plan, the restoration of tolling would be deemed approved.
But even with that option, House Republicans remain wary of the bill.
House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, said this should come as no surprise to Aresimowicz or to anyone else.
"We have the third smallest state in the country and every toll proposal has given us options of everywhere from 50 to 80 some-odd tolls," she said. "That is a non-starter for us."
"We are open to conversations about tolls, but they must be something reasonable," Klarides added.
But Aresimowicz said the GOP and other toll opponents have distorted the potential impact, adding this has been facilitated — at least in part — by the bill that has cleared two legislative committees.
"There's so much gray area," he said. "It allows individuals that are hellbent on stopping tolls to define it any way they want. I've heard every ludicrous argument."
Rep. Tony Guerrera, D-Rocky Hill, co-chair of the Transportation Committee and an ardent supporter of electronic tolling, said legislators who allow the transportation program to languish should not assume that makes them safe on Election Day.
"There's always a price to pay no matter what you do," he said. "You have to argue your point and show where you stand."

Centre Square road likely to be completed in June

BRISTOL - Progress is continuing on the construction of a road through Centre Square, according to city officials.
“Work is ongoing,” said Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu. “We are putting the pipes in our road and conduits that will then be connected with the Bristol Hospital building.”
Raymond Rogozinski, city engineer, further elaborated on the road work.
“Various utilities are going into the road as well as the sanitary sewer system and a potable water system has been installed along with most of the electrical system,” he said. “The final tie-ins are still required. We’ve also done some of the telecom conduits.”
Rogozinski said the project will include streetscape components to match the aesthetics of downtown, full underground utilities and updated traffic signals.
“Moving forward we will be installing curbing, paving, concrete sidewalks and a brick area between the sidewalk and the curb,” he said.
The planned 1,000-foot “Centre Square Access Road” will begin at the intersection of North Main and Laurel Streets, and will cut through Centre Square to Riverside Avenue. It will provide access to the Bristol Hospital Ambulatory Care Center, which is planned for the corner of Riverside and Main Street.
The Department of Public Works and Engineering Division is overseeing the project, which was designed by Milone & MacBroom Inc. The stated goal of the project is to develop a “pedestrian-oriented downtown that supports new retail, housing, offices and recreation.”
The Bristol Hospital Ambulatory Care Center will start off the development of Centre Square.
Zoppo-Sassu said that in a recent conversation with Bristol Hospital President and CEO Kurt Barwis, she was informed that there would “most likely be shovels in the ground in May” for the Ambulatory Care Center.
As for the road, Rogozinski said that, due to delays in coordinating with utilities, the road project will most likely be completed by June instead of May, which was the estimate last October.
Zoppo-Sassu also said the City has received inquiries about other parcels on the property.
“These proposals are being discussed and evaluated to determine if they are an appropriate fit for downtown and our zoning requirements,” said Zoppo-Sassu.
The contract for the access road was given to Schultz Corporation of Terryville. A formal groundbreaking ceremony was held Oct. 3 of last year.

