CT Construction Digest Wednesday May 27, 2026

New Britain secures full funding for long-sought Allen Street drainage project

Claudio S. Hilario

NEW BRITAIN — Mayor Bobby Sanchez said New Britain has secured all funding needed for the long-awaited Allen Street drainage and flood mitigation project, which city officials say will address years of flooding problems in the neighborhood.

“On day one, I made a promise to the Allen Street neighborhood that we would fully fund this project and finally move it forward after more than a decade of waiting,” Sanchez said. “Today, we are proud to say that promise has been kept. This project is about protecting homes, improving infrastructure and finally delivering relief to residents who have waited far too long for action.”

The city had already secured nearly $8 million in federal, state and transportation infrastructure funding for the project. Sanchez said an additional $5 million in state bonding support has now been approved, completing the funding package needed to move the project forward.

City officials said the additional support came through a partnership involving the New Britain legislative delegation, including state Sen. Rick Lopes and state Reps. Manny Sanchez, Dave DeFronzo, Iris Sanchez and Gary Turco, along with support from Gov. Ned Lamont and U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes.

Residents in the Allen Street area have dealt with repeated flooding issues during major storms for years. City officials said the project has faced delays and uncertainty for more than a decade.

Sanchez said the city focused on finding outside funding sources to avoid placing the cost on local taxpayers.

“By working collaboratively with our state and federal partners, we were able to fully fund this project without using a single dollar from the city’s general fund,” Sanchez added. “That means we are delivering a real solution for Allen Street residents while saving taxpayers millions of dollars. This is exactly how government should work: partnerships, persistence and a commitment to delivering results for residents.”

The mayor also thanked Lamont for supporting infrastructure projects in New Britain.

“Governor Lamont understood the importance of this project from the beginning and has been a strong partner in helping us deliver long overdue infrastructure improvements for our residents,” Sanchez said.

DeFronzo also praised the effort to secure the final funding.

“This announcement represents what can happen when local and state leaders work together with urgency and purpose,” DeFronzo said. “Residents along Allen Street have waited long enough for action. Mayor Sanchez made this project a priority from the beginning, and I was proud to work alongside him and the entire New Britain delegation to help secure the funding needed to finally get this done.”

Alderpersons John McNamara and Luz Ortiz Luna also welcomed the announcement in a joint statement, calling the project a major victory for neighborhood residents who have dealt with flooding and storm-related problems for years.

Proposal for massive CT distribution center draws opposition. An ‘unacceptable burden’: resident

Sean Krofssik 

Noise, lighting, trucks, exhaust and more are on the minds of Connecticut residents who oppose a proposed nearly 1.4-million-square-foot warehouse and distribution center project that would be built off Interstate 395.

The Killingly residents voiced concerns about the development, called Project Husky, that is being proposed by developer Ryan Companies. It also calls for 60 loading docks, 430 trailer parking spaces and 930 associate parking spaces. Although the name of the distribution company was not on any town material or proposals, Amazon was mentioned several times by name during the May 18 town Planning & Zoning Commission meeting.

The 228 Westcott Road plan includes the construction of a new warehousing and distribution center of 1,288,220 square feet and includes 340 acres for development and 76 acres of conservation easement. There are also 216 acres proposed to be deeded to the town of Killingly for conservation. The project is located between I-395, Westcott Road and Mashentuck Road, according to the Killingly Planning & Zoning Commission agenda from May 18.

Two new distribution centers are being proposed on 54 acres at 90 Putnam Pike. That proposal totals 467,500 square feet of gross floor area with associated loading bays, trailer parking spaces, employee parking, access drives, stormwater management systems, retaining walls, septic systems, utilities, landscaping and lighting, records show.

Much of the first hour of a recent meeting included people who expressed opposition to the proposal. Among the reasons for their position also are environment, light pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, air pollution, truck traffic and traffic congestion. There also was support for the plans.

The issues in opposition were illustrated in written testimony by Danielson’s Tammy Russell and all of those who submitted their written testimony prior to the recent meeting.

“I am strongly opposed to the proposed warehouses and distribution center being considered in Killingly. Both will result in zero benefit to our town. Both projects masquerade as economic development,” Russell wrote.

She added that a Walmart distribution center was proposed in the same area of Westcott Road in 2002 and the application was rejected because “the area was zoned business park and not industrial.”

Ferrari’s first electric vehicle met with market skepticism

The nearby Briarwood Falls Condo Association also has put together a petition signed by 45 residents of the 55-and-over community to “Stop Amazon Distribution Center from Locating to Killingly.”

“Amazon has proposed to establish a Level 1 distribution center 1/2 mile from Grouse Court and Mockingbird Dr. This proposal will adversely impact our environment, traffic noise on I-395 and the Briarwood Falls community,” the petition states.

Killingly resident Lynn Geiger presented that petition to the Planning & Zoning Commission on behalf of Briarwood Falls.

“We’d like to stop this Amazon distribution center and all distribution centers from locating on this proposed site, which is located right in back of my house,” Geiger said. “Our homeowners will be directly impacted with what they call in the industry high disturbance noise day and night … If a lithium fire breaks out, our homes will be directly involved in that tragedy. We will be forever living on high alert, and this is an unacceptable burden for our community.”

Danielson’s Jennifer Bryant also opposed the proposal, citing concern about a disturbance to the ecosystem.

“There are many of us that live very close to those areas that are going to be impacted by that traffic, the noise, all of the other disturbances that come with it including pollution,” Bryant said. “Consider all townspeople as they evaluate these projects and not just those that live away from where the center of the impact is going to take place.”

Dayville’s Ida Berris said she is “completely opposed to this project.”

“When you’re talking tons of trucks, there’s no way that it’s not going to impact our atmosphere,
our water quality, our way of life, our rural environment,” she said.

Killingly resident Dr. Robert Carlson said that, if Project Husky were to go through, “the noise pollution will be horrendous 24/7.”

“Trucks breaking off the highway, trucks entering the highway, accelerating up the highway, going down Gauthier (Ave) and up Knox (Ave) to get on and off I-395 – it’ll be literally in those folks’ backyard. There are thousands of us who live within fairly close proximity,” Carlson said. “I take great umbrage with the fact that this is not a residential area. It is to all of us who live here. The light pollution is going to be horrendous. I like looking at the stars. They’re going to be gone with the light pollution from this monstrosity of 1.3 million square feet.”

“These HVAC things on the roof of this monstrosity will be humming away,” he added. “I just plead with you to think about those of us who live here in town rather than those of us who are trying to put this down the throat of us. I assume we’re considered to be relatively rural Rubes, but we’re not and we’re very concerned with what’s going on.”

