Sen. Len Fasano
The Day is entitled to its own opinion on tolls, but relying on false Democrat talking points to dismiss an alternative idea is irresponsible.
The Day’s editorial, "Why tolls are best option for Connecticut," is wrong. The Republican “Prioritize Progress” plan does not create new bonding or worsen the state’s debt situation. Our plan works within the state’s brand new bond cap to cut back on borrowing and redirect existing bonding away from political handouts to instead be used for transportation. At the same time it protects bonding for necessities, including school construction, clean water grants, and housing programs. It leverages federal reimbursements to make a historic commitment to transportation without tolls or new taxes.
The Republican plan would result in less borrowing than the governor’s half-baked tolls vision. While the governor has not even offered a real plan, and has still not answered basic questions such as how much residents will pay for his mileage tax (a.k.a. tolls) and where gantries will be located, we do know his vision relies on borrowing to install tolls and would use toll revenue to back even more bonding because transportation projects aren’t paid for with cash up front.
Bonding can be an appropriate tool for capital improvements such as transportation. But Connecticut also needs to reduce its borrowing. The only plan that guarantees that will happen is Prioritize Progress. It’s the only plan that allows our state to get to work on our roads and bridges today, while the governor is busy stealing transportation dollars to balance his budget and delaying improvements since tolls can’t go up for at least five years, if not longer.
We need to make transportation a priority, but we can and should do so without taking any more from taxpayers.
59 percent of people in Connecticut oppose electronic highway tolls, according to a new poll
Christine Stuart
I-95 bridge replacement in Stamford to cause long delays
Ignacio Laguarda
STAMFORD — State and local officials were in East Stamford on Monday to tout the replacement of a structurally deficient bridge over Interstate 95, even though the construction promises terrible delays for highway drivers.
The Route 1 bridge, which crosses over the highway between Courtland and Seaside avenues, will be replaced over two weekends — June 1-2 and June 8-9 — forcing I-95 motorists onto on- and off-ramps to skirt the construction site. The speed limit on the ramps will drop to 20 miles per hour.
Even with an expected traffic headache on the horizon, officials said the accelerated timeline of the project will create the least amount of strain on drivers.
“How this project is going to be done without massive disruption to I-95 for many, many months, is a miracle of modern construction,” said Stamford Mayor David Martin.
That “miracle” is known as accelerated bridge construction, or ABC. The technology allows bridges to be prefabricated and then moved into place over a short time span.“When all the prep work is done in late May, we will demolish the old bridge and we will slide the new bridges into places, all on two weekends,” said Anna Barry, deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. “If we replaced this bridge using traditional construction methods, the project would have taken two years with two years of traffic impacts at a critical location in this bustling city.”
Barry said the message for drivers during the construction weekends is simple: stay away.
“We ask people to start planning now to avoid this area, if at all possible, on those weekends,” she said. “There will be delays. We will do everything we can to minimize them, but there will be some delays, so plan now.”
During the two weekends of construction, Route 1 will be closed between Courtland Avenue and Seaside Avenue, and traffic will be detoured from Route 1 to Courtland Avenue and Hamilton Avenue. Exit 9 off of I-95 in Stamford will also be closed.To allow for the removal and replacement of the bridges, traffic on I-95 will be detoured onto the Exit 9 ramps to allow I-95 to remain open during construction. The detours will be in operation from 9 p.m. on Friday until by 5 a.m. on Monday morning.
The $15 million project is being led by O&G Industries, a business based out of Torrington.
Governor Ned Lamont was at the brief press conference on Monday to highlight the bridge replacement project, and to illustrate the need for infrastructure upgrades across the state.A big part of his plan to fund such improvements in the future is to install a tolling system that would add 53 toll gantries across Interstates 84, 91, and 95, and the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways, for which construction could begin in 2022 at the earliest and cost $213 million.
Lamont has said he does not support raising the state gasoline tax, which he believes is too high, or the use of priority bonding that would borrow to pay for transportation projects and add to the state’s debt, even though Republican lawmakers have favored such an approach and are opposed to tolls.