State orders contractors to stop work on Southington hotel

Jesse Buchanan
SOUTHINGTON — Seven companies working on the Courtyard by Marriott on West Street have received stop work orders from the state Department of Labor, the most recent issued earlier this month.
The stop work orders are issued to companies that “knowingly misrepresent employees as independent contractors” according to the labor department. The orders can also be issued to companies that provide incorrect information to insurance companies on the number of employees in order to pay a lower premium.
AJ Patel of Ava Group received approval to build the hotel in 2016. A person answering the phone at the company declined to comment on the stop work orders when contacted Tuesday.
In August, J9 Builders and VCI Construction Services received stop work orders. According to Mohammodu Giwa, spokesman for the labor department, no releases have been issued for those orders.
Giwa said there have been several companies that have overseen work on the hotel. A previous general contractor has left the job.
“We have the property owner recorded as AJ Patel who operates under various business names such as J9 Builders LLC, Southington Hospitality Management LLC, Ava Realty Southington LLC and Ava Group,” he said. “Patel had reported to me on (August 30, 2017) that J9 Builders was a subsidiary of parent company Ava Group/Ava Realty Southington LLC who owns the property.”
Several workers with New England Regional Council of Carpenters Local 326 demonstrated outside the hotel construction site last week. Ernest Pagan, union organizer with the local, said the misrepresentation of workers robs state and local governments of payroll taxes and affects workers who aren’t provided the proper insurance.
“We want the community and people to know what’s happening here,” Pagan said.
According to the labor department, employees are on a payroll, fill out a timecard and receive a paycheck from which taxes are deducted. Independent contractors are in business for themselves and file taxes as a business or sole proprietor.
The hotel is part of a larger development along that portion of West Street. Adjacent is a commercial plaza owned by local developer Mark Lovley which contains a Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen. Other businesses include Cheshire Coffee, Nutmeg Credit Union and Silk Nails.
On April 11, five more companies were issued stop work orders. The companies, Mendez Bros Home Improvement, Advanced Drywall Systems II LLC, Elizondro’s Carpentry LLC, Claros Construction and Southington Hospitality couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday.



 

April 25, 2018

CT Construction Digest Wednesday April 25, 2018

Transportation Campaign Links

FOR THOSE THAT NOT HAD THE CHANCE YET TO CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW PLEASE DO SO AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. LETS MAKE A BIG PUSH OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS GOING INTO THE WEEK


Everyone please take the time to follow the link below this is extremely important.
Legislative Alert
The Connecticut House of Representatives may be voting on a solution to fix the Special Transportation Fund as early as next week. 
Use this link https://www.votervoice.net/CCIA/campaigns/58617/respond
to call your State Representative tell them to vote in favor of using the existing car sales tax to fix the funding shortfall in the Special Transportation Fund.
Make the call.  Leave a message.  $4.3 billion of projects are at stake! Please forward this message to as many people in your organization as possible!

                                                             ***ADVISORY*** MOVE CT FORWARD’S DON SHUBERT TO DISCUSS CT’S DETERIORATING INFRASTRUCTURE ON THE BRAD DAVIS SHOW
HARTFORD – Move CT Forward’s Don Shubert will appear on 1360AM WDRC’s Brad Davis radio program to discuss the current deteriorating state of Connecticut’s infrastructure and how Hartford needs to act now to fix it.
Don will be appearing on the show, which can be heard online here, tomorrow, Wednesday, April 25 at 7:50 a.m. Move CT Forward seeks to bring public attention to and resolve Connecticut’s infrastructure crisis. The organization began a seven-figure paid media campaign last month to highlight just how badly the state’s infrastructure has been allowed to deteriorate and ensure that representatives in Hartford take immediate action.  A video, “Headlines”, can be viewed at movectforward.com Move CT Forward consists of the Connecticut Construction Industries Association, I.U.O.E. Local 478 and the Connecticut Laborers’ District Council.
Connecticut’s infrastructure is crumbling and the Special Transportation Fund (STF) has run out. $4.3 billion in transportation projects have been suspended. According to the national transportation research group TRIP, the Reason Foundation, and the America Society of Civil Engineers, Connecticut roads are among the worst in the country.[i]  TRIP found that 57% of Connecticut roads are in “poor condition and 33% of bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The TRIP report also notes that the abysmal condition of the state’s infrastructure costs motorists $864 a year in needed vehicle repairs.[ii]
Additionally, this deteriorating infrastructure has a detrimental impact on the overall quality of life in the state. Residents spend over 45 hours per year stuck in traffic, valuable time that they could be spending with family and friends. Moreover, as a corridor state, our local economy is reliant on a strong transportation system.
For more information on Move CT Forward and need to fix the state’s crumbling infrastructure, log on to MoveCTForward.com, like us on Facebook (Facebook.com/MoveCTForward) and follow us on Twitter (@MoveCTForward).