Dayville’s Russ Daniels said among his concerns are the environment and possible runoff from the building and contamination from the 430 tractor trailer parking spots and 900 parking spots for employees. He also expressed concerns about the added traffic to the area.

“I’ve lived here for 20 years now, and this is by far the worst proposal I have ever seen Killingly make. I’m surprised we’re even considering this,” Daniels said. “The people … haven’t thought all the issues through.”

Dayville’s Al Dufresne expressed concerns about watershed impacts.

“One of my biggest concerns with this project is the scale of industrial development being proposed directly within sensitive headwater areas tied to the Mashentuck Brook watershed system. Once a project of this size is built, the hydrology of the site is permanently changed. This proposal involves extremely large impervious surfaces, roofing, pavement, truck courts, loading areas, and supporting infrastructure. All which is dramatically increased runoff volume and natural groundwater recharge patterns,” Dufresne said.

Dufresne also expressed concern about soil testing, infiltration assumptions, groundwater conditions, and long-term stormwater performance.

“My mom and dad have our family property on Westcott Road. We have about 40 acres there and we had another 117 acres. The town, in the past, wanted to rezone it commercially and we didn’t want that. We wanted to keep it woodlands. Amazon doesn’t have enough money in the world to buy that property off my parents. It’ll never be a commercial or an industrial zone. We’ll fight it to the end.”

There were, however, people who spoke in favor of the proposal. Steve Dana, a Brooklyn resident, who is building in Killingly, said he supports Project Husky.

“I believe that most of the unheard silent majority in this town feel as I do and have remained silent so far. Being loud with your opinion doesn’t make it right,” Dana said. “I only wish that the anti (proposal) didn’t leave after like at the last meeting after expressing their opinions because they would have heard a clear and thorough response to the answers to every single concern that was brought up: safety, lights, sight line, traffic, sewage, water. The parcel in question has been zoned commercial for years for a reason.”

“The developer for [the] Husky Parcel has shown, in my opinion, great response to the citizens and the board concerns such as leaving access for the town to the undeveloped property, putting in their own septic, reducing the number of bridges in the entrance and exit, altering the original entrance and exit from two lanes doubly to one double lane entrance and exit.”

Killingly resident Kevin Olsen also spoke in support of Project Husky.

“This is a well thought out and developed plan that represents the best possible opportunity for the town,” Olsen said. “If we just consider the facts of the proposal such as does the zoning allow for such a business? The answer is yes.”

Olsen said the property is large enough to allow for the required setbacks and said most people wouldn’t see or hear the building because of topography and vegetation. He added that the plan allows for almost 300 acres of open space and the project is good for the tax base and for the residents of Killingly.

“Owners who have a right to develop their properties. They have paid taxes for generations and I know that some people would like to keep it as forest, but it’s not theirs. They don’t pay the taxes. They call it our forest. Unless they own it directly or unless it is owned by the town, the state or the federal government, it’s privately held with tax and insurance being paid every year.”

Tighe & Bond completed a second third-party engineering review of the Project Husky site plan application. The technical evaluation was conducted to assess general conformance with the town of Killingly Zoning Regulations, according to a memo to Ann-Marie L. Aubrey, director of Planning and Development for Killingly.

Among the topics Tighe & Bond reviewed included the stormwater management report, traffic impact study and evaluation of site sound emissions and traffic volume information. Tighe & Bond said issues are “satisfactorily addressed.”

Tom Cody, attorney at the firm of Robinson & Cole, speaking on behalf of the Minnesota-based Ryan Companies said at last week’s Planning & Zoning meeting, “we were pleased that the majority of the comments that had been initially raised were noted as being satisfactorily addressed.”

“There are a number of items that do require additional sort of notes and details added to the site plan application. And the applicant is working on all of that and will be submitting probably within the next week a revised set of plans that include all of those various notes and details that were flagged in those Tighe & Bond comments.”

Cody said the plan has consolidated driveways to a single access point on Westcott Road and that information was presented to the Planning & Zoning Commission Tim Andurko from Langan Engineering.

A public hearing for the town’s Inland Wetlands Commission regarding the proposed warehouses and distribution center will be on June 1, according to Cody.

Mark Vertucci a senior transportation engineer with Fuss & O’Neill presented a study area to include four additional intersections near the proposal and reiterated that Tighe & Bond found operations at these intersections to be acceptable.

“We went out and conducted additional traffic counts capacity analysis and what we found is those intersections are operating acceptably today, and they will continue to do so upon inclusion of the traffic from the warehouse distribution center,” Vertucci said.

Planning & Zoning member John Sarantopoulos voiced his concerns about the project.

“You’re going to have noise, pollution. It’s going to upset the whole community. I think that’s more of a concern than your reconfiguration of that access road leading into the facility,” Sarantopoulos said.

CT to study nuclear industry workforce needs

David Krechevsky

A new state law requires Connecticut to assess the workforce needed to support a potential advanced nuclear energy industry, as policymakers continue exploring whether advanced nuclear technologies could play a future role in the state’s energy mix.

Gov. Ned Lamont on May 22 signed Public Act 26-46, which directs the Connecticut Council for Advancing Nuclear Energy Development to study the skilled labor needs associated with advanced nuclear energy projects.

The council must identify the types of workers that would be needed to support future projects, including engineers, technicians and skilled trades workers, and determine whether Connecticut’s existing education and training programs could meet that demand. The law also requires recommendations for workforce development, recruitment and training strategies.

The measure does not authorize construction of a nuclear facility, provide funding for a reactor project, or change the state’s energy procurement policies. Instead, the legislation is intended to ensure Connecticut is prepared if advanced nuclear technologies become commercially viable and attract investment here.

It builds on efforts launched last year when lawmakers created the Connecticut Council for Advancing Nuclear Energy Development as part of a broader energy package. The 18-member council is now the state’s primary advisory body on advanced nuclear energy issues and is charged with studying potential economic, regulatory, workforce and infrastructure considerations associated with the emerging industry.

It was created due to Lamont’s and other state policymakers’ growing interest in advanced nuclear technologies, such as modular reactors that are designed to be smaller, more flexible and potentially less expensive than traditional nuclear power plants.

Connecticut’s interest in the sector comes amid concerns about rising electricity demand, grid reliability and the challenge of meeting climate goals while maintaining access to carbon-free power sources.

The state is home to the 2,100-megawatt Millstone Power Station in Waterford, the region’s only operating nuclear power plant and one of the largest generators of carbon-free electricity in New England.