“What they’re saying is let’s just continue to borrow. Borrow, borrow, borrow. That’s just what got this state into the problems we have right now,” Lamont said.
His toll plan would raise $800 million a year in revenue, according to figures from his office.
Stamford is one a few municipalities in the state that has passed an anti-toll resolution, calling on state lawmakers to oppose the measure.
Nonetheless, Martin said he disagreed with the majority of city representatives that helped pass the resolution.
“I was disappointed,” he said. “I thought that was premature ... I think that too often in our world of extremism and populism, people get reacting to what they see right in front of them, rather than thinking about their longer term responsibilities.”Lamont agreed.“It was an easy vote and it was the wrong vote,” he said.For more information on the Route 1 bridge replacement, visit www.i95exit9.com or email info@i95exit9.com.
DOT plans hearing on $85M ‘final project’ on Merritt Parkway
Jim Shay
Just as one Merritt Parkway project is nearing completion in Westport and Fairfield, the state Department of Transportation is preparing for another one that could begin in 2020.
The current project consists of the rehabilitation over five miles of the Merritt and 11 bridge structures built more than 80 years ago. Manafort Brothers, the contractor for $57 million project, has until Aug. 20, 2019 to complete the work.
The final project on the Merritt Parkway will involved work in Westport, Norwalk and New Canaan.
The state Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting on that work that will include safety improvements, resurfacing, enhancements and bridge work on Wednesday, March 27, in the Community Room at the Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Ave..
It said all proposed work will conform to the “Merritt Parkway Guidelines for General Maintenance and Transportation Improvements” recommendations prepared by The Merritt Parkway Working Group in June 1994.
What’s planned?
The project also involves the rehabilitation and restoration of historic bridge structures in accordance with the “Merritt Parkway Bridge Restoration Guide” dated May 2002.In addition, the project involves the rehabilitation of the existing landscaping by returning it to its original park-like setting in accordance with the "Merritt Parkway Landscape Master Plan" dated October 1994.
The existing guiderail will be replaced with Merritt Parkway Guiderail (a steel-backed timber railing).The existing rock ledges close to the roadway will be evaluated, and if warranted, will be cut back or shielded with either the Merritt Parkway guiderail or concrete barrier
When it will begin, how much will it cost?
Right-of-way impacts associated with the proposed project are not anticipated.
Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2020 based on the availability of funding.
The estimated construction cost for this project is approximately $85 million. This project is anticipated to be undertaken with eighty percent (80 percent) federal funds and twenty percent (20 percent) state funds.
If postponement of the public informational meeting is required due to inclement weather or other conditions, it will be held on April 3, at the original hour and location.
Plans of the proposed project will be on display for public review. Department personnel will be available during the meeting to discuss this project. More detailed information is available at the Department’s Office of Engineering, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, Connecticut, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., excluding holidays. Any concerns or discussion of this project may be addressed to Matthew R. Vail, P.E. at (860) 594-3274 or by e-mail at Matthew.Vail@ct.gov. Plans are also available for review at the Norwalk, New Canaan and Westport Department of Public Works on March 13, 2019.
The Republican plan would result in less borrowing than the governor’s half-baked tolls vision. While the governor has not even offered a real plan, and has still not answered basic questions such as how much residents will pay for his mileage tax (a.k.a. tolls) and where gantries will be located, we do know his vision relies on borrowing to install tolls and would use toll revenue to back even more bonding because transportation projects aren’t paid for with cash up front.
Bonding can be an appropriate tool for capital improvements such as transportation. But Connecticut also needs to reduce its borrowing. The only plan that guarantees that will happen is Prioritize Progress. It’s the only plan that allows our state to get to work on our roads and bridges today, while the governor is busy stealing transportation dollars to balance his budget and delaying improvements since tolls can’t go up for at least five years, if not longer.
We need to make transportation a priority, but we can and should do so without taking any more from taxpayers.