Aresimowicz promises House vote on tolls

House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said Tuesday he intends to call a vote next week on legislation making an initial commitment to implementing electronic highway tolls, despite Republican opposition that could brand Democrats as the party of tolls.
Many Democrats are nervous at the prospect of an election-year vote on a still-developing bill that would provide no immediate financial relief to the depleted Special Transportation Fund, instead authorizing the Department of Transportation to begin what is expected to be a multi-year process.
“I’m not willing to walk away from this session with doing nothing to solve this problem,” Aresimowicz told Capitol reporters. “Our job is to rep the citizens of the state and make very difficult decisions for the betterment of this state. This falls into that category for me.”
The Democratic majority in the House has fallen from 114-37 after the 2008 election to 79-71, saddling Aresimowicz with the smallest working majority in decades. Opposition by just five House Democrats to tolls would scuttle the effort.
Aresimowicz said he did not fear Republican campaign mailers accusing Democrats of opening Connecticut motorists to tolls on every major highway, saying the counter message would be to label Republicans as choosing higher commuter bus and train fares and a freeze on
transportation repairs as preferable to tolls.
“Are they prepared for the mailers of they’re the party of no tolls and crumbling infrastructure that makes us not competitive with neighboring states?” he asked.
The legislature’s constitutional adjournment deadline is midnight May 9. One of the challenges facing Aresimowicz is drawing a bill with sufficient detail to convince Democrats to risk an election-year vote.
Aresimowicz said he wants to see legislation that provides a significant discount — as high as 50 percent — to in-state drivers. This could be provided in several ways, including through an income-tax credit, or a reduced price for commuter highway passes.
Aresimowicz said he believes that even with in-state discounts, tolls could raise up to $1 billion per year once fully implemented, with close to half of the revenue coming from out-of-state motorists.
“Those are the discussions that we need to have,” he said, adding that the alternative is to accept a series of wide-ranging cutbacks in Connecticut’s transportation program.
House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said Tuesday he intends to call a vote next week on legislation making an initial commitment to implementing electronic highway tolls, despite Republican opposition that could brand Democrats as the party of tolls.
Many Democrats are nervous at the prospect of an election-year vote on a still-developing bill that
would provide no immediate financial relief to the depleted Special Transportation Fund, instead authorizing the Department of Transportation to begin what is expected to be a multi-year process.
“I’m not willing to walk away from this session with doing nothing to solve this problem,” Aresimowicz told Capitol reporters. “Our job is to rep the citizens of the state and make very difficult decisions for the betterment of this state. This falls into that category for me.”
The Democratic majority in the House has fallen from 114-37 after the 2008 election to 79-71, saddling Aresimowicz with the smallest working majority in decades. Opposition by just five House Democrats to tolls would scuttle the effort.
Aresimowicz said he did not fear Republican campaign mailers accusing Democrats of opening Connecticut motorists to tolls on every major highway, saying the counter message would be to label Republicans as choosing higher commuter bus and train fares and a freeze on transportation repairs as preferable to tolls.
“Are they prepared for the mailers of they’re the party of no tolls and crumbling infrastructure that makes us not competitive with neighboring states?” he asked.
The legislature’s
constitutional adjournment deadline is midnight May 9. One of the challenges facing Aresimowicz is drawing a bill with sufficient detail to convince Democrats to risk an election-year vote.
Aresimowicz said he wants to see legislation that provides a significant discount — as high as 50 percent — to in-state drivers. This could be provided in several ways, including through an income-tax credit, or a reduced price for commuter highway passes.
Aresimowicz said he believes that even with in-state discounts, tolls could raise up to $1 billion per year once fully implemented, with close to half of the revenue coming from out-of-state motorists.
“Those are the discussions that we need to have,” he said, adding that the alternative is to accept a series of wide-ranging cutbacks in Connecticut’s transportation program. CLICK TITLE TO CONTINUE
 