CT Construction Digest Tuesday May 26, 2026

Higher gas prices could strain CT construction plans as diesel, asphalt prices surge

Keith M. Phaneuf

While rising gasoline prices threaten Connecticut families’ summer travel plans, the trend is putting pressure on the state’s transportation program as well.

Gov. Ned Lamont’s budget director said Thursday that certain gasoline and sales tax receipts could “soften” this summer if prices remain elevated or turn worse in the coming months.

And a key business leader warned that the state’s transportation construction dollars likely won’t stretch as far, as the cost of diesel fuel, liquid asphalt and other petroleum-related products surge along with gasoline.

“I think we are, unfortunately, all at the whims of the federal government and the decisions of our current president, and this is a situation where we are all suffering,” Lamont’s budget director, Office of Policy and Management Secretary Josh Wojcik, said Thursday.

According to AAA, the average price of regular gasoline stood Friday at $4.55 nationally and $4.64 per gallon in Connecticut, with the latter up 60% since the U.S. and Israel went to war with Iran on Feb. 28.

That created a brief surge in the state’s $2.3 billion Special Transportation Fund, thanks to a percentage-based tax that reflects changes in the wholesale price.

But that tax also has a cap, which has been in effect since March 31. In other words, tax receipts from this source are maxed out — unless motorists start driving more.

That’s unlikely given current prices, not to mention a new forecast posted Wednesday on X by GasBuddy. The popular gasoline price-forecasting service projected an average retail price nationally of $4.80 per gallon between Memorial Day and Labor Day, provided supply lines from the Persian Gulf remain blocked.

But a continuation or worsening of high prices likely will start taking a toll on Connecticut’s second tax on gasoline — a fixed, 25-cents-per-gallon retail levy, Wojcik said.

He noted that also could cut into sales tax receipts from new vehicle purchases.

These two sources, collectively, are to generate more than $615 million for the STF in the next budget cycle, which starts July 1.

Why does that matter?

The fund is key to Connecticut’s efforts to rebuild its aging network of highways, bridges and rail lines — an initiative that was challenged even before the war with Iran started.

Roughly 40% of the STF is tapped for yearly principal and interest payments on the $1 billion-plus Connecticut borrows annually — and pairs with hundreds of millions on federal grants — to upgrade infrastructure. The rest covers operating costs for the Departments of Transportation and Motor Vehicles and supports public transit programs.

Lamont failed to convince lawmakers during his first two years in office in 2019 and 2020 that fuel and sales tax receipts were no longer sufficient to support a modern transportation system and that highway tolls were needed.

Legislators did create a highway mileage tax on certain commercial trucks, but that generates a small fraction of what tolls would produce.

The administration hasn’t renewed its push for tolls but began warning lawmakers one year ago that the transportation fund was on a collision course with insolvency by 2030.

Last November, one year after proposing greater borrowing to accelerate the infrastructure rebuild and ease congestion, the administration projected that effort would have to be rolled back due to financial concerns.

After borrowing $1 billion for transportation work in 2024-25 and pushing it to $1.3 billion this fiscal year, the administration had planned to reach $1.4 billion in the budget cycle that starts July 1.

But last fall, the Office of Policy and Management reported annual borrowing would drop to $1.2 billion starting in July, fall to $1.1 billion in the 2027-28 fiscal year and remain at that level for at least two more budget cycles.

The head of the Connecticut Construction Industry Association said Thursday those borrowed dollars may not buy as much as they did just a few months ago.

Contractors rely heavily on diesel fuel to power trucks and other heavy equipment, said association President Don Shubert. And the average price of diesel in Connecticut still at $5.81 per gallon on Friday, according to AAA, more than $2 greater than the pre-war price.

The cost of liquid asphalt and other petroleum-based products used in many construction projects also is up significantly.

Large construction projects often are scheduled to run for three to five years, Shubert said, adding that firms cannot anticipate huge cost increases that develop in just two months.

“If you take into consideration the inflation we’re seeing now, you’re going to have a reduction in the program” even if the state maintains its levels of construction spending, he added.

Wojcik said he doesn’t believe the potential weakening of gasoline and sales tax revenues would create insurmountable challenges. “We want to continue to make important transportation infrastructure investments,” he said.

But he also said it’s hard to forecast, given how much depends on President Donald Trump’s administration and the Persian Gulf conflict.

Lamont and state legislators took one step to shield Connecticut’s transportation program when they enacted the new state budget earlier this month.

Current law normally allows the state treasurer to use certain surplus dollars from the transportation fund to pay down transportation construction debt at an accelerated pace.

But Lamont and lawmakers captured $100 million of likely surplus from this fiscal year’s STF and transferred it to the fund in the budget cycle that starts July 1, ensuring it still would be available to mitigate problems created by surging gasoline prices.

Rep. Maria Horn, D-Salisbury, co-chairwoman of the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, said there are advantages to paying off debt quickly, but lawmakers also want to shield the transportation rebuild and construction work from the economic chaos created by surging fuel prices.

“We were worried about the solvency of the [transportation] fund,” she said.

Connecticut’s century-old coastal rail bridges are getting billion-dollar replacements

Brianna Gurciullo

As passengers travel on the rail lines along Connecticut’s coast, more than 100-year-old bridges carry their trains over some of the rivers that flow into Long Island Sound.

Billion-dollar projects are underway to replace two of those movable bridges. And by the time work wraps up in 2030 or 2031, assuming there are no delays, a third new bridge could be under construction. 

The complex projects aim to keep Amtrak, Metro-North and Shore Line East trains running while work is ongoing and to ultimately increase train speeds.

Here’s what those barges, cranes and construction crews are up to, and what plans are still in the works. 

Walk Bridge

Construction of a new train bridge to replace this 130-year-old swing bridge over the Norwalk River started in 2023 after multiple instances of the structure failing to properly open and close.

At this point, foundation work for the new bridge piers is almost complete, and half of the decommissioned power lines above the river have been removed, said Rory McGlasson of WSP USA, the firm managing the project. The rest of the lines will come down this summer, and then the bridge’s towers will be removed.

Installation of steel for the new “vertical lift” bridge is set to begin in June, he said. 

“Key milestones to date include installation of eight large, drilled shaft foundations, excavation of deep launching and receiving pits on both sides of the river, and two 60-inch bores beneath the river for power and signal systems,” McGlasson said in a statement.

The overall project is expected to finish up between late fall 2030 and spring 2031, he said, and will cost a total of about $1.6 billion. The federal government is providing about 80% of the funding, and the state is providing about 20%.

Two of the bridge’s four tracks are staying open during construction.