59 percent of people in Connecticut oppose electronic highway tolls, according to a new poll
Christine Stuart
HARTFORD, CT — A Sacred Heart University poll of 1,004 Connecticut residents found 59 percent oppose electronic highway tolls and 54.5 percent would seek a route around electronic highway tolls if they are installed.
The poll conducted by GreatBlue between Feb. 13 and March 4 was touted by Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration as welcome news.
“The majority of Connecticut residents — over 50 percent — likely support tolling when they learn that the funds generated will be subject to protections, such as the state transportation lockbox, as approved by Connecticut voters, as well as federal law that mandates use on transportation infrastructure only,” Colleen Flanagan Johnson, Lamont’s senior adviser, said. “Today’s poll underscores Connecticut’s need to move forward with a sustainable, reliable and protected revenue source — 40 percent of which will be paid for by people who don’t even live in our state — to make the upgrades and enhancements necessary to support Connecticut’s economic growth.”
The Sacred Heart University poll found that while 39.8 percent of residents believe the expected revenue of $1 billion would be worth a $100 million investment by the state to implement “e-tolling,” 38.5 percent did not believe “e-tolling” was worth such an investment.
The poll numbers on tolls are similar to what they have been historically in Connecticut.
In a March 2013, Quinnipiac University poll found 58 percent of Connecticut voters opposed highway tolls and only 39 percent supported them. It also found that 57 percent of voters support tolls if the proceeds are used to repair the roads and bridges. A March 2015 Quinnipiac University poll found 61 percent of Connecticut voters opposed tolls, but 59 percent would support them if the money was used on roads and bridges.
An August 2018 Quinnipiac University poll found 53 percent of voters oppose tolls.
A Sacred Heart University poll conducted in September 2018 found 52.2 percent of voters agreed with the statement: “Electronic highway tolls that collect significant money from out-of-state motorists and interstate trucks as well as from Connecticut residents would be an effective way to help pay for highway improvements to relieve congestion.” The 52.2 percent support was a slight increase over the 49.8 percent in its August 2018 poll.
It’s a drop from an October 2017 Sacred Heart poll that found 55.6 percent of residents support “instituting tolls on Connecticut’s highways.”
On the campaign trail Lamont had promised only to toll trucks, but put forward an option to toll all motor vehicles as part of his budget proposal.
It’s a decision he’s been defending ever since mid-February.
Connecticut’s toll booths were removed in 1983 after a deadly crash. But debate about whether to resurrect them as electronic gantries has been a topic for discussion in recent years as vehicles become more fuel efficient or completely electric. The state’s transportation infrastructure is largely funded with money from the gasoline taxes.
Only 34.7 percent of residents surveyed supported the idea of tolls in a survey released Monday afternoon.
Another 36.2 percent of residents were “more likely” to support tolls if the state guaranteed that the funds would be used on road, bridges, and highway improvements. Another 15.1 percent support tolls regardless of where the funds are going.The poll conducted by GreatBlue between Feb. 13 and March 4 was touted by Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration as welcome news.
“The majority of Connecticut residents — over 50 percent — likely support tolling when they learn that the funds generated will be subject to protections, such as the state transportation lockbox, as approved by Connecticut voters, as well as federal law that mandates use on transportation infrastructure only,” Colleen Flanagan Johnson, Lamont’s senior adviser, said. “Today’s poll underscores Connecticut’s need to move forward with a sustainable, reliable and protected revenue source — 40 percent of which will be paid for by people who don’t even live in our state — to make the upgrades and enhancements necessary to support Connecticut’s economic growth.”
The Sacred Heart University poll found that while 39.8 percent of residents believe the expected revenue of $1 billion would be worth a $100 million investment by the state to implement “e-tolling,” 38.5 percent did not believe “e-tolling” was worth such an investment.
The poll numbers on tolls are similar to what they have been historically in Connecticut.
In a March 2013, Quinnipiac University poll found 58 percent of Connecticut voters opposed highway tolls and only 39 percent supported them. It also found that 57 percent of voters support tolls if the proceeds are used to repair the roads and bridges. A March 2015 Quinnipiac University poll found 61 percent of Connecticut voters opposed tolls, but 59 percent would support them if the money was used on roads and bridges.