Natural gas essential to New York's energy mix

Thomas F. O'Mara, Commentary
There was a time not long ago that natural gas was hailed by environmentalists as a cleaner energy solution. During his first Earth Day speech as President, Barack Obama lauded domestic natural gas as a critical bridge fuel to a renewable energy future. Towards the end of his presidency, Obama credited the use of natural gas for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reminding the audience of a climate change event at the White House that "we've got to live in the real world." Somewhere along the line that message got lost, and if we don't start remembering that we live in the real world, the cost of heat and electricity will be unaffordable for most New Yorkers. In the real world, demand for natural gas is at an all-time high — and that's been a good thing for the environment and the U.S. economy, particularly in our neighboring state of Pennsylvania.
Since 1990, U.S. natural gas production is up 37 percent and greenhouse gas emissions are down 17 percent. From 2005-2015, natural gas consumption increased 24 percent — contributing to dramatic drops in a number of air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide (down 66 percent), fine particulate matter (down 34 percent), and nitrogen oxide (down 20 percent). One of the important benefits of natural gas is the way it works in concert with renewable forms of energy. The main challenge with relying on renewable sources of energy, such as wind or solar, is their inherent unreliability. Storage capacity simply is not ready for prime time yet and cannot meet our energy demands. Continued innovation and investment in this area is critical to the future viability of renewables.
Electric power needs to be used when it's generated, so if the sun's not out or the wind isn't blowing, a wind turbine or solar panel isn't much use to the electric grid. Natural gas is a strong compliment to renewables because it can be brought online quickly, ensuring reliability in systems when renewables aren't producing. A recent report released by the Business Council for Sustainable Energy highlights this important link between domestic natural gas and renewables. According to the report, natural gas and renewables together generated 50 percent of U.S. electricity in 2017, up from 31 percent in 2008. At the same time, greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. power sector fell to their lowest levels since 1990. Furthermore, while we have made some gains in renewable electricity supply, our heating fuel remains at about 95 percent fossil fuel-based and natural gas is by far the cleanest of that heat source. nUnfortunately, a group of vocal activists refuses to accept the very real limits to renewable energy and are actively working to put a stranglehold on the development of much-needed energy infrastructure. Policymakers in New York State are blocking critical projects that are needed to supply energy to the entire New York and New England region — with very real world consequences for consumers who are cut off from access to affordable energy. The zealots may be successful in assuring that we don't freeze to death in the dark, but ignoring natural gas may mean that we freeze to death with the lights on.
This past winter, which seems to be dragging on and on, New England was faced with constraints to its energy supply caused in part by the blockade of domestic pipeline construction, which Governor Cuomo has singlehandedly blocked. Faced with harsh winter weather and limited access to domestic natural gas, New England imported liquefied natural gas from Russia just to meet basic heating and electricity needs. So rather than tapping plentiful gas supplies in nearby Pennsylvania, New England consumers were forced to depend on Vladimir Putin and a bunch of Russian oligarchs to heat their homes.
In New York, the Governor has laid out a very ambitious set of goals to transition the state to renewable energy. I agree that we should be leading the way in renewable energy development, but we also have to make sure that residents and businesses have the energy they need right now to live and thrive in New York. We can keep the lights and heat on and emissions down, but only if we stop this senseless opposition to natural gas and critical energy infrastructure.