“For marine traffic, one navigational channel remains open at all times to allow vessels to pass safely through the river,” McGlasson said. “On local roads, impacts are limited to intermittent closures or temporary traffic adjustments as needed for construction activities.”

Connecticut River Bridge

A project to replace this Amtrak-owned bridge between Old Saybrook and Old Lyme broke ground in 2024 and is also slated to be done by 2031. It’s expected to cost about $1.3 billion, with about $827 million in funding coming from the federal government and the rest from the railroad and the state.  

Crews are constructing a new two-track rail bridge about 50 feet south of the existing 119-year-old bridge. The project includes building retaining walls to support new embankments and installing foundations to carry new steel spans and tracks. The plans also call for a new movable span to be built offsite and brought in on a barge. 

Amtrak has said the new bridge has been designed to support a maximum speed of 70 mph — 25 mph faster than the current maximum — and provide increased clearance for boats.

The Ferry Landing Pier/Boardwalk was removed because of the construction work. Amtrak built a new pier at Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam to serve as an alternative fishing spot and plans to eventually replace the Ferry Landing Pier.

Throughout the summer, an Amtrak spokesman said, there will be “occasional channel restrictions” through the current movable span to allow for certain construction activities.

Devon Rail Bridge

The Connecticut Department of Transportation is working on plans to replace the 121-year-old Devon Rail Bridge, which spans the Housatonic River between Milford and Stratford. The DOT’s most recent five-year capital plan includes a $3 billion cost estimate for the project. 

The plan notes that the movable part of the bridge has experienced problems in recent years — such as in 2015, when one span got stuck after opening — and despite recent repairs, the bridge’s mechanical and electrical systems are out of date.

A design for the project is scheduled to be finished in December 2029, and construction would then begin in spring 2030. But the timeline could change based on funding availability and permit approvals, according to a DOT statement from earlier this year.

The project is expected to be funded 80% by the federal government, 14.8% by the state and 5.2% by Amtrak, the statement said.

CT still has thousands of lead pipes carrying drinking water. New funding aims to replace them

Austin Mirmina

Connecticut is set to receive $27.5 million from the federal government to replace thousands of aging lead pipes still carrying drinking water to homes across the state.

The funding, announced last week by the Environmental Protection Agency, is the latest allotment given to Connecticut through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Enacted in 2021, the federal law set aside $15 billion for finding and replacing lead pipes nationwide, including about $150 million for Connecticut.

Lead, a heavy metal once common in products such as pipes and paints, is a neurotoxin that is harmful to human health, especially for children and pregnant women. Even small amounts can stunt children’s development and lower IQ scores, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Though water quality experts say the federal funding covers only a fraction of what it will ultimately cost to replace all of Connecticut’s lead pipes, public health officials have described the investment as a big step toward improving the state’s drinking water systems.

“Drinking water infrastructure projects are costly, and this funding provides significant support to our communities as they work to identify and remove lead service lines,” DPH Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani said. “These resources allow Connecticut to move faster in eliminating lead exposure risks, strengthening local public water systems, and protecting the health of all residents — especially our most vulnerable.”

The EPA estimates about 4 million lead pipes — also known as lead service lines — are still in use across the country. In Connecticut, there were believed to be as many as 8,000 lead service lines as of July 2025, although that number was likely to change as water utilities continued inspecting older infrastructure, according to the Connecticut Mirror. The pipes are most commonly found in older, industrial areas, including major cities such as Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit and Milwaukee. 

The $27.5 million will help public water utilities find and replace lead pipes — including certain galvanized pipes — while also completing service line records and removing lead connectors, the Department of Public Health said in an email.

“Disadvantaged communities will be given priority, and the federal government may cover up to 75% of project costs when funding is available,” the agency said.

Connecticut’s funding was part of nearly $2.9 billion announced for states through the Drinking Water State Revolving Funds, which are state-run programs that help communities upgrade aging water infrastructure. All six New England states were set to receive $27.5 million in the latest round of funding, except for Massachusetts, which was awarded $32.6 million.

“Every family in New England deserves safe, clean drinking water, and tackling lead exposure remains one of the most important public health challenges we face,” EPA New England Administrator Mark Sanborn said in a statement. “New England has some of the oldest infrastructure in the country, and this funding will help communities make critical infrastructure upgrades to reduce lead exposure and protect families for generations to come.”

Federal rules adopted in 2021 required every water company nationwide to put together an inventory of all service lines in the drinking water system. Utilities were also required to notify residents if the pipes bringing water to their homes contained lead.

Another set of federal rules updated in October 2024 required water utilities to identify and replace lead pipes within 10 years. The regulation also lowered the amount of lead allowed in drinking water before utilities must take action, from 15 parts per billion to 10.

The Trump administration has generally favored deregulation, including rolling back longstanding air and water pollution rules. But on drinking water, the EPA under Trump has taken a tougher stance, saying it is “committed to tackling the lead issue like never before.”

CT Construction Digest Thursday May 21, 2026

Energy company proposes big natural gas pipeline expansion in New England

Miriam Wasser

Less than three years after a large fossil fuel company proposed expanding a major natural gas pipeline in New England, the company, Enbridge, is back with a new proposal.

Known as "Project Beacon," the expansion would substantially increase the amount of gas that can flow into the Northeast through the Algonquin Gas Transmission line. This pipeline carries fracked natural gas from northern New Jersey through parts of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and into Massachusetts.

Details about the proposed project are vague, but according to documents released by Enbridge this week, the company would replace existing lines with larger diameter pipes in some places and run secondary pipe lines alongside existing ones in other places. Project Beacon would also involve expanding some compressor stations along the route, and could include new gas storage facilities.

Depending on customer demand, the project could expand capacity on the pipeline by 10%, the company said, and be in service by late 2030.

"Project Beacon would help meet growing energy demand by easing longstanding pipeline bottlenecks that have contributed to higher energy costs for consumers," Enbridge spokesperson Max Bergeron wrote in an email. "By improving access to abundant domestic energy supplies, the project aims to reduce price spikes and strengthen the region’s energy system."

If all of this sounds familiar, that's because it's remarkably similar to a different proposal — "Project Maple" —  the company announced in late 2023.

Same pipeline, same concept for expansion, same reasons given.

While Project Maple eventually fizzled, Project Beacon could turn out to be a different story. That's because unlike in 2023, the politics of energy affordability and climate change are very different in the region.

"There is a responsibility now on all the participants in the energy system to make clear eyed, difficult decisions to preserve reliability and affordability, while continuing to keep an eye on decarbonization," said Dan Dolan, president of the New England Power Generators Association.