An August 2018 Quinnipiac University poll found 53 percent of voters oppose tolls.
A Sacred Heart University poll conducted in September 2018 found 52.2 percent of voters agreed with the statement: “Electronic highway tolls that collect significant money from out-of-state motorists and interstate trucks as well as from Connecticut residents would be an effective way to help pay for highway improvements to relieve congestion.” The 52.2 percent support was a slight increase over the 49.8 percent in its August 2018 poll.
It’s a drop from an October 2017 Sacred Heart poll that found 55.6 percent of residents support “instituting tolls on Connecticut’s highways.”
A January 2018 poll conducted by AAA Allied and AAA Northeast found 47 percent of Connecticut residents support tolls.
Opposition to tolls in Connecticut seems to hover around 50 percent, but that hasn’t seemed to phase Lamont, who changed his position on tolls last month before his budget address.On the campaign trail Lamont had promised only to toll trucks, but put forward an option to toll all motor vehicles as part of his budget proposal.
It’s a decision he’s been defending ever since mid-February.
Connecticut’s toll booths were removed in 1983 after a deadly crash. But debate about whether to resurrect them as electronic gantries has been a topic for discussion in recent years as vehicles become more fuel efficient or completely electric. The state’s transportation infrastructure is largely funded with money from the gasoline taxes.
I-95 bridge replacement in Stamford to cause long delays
Ignacio Laguarda
STAMFORD — State and local officials were in East Stamford on Monday to tout the replacement of a structurally deficient bridge over Interstate 95, even though the construction promises terrible delays for highway drivers.
The Route 1 bridge, which crosses over the highway between Courtland and Seaside avenues, will be replaced over two weekends — June 1-2 and June 8-9 — forcing I-95 motorists onto on- and off-ramps to skirt the construction site. The speed limit on the ramps will drop to 20 miles per hour.
Even with an expected traffic headache on the horizon, officials said the accelerated timeline of the project will create the least amount of strain on drivers.
“How this project is going to be done without massive disruption to I-95 for many, many months, is a miracle of modern construction,” said Stamford Mayor David Martin.
That “miracle” is known as accelerated bridge construction, or ABC. The technology allows bridges to be prefabricated and then moved into place over a short time span.“When all the prep work is done in late May, we will demolish the old bridge and we will slide the new bridges into places, all on two weekends,” said Anna Barry, deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. “If we replaced this bridge using traditional construction methods, the project would have taken two years with two years of traffic impacts at a critical location in this bustling city.”
Barry said the message for drivers during the construction weekends is simple: stay away.
“We ask people to start planning now to avoid this area, if at all possible, on those weekends,” she said. “There will be delays. We will do everything we can to minimize them, but there will be some delays, so plan now.”
During the two weekends of construction, Route 1 will be closed between Courtland Avenue and Seaside Avenue, and traffic will be detoured from Route 1 to Courtland Avenue and Hamilton Avenue. Exit 9 off of I-95 in Stamford will also be closed.To allow for the removal and replacement of the bridges, traffic on I-95 will be detoured onto the Exit 9 ramps to allow I-95 to remain open during construction. The detours will be in operation from 9 p.m. on Friday until by 5 a.m. on Monday morning.
The $15 million project is being led by O&G Industries, a business based out of Torrington.
Governor Ned Lamont was at the brief press conference on Monday to highlight the bridge replacement project, and to illustrate the need for infrastructure upgrades across the state.A big part of his plan to fund such improvements in the future is to install a tolling system that would add 53 toll gantries across Interstates 84, 91, and 95, and the Merritt and Wilbur Cross parkways, for which construction could begin in 2022 at the earliest and cost $213 million.
Lamont has said he does not support raising the state gasoline tax, which he believes is too high, or the use of priority bonding that would borrow to pay for transportation projects and add to the state’s debt, even though Republican lawmakers have favored such an approach and are opposed to tolls.
“What they’re saying is let’s just continue to borrow. Borrow, borrow, borrow. That’s just what got this state into the problems we have right now,” Lamont said.