Eversource, UI hit hard in new customer value survey

Connecticut’s two largest investor-owned electric utilities didn’t fare well in a customer value ranking released Tuesday by a Colorado-based industry consultant. The United Illuminating Co., which is based in Orange, and Eversource Energy, which has its headquarters in Hartford, finished in the bottom half of the rankings in four of the five categories used by the Wired Group to rate electric utilities around the country. The ratings draw upon data from filings with two federal agencies as well as findings of J.D. Power and Associates, a California-based marketing company that studies customer service satisfaction.
Paul Alvarez, president of the Wired Group and the author of the rankings, said the company used proprietary software to create an assessment designed to help state utility regulators and consumer advocates from around the country determine whether ratepayers are getting adequate value for the amount that investor-owned electric utilities are spending on infrastructure upgrades
“Given exceptional growth in utilities’ grid investments in recent years, concern about the benefits customers are getting in return is growing,” Alvarez said.
Eversource finished 97th out of 103 electric utilities in the category of customer satisfaction while United Illuminating came in 11 spots higher.
United Illuminating finished 118th out of 128 utilities in operations and maintenance spending. That category rewards utilities that spend less on distribution, billing and customer service costs as well as administration on a per-customer basis, according to information reported to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Spending in this category is adjusted for customer density per distribution line mile and each utility’s number of customers. Eversource finished 104th in this category.
In overall customer value ranking, United Illuminating finished at 96 and Eversource came in at 87. And in capital spending, Eversource was ranked 79th and United Illuminating came in at 101 out of 121 utilities. The one category in which both Eversource and United Illuminating did well was service reliability. Using data obtained from the federal Energy Information Administration, the ranking for United Illuminating was 29 while Eversource was just three places behind.
Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Eversource, said company officials “are not familiar with this survey and have concerns about its accuracy given the brand errors included.” Gross noted that in some categories the rankings include Western Massachusetts Electric, Connecticut Light & Power and Public Service Co. of New Hampshire. Those companies still exist as legal entities, but customers in all those service territories are served under the Eversource brand.
“We will be happy to take a closer look to see what we can learn from it,” Gross said of the rankings.
 United Illuminating officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the rankings.

I-84/Park Road Construction In West Hartford To Pick Up Next Month, Lane Closures Expected

Motorists who frequent the I-84 entrance and exit ramps in the Park Road area will see some temporary lane closures on Park Road over the next month, according to West Hartford officials.
Construction to align the I-84 exit ramp with the entrance ramp started in October. The project has largely been contained to the area between the two existing ramps. A retaining wall has been set up between the future on- and off-ramps. West Hartford civil engineer Greg Sommer said the contractor for the project, Paramount Construction, will begin work on storm drains on Park Road in May, and some lanes will be closed and changed as they make the road improvements. Sommer said work will begin on the north side of Park Road, in the area of Raymond and Thompson roads.
Sommer said while the road will remain open, officials are encouraging the public to seek alternate routes.
The repositioning of the I-84 off-ramp and work to the on-ramp is expected to be completed in spring 2019.
Construction costs are estimated at $6.8 million, 80 percent of which will be paid for through federal funding, with the state and town each contributing 10 percent to the cost.
Town Engineer Duane Martin has said the Park Road and I-84 intersection is “the busiest interchange in West Hartford,” averaging 30,000 vehicles a day.
In addition to the Park Road and I-84 project, the town is looking to reconstruct Wilfred Street, Bonny View Road, Smallwood Road and Bainbridge Road from Ballard Drive to Foxcroft Road, according to the town’s engineering website. Those projects are scheduled to be completed during the 2018 construction season, but are subject to change. While those roads are being reconstructed, they will be closed to through traffic, Martin said. Local traffic — such as emergency responders, property owners, trash haulers and school buses — will be allowed within work limits, Martin said. Martin said those projects cover about 1.3 miles and cost about $1.5 million.
Repaving is also scheduled for three different rounds during the 2018 season, in May, July and September.
According to the engineering department’s website, Boulevard from Trout Brook Drive to Quaker Lane South, Ravenwood Road, Wendy Lane and Westmont from Clark Drive to Mountain Road will be addressed during the May repaving, but schedules are subject to change.
The Boulevard repaving project will be closed to through traffic and motorists will be detoured while paving is done, Martin said. Martin said these projects cover about 1.4 miles and cost about $450,000.
For more information on the I-84 project or road reconstruction and paving updates, go to the town’s engineering page on www.westhartfordct.gov.