Thanks to a combination of cold weather and higher prices, ratepayers across New England have become laser-focused on what they're paying each month in utility bills. A recent survey from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce found that energy affordability was the top household concern among residents of Massachusetts.

What's more, demand for power is growing in the region, and renewable sources, like offshore wind, have faced several years of economic and political headwinds.

"New England clearly will need additional energy supplies in the years ahead," Dolan said. "Proposals like Project Beacon are welcome developments in signaling investment interest, even with the many hurdles that need to be overcome," like financing the project and getting it permitted.

In announcing Project Beacon, Enbridge is kicking off something called "open season." Think of it like an auction to gauge interest: Enbridge puts the project proposal out into the world and asks gas companies and power plants if they're interested in buying gas.

Based on the bids that come in, Enbridge will design a final project and take it to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for review.

In an email, National Grid spokesperson Brendan Moss said the company was aware of the proposal and "will carefully assess any potential opportunity as part of our responsibility to secure cost-effective supply solutions for our customers and make decisions based on what best serves them and aligns with applicable regulatory review and approval."

He added that "expanding access to reliable, lower-cost energy supply can help improve affordability, reduce volatility, support system reliability, and strengthen economic competitiveness across the region."

A representative from Eversource, the other large gas utility in the region, did not respond to questions about whether the company is interested in putting in a bid.

Earlier this year, the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities approved a plan for Eversource to buy more gas from Enbridge as part of a separate pipeline expansion plan.

Gov. Maura Healey, who opposed pipeline projects in the past, threw her support behind Eversource's plan. Healey, who bills herself as a strong climate champion, has also said that she supports an "all of the above" approach to energy in the state, which could include more natural gas.

Asked about the new proposal from Enbridge, a spokesperson said the governor is focused on lowering energy costs, creating jobs and reducing the state's dependence on expensive oil and liquified natural gas.

"The governor will review this proposal carefully to make sure it is a good deal for ratepayers," the spokesperson said.

New England has several large pipelines that carry natural gas into the region, but on cold days, when demand for home heating spikes, the region's power plants often turn to burning oil, which is more expensive and polluting. The region also supplements some of its pipeline gas with liquified natural gas that comes in through a terminal in Everett, but that fuel is also expensive.

While past attempts to build a new gas pipeline into the region have failed in the last decade, many in Massachusetts have called for building new pipelines or expanding existing ones to help relieve supply constraints during the winter. Among them are Republican gubernatorial candidates Brian Shortsleeve and Mike Minogue.

Many environmentalists, meanwhile, have said a new pipeline could end up increasing utility bills — not to mention also running counter to the state's climate laws.

" New England's energy challenges are not going be solved by increasing the supply of fossil fuels," said Caitlin Peale Sloan of the Conservation Law Foundation. "We fundamentally need to be looking at decreasing peak need for gas overall, and we need to be really carefully reckoning with the cost that these resources put on to customers and people who have to breathe air when fuels are being burned."

Peale Sloan said she has a lot of questions and concerns about the Project Beacon proposal, including whether it's truly offering a new and flexible energy solution for New England. Because right now, she added, it sure looks a lot like "a retread of the pipeline strategy that failed 10 years ago."

Residents push back hard at Killingly zoning hearing

Connor Linskey

Killingly residents strongly opposed two distribution centers with unnamed tenants proposed at 90 Putnam Pike at the planning and zoning commission meeting May 18. 

During the public hearing for the project, Killingly resident Al Dufresne questioned the impacts the project would have on traffic, noise and lighting. 

“Before approval, the commission must require the applicant explain exactly the type of operation these buildings are designed for and what limits will be placed on truck traffic, hours of operation, trailer storage, hazardous materials and future tenant use,” Dufresne said. 

Claudette Rogers has been a school bus driver in Killingly for 18 years. During that time, she has seen how trucks have impacted traffic and she’s worried about the traffic the distribution centers might cause. One example she gave was when the bus she was driving, along with two others, collided while being stuck behind a garbage truck. 

“I couldn’t imagine meeting four tractor trailer trucks,” Rogers said during the public hearing. 

What residents said via written public comment 

Only two Killingly residents spoke at the public hearing on May 18, as the planning and zoning commission meeting had to finish by 11 p.m. However, many residents expressed their disapproval of the project in emails to the town, which were made part of the agenda packet for the meeting on May 18. 

One such email was from Patricia Klausen of Dayville. Klausen is concerned about the environmental impacts of the two proposed distribution centers. 

“This proposal raises serious environmental concerns that cannot and should not be ignored,” Klausen said in her email. “The potential destruction and contamination risks to local aquafers are alarming, especially in a region where clean groundwater is essential to residents, ecosystems and future generations. Once these natural water systems are damaged, they cannot simply be restored.” 

Tiffany Lucas of Danielson opposed the distribution centers, writing in her email to the town that they would damage the town’s rural character. 

“Our area is one of the last green valleys,” Lucas said. “We are encroaching on wildlife habitat just by living and if we add these massive distribution sites it will be another layer of removing that.” 

The planning and zoning commission continued the public hearing to their next meeting on June 15. 

About the project 

Killingly 1, LLC is proposing two new distribution centers totaling approximately 467,500 square feet of gross floor area with associated loading bays, trailer parking spaces, employee parking, access drives, stormwater management systems, retaining walls, septic systems, utilities, landscaping and lighting. There is also an Amazon fulfillment center proposed on 228 Westcott Road in Killingly.

Developer proposes 22-story, 305-unit apartment tower in Bridgeport

Michael Juliano

A developer has proposed a 22-story mixed-use tower with 305 apartments in Bridgeport, according to an application filed with the city’s Planning and Zoning Department.

Jonathan Gonzalez, of Meriden, has proposed constructing the building on a 0.44-acre parcel at 110-118 Congress St. A three-story commercial building on the property would get demolished to make way for the proposed building.

Gonzalez said the project is part of a broader goal to build 20,000 apartment units nationwide to generate cash flow for Second Start Inc., a nonprofit he founded that provides housing and support services for disadvantaged people.

As part of a separate Bridgeport project, he said he also plans to build an eight-story, 346-unit apartment building on Myrtle Avenue in partnership with the property owner.

“We have a lot of big initiatives, and in order to get to that initiative, we have to create a cash flow,” he said.

The first two floors of the proposed Congress Street building would include office and retail space for tenants such as a grocer, cafe and pharmacy, according to the application. Apartments would occupy the remaining 20 floors.

Plans include installing paved driveways, sidewalks, new utilities, a stormwater management system and landscaped areas.