His toll plan would raise $800 million a year in revenue, according to figures from his office.
Stamford is one a few municipalities in the state that has passed an anti-toll resolution, calling on state lawmakers to oppose the measure.
Nonetheless, Martin said he disagreed with the majority of city representatives that helped pass the resolution.
“I was disappointed,” he said. “I thought that was premature ... I think that too often in our world of extremism and populism, people get reacting to what they see right in front of them, rather than thinking about their longer term responsibilities.”Lamont agreed.“It was an easy vote and it was the wrong vote,” he said.For more information on the Route 1 bridge replacement, visit www.i95exit9.com or email info@i95exit9.com.
DOT plans hearing on $85M ‘final project’ on Merritt Parkway
Jim Shay
Just as one Merritt Parkway project is nearing completion in Westport and Fairfield, the state Department of Transportation is preparing for another one that could begin in 2020.
The current project consists of the rehabilitation over five miles of the Merritt and 11 bridge structures built more than 80 years ago. Manafort Brothers, the contractor for $57 million project, has until Aug. 20, 2019 to complete the work.
The final project on the Merritt Parkway will involved work in Westport, Norwalk and New Canaan.
The state Department of Transportation will hold a public information meeting on that work that will include safety improvements, resurfacing, enhancements and bridge work on Wednesday, March 27, in the Community Room at the Norwalk City Hall, 125 East Ave..
An open forum for individual discussions with department officials will begin at 6 p.m., followed by a design presentation at 7 p.m.
The eighth and ‘final’ project
“The project has been initiated by the department as part of a corridor improvement effort to provide safety improvements and enhancements to the Merritt Parkway, while maintaining its unique character and aesthetics,” DOT said in a release posted Monday on website. “This is the eighth and final project in a series of eight corridor improvement projects on the Merritt Parkway. With completion of this project, 100 percent of the parkway will be upgraded.”
It said all proposed work will conform to the “Merritt Parkway Guidelines for General Maintenance and Transportation Improvements” recommendations prepared by The Merritt Parkway Working Group in June 1994.
What’s planned?
The project also involves the rehabilitation and restoration of historic bridge structures in accordance with the “Merritt Parkway Bridge Restoration Guide” dated May 2002.In addition, the project involves the rehabilitation of the existing landscaping by returning it to its original park-like setting in accordance with the "Merritt Parkway Landscape Master Plan" dated October 1994.
The existing guiderail will be replaced with Merritt Parkway Guiderail (a steel-backed timber railing).The existing rock ledges close to the roadway will be evaluated, and if warranted, will be cut back or shielded with either the Merritt Parkway guiderail or concrete barrier
A si.ngle unit concrete curb and gutter system will also be installed along the grass median.
“Numerous bridges located within the project limits will require minor cosmetic work (various parapet work, graffiti removal, surface and crack repairs to concrete, fencing, overlay, etc). Some bridges will require major work (removing the material on top of the bridge to expose the concrete arch or frame; repair any deteriorated sections; apply a waterproofing membrane; re-establish the roadway to its original profile; perform any necessary underside repairs; clean the bridge, etc.,” the DOT said in the release.When it will begin, how much will it cost?
Right-of-way impacts associated with the proposed project are not anticipated.
Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2020 based on the availability of funding.
The estimated construction cost for this project is approximately $85 million. This project is anticipated to be undertaken with eighty percent (80 percent) federal funds and twenty percent (20 percent) state funds.
If postponement of the public informational meeting is required due to inclement weather or other conditions, it will be held on April 3, at the original hour and location.
Plans of the proposed project will be on display for public review. Department personnel will be available during the meeting to discuss this project. More detailed information is available at the Department’s Office of Engineering, 2800 Berlin Turnpike, Newington, Connecticut, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., excluding holidays. Any concerns or discussion of this project may be addressed to Matthew R. Vail, P.E. at (860) 594-3274 or by e-mail at Matthew.Vail@ct.gov. Plans are also available for review at the Norwalk, New Canaan and Westport Department of Public Works on March 13, 2019.