“The proposed project represents a significant redevelopment of an underutilized commercial property into a modern mixed-use development that enhances the urban fabric of the surrounding area,” the application said.

The three-story building currently on-site is owned by Northeast Film Storage LLC, controlled by Ian Stone and Ralph Stevens, both of New York. They bought the property for $435,000 in 2010. Gonzalez said he is under contract to buy the building.

The city’s Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the proposal on May 26.

Crumbling ex-CT hospital site targeted for adaptive reuse. City notes ‘live, work, play’ potential

Sean Krofssik

It was started as a state hospital for people with mental illness and remained operational until the buildings were abandoned in 1996.

Now some of remaining crumbling and abandoned buildings sit on the banks of the Thames River directly across from the posh Mohegan Sun casino buildings.

The city of Norwich wants to change the future of the buildings in its city that serve almost as a gateway to the nearly 300-year-old community at the confluence of the Yantic and Shetucket rivers in eastern Connecticut.

The city is soliciting bids for qualifications for developers to study the former site of Norwich State Hospital, a plan that seeks adaptive reuse of the parts of the site that are in Norwich. The city said it seeks “professional consulting firms and teams to complete a planning study to reimagine the former Norwich State Hospital.”

The Norwich property is located at 628 and 705 Laurel Hill Road on Connecticut Route 12, and the Norwich request for quotation indicates there also is a hope to create a community-driven vision for the site.

“The planning effort will focus on creating a vision for the future redevelopment of the area that will provide a sense of place for city residents and visitors alike. The former hospital property is a prime location for the construction of a live, work, play development that would exist in concert with the neighboring Preston Riverwalk,” according to the city of Norwich RFQ.

The RFQ project is funded by a $250,000 Community Investment Fund 2030 Grant and is expected to complement the upcoming Preston Riverwalk development, which will be constructed by the Mohegan Tribe.

“The Gateway Norwich planning project is intended to provide the community with a blueprint for strategic future growth through public outreach and visioning exercises,” according to the Norwich RFQ.

The Norwich Community Development Corporation owns parts of the property and buildings on the land are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

As The Courant has reported in the past, the hospital’s striking design, its contribution to the history of medicine, and the leafy tranquility of its campus combined in the late 1980s to earn it inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Much of the campus and its principle buildings were in Preston, with a portion in Norwich.

The state had begun neglecting the hospital in the late 1970s, according to former superintendent Garrell S. Mullaney, and decided to close it in 1996 when the movement of patients from institutional to community care reduced its residential population. Custodianship of the closed hospital moved from the state Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to the Department of Public Works, The Courant has reported. Land was also sold to Preston, which has engaged in extensive study, demolition and remediation at the site, records show. 

The property on 628 Laurel Hill Road in Norwich is approximately 40.95 acres and sits on the eastern side of the roadway. The property is on a sloping terrain that had 16 residential units on the upper plateau that were nurse’s homes, records show. There are also four large administration buildings..

The 705 Laurel Hill Road is approximately 8.07 acres and located on the western side. The property included a large administration building and four out-buildings, records show. Both properties were donated by a private owner to non-profit Norwich Community Development Corporation in December 2024. NCDC is a quasi-governmental economic development partner of the city of Norwich.

A limited environmental assessment was completed in 2020 that included multiple phases as well as a limited hazardous building materials assessment as a part of the “city-wide brownfield assessment,” and in 2025, the Norwich Community Development Corporation was awarded additional Brownfield funds, records show. The brownfield work there has not started yet but will be happening while the planning study is underway, records show.

“The goal of the study is to help stakeholders identify the most viable, community supported, and tax positive uses for the two underutilized, blighted properties. Knowing which land uses are trending and desirable for developers will guide the future zoning text amendments of the new Norwich State Hospital Zone. The study shall include guidance and insight into the potential scope of required brownfield remediation and abatement work necessary to facilitate determined market supported uses,” according to the Norwich RFQ.

The initiative, which is led by Norwich City Planner Dan Daniska, is intended to involve residents’ voices on the future of the area of the city.

“Gateway Norwich planning will connect residents, city officials, property owners, and other key partners to develop ideas for an inclusive, prosperous future for the former state hospital area,” according to the city RFQ.

Part of the baseline assessment would be to review existing conditions, including analysis of available brownfield data and general condition of buildings, soliciting input from Norwich and regional stakeholders, consensus building, and sharing project information through multiple methods, records show.

The city also noted that, among the factors being weighed by the selection committee are: technical competence of the consultant/firm; quality and performance of past services on similar projects; experience of key personnel including the sub-contractors; demonstrated knowledge of environmental remediation and brownfield redevelopment and state of Connecticut DECD and DEEP funding programs; expected quality of the scope of work and deliverables the consultant proposes to provide for the established budget and the ability to perform the professional services without exceeding the grant award, according to the Norwich RFQ.

As far as the project schedule, once the consultant is selected, they should be ready “to begin work as directed by the City of Norwich on or about July 1, 2026. It is anticipated that the contracted services as described in this RFQ shall be completed within nine months of award unless an extension of time has been agreed upon by the City of Norwich and consultant,” the RFQ notes.

The submittals of qualifications for planning for the adaptive reuse of the hospital are accepted until May 27 at 2 p.m. All bids are to be submitted by that time; they will be opened on the city of Norwich procurement portal.

Major milestone: Coast Guard Museum hoists rescue helicopter into building 

Gianni Salisbury

New London — A retired MH-60T Jayhawk U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was lifted into the under-construction Coast Guard Museum on Wednesday.

The multi-mission recovery helicopter, which was active from 1990 to December 2023 and saved over 333 lives, arrived Monday from Elizabeth City, N.C., according to retired Coast Guard Capt. Wes Pulver, president of the National Coast Guard Museum Association.

The helicopter is white and red and has a 54-foot wingspan. It can reach a maximum speed of 205 mph and accumulated 18,855 flight hours during its time.

The future director of the museum, retired Coast Guard captain Carl Riedlin, flew the helicopter while serving in Astoria, Ore., and doing search and rescue missions. It just happened by chance that the helicopter he flew ended up in the museum.

"It is really neat that it is here. It's amazing. One of the goals of the museum is that people who served, when they walk through the museum, they see something that they did and the contributions they made. So it's really neat to see that," Riedlin said.

The helicopter's career began in Clearwater, Fla., flying drug interdiction missions and responding to the Haitian boat lifts in the ’90s. Some of its other notable stations were Air Station Astoria in Oregon, Air Station Cape Cod in Massachusetts, and Air Station Kodiak in Alaska.

Wednesday morning the helicopter was placed on a sled, which was hooked into the side of the building and then lifted and rolled into the building. In a few months, it will hang from the ceiling in the atrium of the museum.

The final display with have replicas of a real crew from Elizabeth City, N.C., that flew the helicopter. The display will reenact the crew rescuing a swimmer.

"They took plaster castings of the crew so the display is going to look lifelike and show renditions of real people, which I think is the coolest thing ever," Riedlin said.

During a tour on Wednesday afternoon, project manager John Metcalf and head architect Stephanie Balsam, who works for Payette, a Boston-based architecture and design firm, reported on the progress of the museum and what each floor will feature.

The $150 million museum will have six floors containing exhibits, galleries, a STEM education center, a learning exhibit for young children, a terrace and event space.

Before the tour, a rescue training demonstration took place in the Thames River off City Pier with a Jayhawk helicopter. During the demonstration, a man was dropped into the water and then called for help, as if in distress. The helicopter then lifted him out of the water.

Commandant of the Coast Guard Adm. Kevin E. Lunday stopped by to watch the demonstration following the Coast Guard Academy graduation. The demonstration was meant to show the types of rescues the retired Jayhawk completed during its time.

Recently the museum faced funding issues after realizing the $20 million funding commitment by the state in 2014 to a 400-foot, glass-enclosed bridge over Water Street was significantly less than what it will now cost. However U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and other Connecticut lawmakers secured $50 million in federal funding, the association raised $54 million in donations and President Trump signed the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which allowed the Coast Guard to help fund the project.

Pulver explained the museum is looking to bring big crowds to the city, with an estimated 300,000 guests the first year.

"We can't wait to bring folks in. We want to connect people to the rest of New London. We want to make it a visitor experience. The question is how do we connect them to town? How do we connect them to Mystic or Westerly?" Pulver said.

Pulver said construction is expected to be complete in November, followed by the installation of exhibits. Pulver said nothing is set in stone, but he estimates the museum will open sometime in 2027.

For more information on the building of the museum, visit the Coast Guard Museum Association website.

CT Construction Digest Wednesday May 20, 2026

New law gives CT Comptroller authority to halt payments to state contractors over wage violations

David Krechevsky

The state Comptroller will soon have the authority to withhold payments to contractors or subcontractors accused of violating Connecticut’s prevailing wage laws on public works projects.

The authority was granted by Public Act 26-17, formerly Senate Bill 268, which overwhelmingly passed this year in both legislative chambers and was signed into law by Gov. Ned Lamont on May 14.

The law goes into effect on Oct. 1. It is intended to strengthen enforcement against wage theft and prevailing wage violations involving state-funded construction projects, according to state officials.

It authorizes the state comptroller to withhold payments owed to a contractor or subcontractor if the state labor commissioner issues a stop-work order related to violations of Connecticut’s prevailing wage statute.

The law gives the comptroller additional leverage to ensure workers on state projects are properly paid before contractors receive additional public funding.

The prevailing wage is the hourly rate and benefits paid to most workers on public works projects for similar work in a specific area.

During a public hearing held on the bill by the Labor and Public Employees Committee in February, state Comptroller Sean Scanlon spoke in favor of the bill, which he had proposed last year but ultimately died in the House.

Scanlon noted that the state Department of Labor can investigate cases when contractors are accused of cheating employees and place stop-work orders on public projects until workers have been repaid, but that his office lacked similar authority.

“There is currently no ability for my office to withhold state payments to such contractors, allowing them to still be paid by taxpayer funds even when they are being actively investigated for a prevailing wage violation,” he said. “That’s wrong, and we shouldn’t reward employers who fail to follow the law with taxpayer dollars.”

Christopher Fryxell, president of the Associated Builders and Contractors of Connecticut (CTABC), testified against the bill, saying his organization believes “innocent contractors will be harmed in the process.”

Because the state contracts with just the prime contractor, Fryxell said, it is not clear how the comptroller would withhold payments from a contractor or subcontractor accused of violating prevailing wage laws without unfairly “harming innocent contractors in the process.”

The bill was subsequently approved by a 31-5 vote in the Senate on April 15, and was approved in the House on May 4 by a 107-40 vote with four legislators absent.

Hartford Hospital’s $1B campus overhaul targets emergency department overcrowding

David Krechevsky

In 2025, the average wait time to be treated in Hartford Hospital’s emergency department was nearly nine hours.

That’s according to an online database maintained by the Connecticut College of Emergency Physicians (CCEP), which tracks so-called “boarding” statistics for the state’s 26 acute-care hospitals.

The 8.9-hour average wait was the worst of any state ED last year. Charlotte Hungerford Hospital in Torrington and William Backus in Norwich — each also owned by Hartford HealthCare (HHC) — tied for the second-worst, with average wait times at 8.4 hours.

The state’s busiest emergency department at Yale New Haven Hospital had an average wait time of 5.4 hours. That was despite treating 228,586 patients last year vs. the 109,166 treated at Hartford Hospital, according to CCEP.

As overcrowding pressures mount, Hartford HealthCare is making expansion and modernization of the ED a major focus of a more than $1 billion plan to remake 15 buildings on and around its Hartford campus.

The plan, details of which were recently unveiled, also includes renovating the former Girl Scouts headquarters at 340 Washington St. into a GoHealth Urgent Care center. Hartford HealthCare acquired the building last year.

The project’s centerpiece is a new $950 million, 14-story inpatient tower featuring 216 additional private patient beds and three floors of procedural space for electrophysiology, cardiac catheterization, gastroenterology and ambulatory surgery.

The initiative also includes a new patient arrival center with a two-story atrium, a 1,650-car parking garage and 500-seat conference center.

Hartford HealthCare plans to finance the overhaul in part through approximately $850 million in bond financing, along with endowment funds and private fundraising.

But Jeffrey Flaks, president and CEO of Hartford HealthCare, said the investment is ultimately about more than construction. He described it as a once-in-a-generation effort to modernize the hospital and improve the areas of care that matter most to patients.

Industry observers say the initiative also reflects a broader strategic shift across healthcare, as major systems nationally invest heavily in access, patient flow and campus modernization to strengthen their competitive positions in the post-pandemic marketplace.

“What Hartford HealthCare is endeavoring to do is what many of the largest health systems around the country are doing now, which is to provide easy access to definitive care,” said Jeff Hogan, president of Upside Health Advisors, a Farmington-based industry consultancy.

“The big health systems are building out their infrastructure, for better or worse, so that they will get more brand loyalty,” Hogan added.

‘Completely overwhelmed’

There is little debate that many hospital emergency departments — particularly Level I trauma centers like Hartford Hospital’s — are under intense strain.

“EDs are completely overwhelmed,” Hogan said.

According to Karen Goyette, executive vice president and chief strategy and transformation officer for HHC, Hartford Hospital’s emergency department sees about 300 patients daily.

“It’s probably one of the busiest in the United States,” she said.

A February report published by Becker’s Hospital Review ranked Hartford Hospital’s ED as the 44th busiest in the nation last year. Yale New Haven Hospital ranked third.

Hartford Hospital also refers pediatric emergency cases to nearby Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, which treated roughly 58,000 patients last year, according to the CCEP database. Combined, the two facilities would rank among the busiest emergency care hubs in the country.

Goyette said overcrowding is driven in part by patients using emergency rooms because they lack access to primary care and other healthcare resources.

“Unfortunately, the reality is that many people today lack primary care, lack resources, and they’re … utilizing our emergency department as their first line of defense,” she said.

The planned 2,500-square-foot urgent care center on Washington Street is intended to divert lower-acuity cases away from the ED and free emergency staff to focus on patients requiring more intensive treatment, she said.

Hartford HealthCare operates 50 urgent care centers statewide, which Goyette said each handle “upwards of 75 patients a day.”

Hartford HealthCare is also reserving about 1,500 square feet in the former Girl Scouts building for four additional patient rooms to accommodate future demand.

Expanding the ED will also include renovating the first floor of the adjacent Conklin Building into 30 observation beds for behavioral health and mental health patients who are often “warehoused” in the emergency department while awaiting placement elsewhere, Goyette said.

The new beds are expected to open within six months and should help reduce wait times, she said.

Understaffing can also contribute to emergency department overcrowding, but Flaks said Hartford HealthCare plans to hire additional clinical and administrative workers to support the expansion.

Financial strength

The project’s scale comes with significant financial commitments beyond construction costs alone.

According to Flaks, thousands of patients who currently seek care in Hartford Hospital’s emergency department each year are expected to be redirected to the urgent care facility.

An average emergency department visit can generate roughly $1,300 in revenue or more, he said, while an urgent care visit may generate closer to $120 — or, in some cases, no reimbursement at all.

That’s a significant tradeoff given that many hospitals operate on thin margins. Hartford HealthCare generated an operating margin of about 2.8% in fiscal 2025, according to audited financial statements.

“The bottom line is, this is about making healthcare more affordable,” Flaks said. “It’s about making it more accessible, and it’s about making it better.”

Flaks said Hartford HealthCare is positioned to absorb the project’s long-term debt costs because of years of financial discipline and strong operating performance.

Hartford HealthCare currently maintains an A+ bond rating with a stable outlook from Fitch Ratings, which cited the organization’s strong market position and improving operating performance.

Hartford HealthCare reported positive financial results in each of the last two fiscal years, posting operating income of $201.4 million on $7.1 billion in revenue in fiscal 2025, compared with operating income of $133.6 million on $6.5 billion in revenue a year earlier, according to audited financial statements.

“We have carefully managed our financial strength for many years, and have put ourselves in this position to make this investment,” Flaks said.

Capturing care

Hogan, the healthcare consultant, said large health systems increasingly are investing in infrastructure and patient access as they compete to keep more care within their own networks.

He cited a 2025 report from healthcare consulting firm Vizient that found the typical health system captures less than half of a patient’s total healthcare spending. According to the report, a 1% increase in loyal patients — those who repeatedly return to the same hospital or health system for care — can generate “a $40 million revenue lift for a $2 billion health system.”

Hogan said many of the nation’s largest health systems are investing in modern facilities, expanded outpatient access and private patient rooms in an effort to attract and retain aging baby boomers and commercially insured patients.

He said Hartford HealthCare has also spent decades improving both quality metrics and patient experience, helping position it competitively against rival systems.

“Basically, all of their hospitals now are ‘A’ quality” as measured by Leapfrog safety grades, Hogan said. “They focused on that.”

Flaks said the Hartford campus overhaul is especially significant because Hartford HealthCare has not undertaken a project of this scale since construction of the original high-rise hospital tower on Seymour Street in 1947.

State Sen. Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor), co-chair of the state legislature’s Public Health Committee and a physician, said he welcomes Hartford HealthCare’s investment, particularly plans to expand and improve the emergency department.

“The number and kinds of people in our waiting rooms are increasing,” he said. “We have to have our physical infrastructure and intellectual infrastructure ready to take care of people’s needs.”

But Anwar said whether the project will lower healthcare costs is “a different question,” noting that hospitals face broader financial pressures, including Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rates that often fail to cover the full cost of care.

“You want to provide the best care at the best time at the best place,” he said. “That’s the principle.”

House committee agrees to $580B surface transportation legislation

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders on Sunday agreed to a five-year, $580 billion surface transportation bill that directs $65 billion to rail programs and $41 billion to discretionary grant programs.

The bill authorizes a total of $87.6 billion from the mass transit account of the Highway Trust Fund over fiscal years 2027 to 2031, an increase from $69.8 billion allocated in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. 

Amtrak would receive grants of $10.4 billion over five years for operations on the Northeast Corridor and $20.7 billion for its national network. The legislation prohibits any federal grants, awards or financial assistance to the California high-speed rail project for two years while a working group determines whether the project can meet the requirements outlined in the 2008 voter-approved bond measure allocating funds for the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

The proposed legislation, crafted in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, continues a series of multiyear surface transportation programs dating back to 1978.

Committee Chairman Sam Graves, R-Mo., and the committee’s Ranking Member, Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said in a joint release Sunday that they plan to formally introduce the legislation soon. Their goal is to have Congress send a final bill to the president before the current surface transportation authorization expires on Sept. 30, 2026.  

“This bill is not simply about honoring our past — it’s about moving forward and building upon the legacy of our nation’s infrastructure,” Graves said in a statement. “The bill also makes smart and targeted reforms to our surface transportation programs, focuses on strengthening our core infrastructure system, drives innovation, bolsters safety, ensures states have the flexibility they need, and cuts red tape to get projects built faster.”

To strengthen the Highway Trust Fund, the bill imposes an annual registration fee of $35 for hybrid vehicles and $130 for electric vehicles. Fees would increase by $5 each year starting in 2029, topping out at $50 for hybrids and $150 for EVs.

“While this bill does not include every priority, I am committed to building on the last bipartisan infrastructure law by creating good-paying transportation jobs, growing the economy and safely transporting people and goods across the country by road and rail,” Larsen said in a statement. 

The committee leaders said they plan to set an upcoming date for the bill’s markup, which will allow members to suggest changes or amendments.