Underground transmission line project could cost CT residents $500M
Electric utility United Illuminating said Wednesday that the
cost of designing and building a proposed underground transmission system from
Bridgeport to Fairfield would cost about $838 million.
That’s about a half-billion dollars more than the estimated
cost of rebuilding the overhead transmission system at $306 million.
UI says the aging transmission infrastructure, which runs
along Metro-North railroad, needs to be upgraded to maintain current levels of
railroad service.
UI has completed three of the five phases of work.
Construction on the fourth phase, which runs from New Haven to Milford, is
ongoing.
The fifth phase, known as the Fairfield to Congress project,
was delayed by a legal challenge by local groups that oppose the overhead
transmission lines.
Based on the newly released cost estimate of the underground
project, calculated by Dashiell Corporation and HBK Engineering, UI doubled
down on its support of the less expensive option.
“At UI, our responsibility – to our 345,000 customers and
all our stakeholders across Connecticut – is to design and implement the
least-cost solution that best achieves our primary obligation: providing safe,
reliable and resilient electricity to our customers,” said Frank Reynolds,
president and CEO of UI.
There have been times when UI supported underground
projects, he said; however, in this case UI prefers the lower-cost overhead
option because the cost differential of the underground alternative would be
borne entirely by Connecticut ratepayers.
“We know there has been strong community advocacy for an
underground design plan, but because we can achieve our reliability and
resiliency objectives with a more affordable overhead route, we have always
stood by our preferred alternative for the benefit of the customers we serve,”
Reynolds said.
In 2023, UI submitted an application to the state Siting
Council for the Fairfield to Congress transmission line project, which is part
of the Metro-North Railroad corridor.
The state Siting Council found that “the cost of any
underground configuration would result in an unreasonable economic burden on
the ratepayers of the state.”
However, local businesses, residents and organizations
appealed the Siting Council’s decision.
In an April 23 decision, Judge Matthew J. Budzik in New
Britain Superior Court remanded the matter back to the Siting Council for
further consideration of the design plan.
The Siting Council will meet at 1 p.m. via Zoom on Thursday.
Although the meeting will not include public comment, the Fairfield to Congress
project is scheduled for discussion.
UI said it tentatively believes a decision will be made at a
follow-up meeting on June 26.
UI said it is required to “select the most prudent design:
the design that achieves the necessary objectives at the least cost for the
company’s customers.”
Based on agreements with Independent System Operator of New
England (ISO-NE), the regional grid operator, costs of regional transmission
projects are normally spread across the 14 million ISO-NE customers.
If the Siting Council approved the overhead solution
proposed by UI, the roughly $300 million cost would be spread across those 14
million customers. However, if the Siting Council approved the underground
option, Connecticut ratepayers would be responsible for the additional $500
million, according to UI.
“With Connecticut’s high electricity rates continually in
the news, it is frankly surprising to see so many elected officials and their
constituents continue to push for a project design that would add half a
billion dollars to Connecticut electric rates,” said Jim Cole, vice president
of projects at Avangrid.
UI, a subsidiary of Avangrid, provides electricity to
customers in the greater New Haven and Bridgeport areas of the state.
Roundabouts proposed for Exit 89 interchange of I-95 in Groton
Kimberly Drelich
Groton — The state Department of Transportation is proposing
to build $12.5 million of roundabouts at the Exit 89 interchange of Interstate
95 which it says will make for a smoother traffic flow at the Allyn Street
exit, decrease backups, reduce speed and help prevent wrong-way driving.
The Town Council on Tuesday unanimously supported the DOT
developing preliminary design plans that will eventually be presented to the
council and public for their feedback. If the DOT decides to proceed with the
project, construction could begin in about two and a half years and take about
two years to complete.
The DOT is proposing single-lane roundabouts at three
intersections: the I-95 southbound on and off ramps; the I-95 northbound on and
off ramps; and the Allyn Street and Sandy Hollow Road intersection.
DOT representatives said they originally had recommended
intersections with stoplights but began looking at roundabouts at the
suggestion of a resident.
According to the DOT, the benefits of roundabouts include
improving the interchange's geometry, improving vehicle queuing as cars flow
better through the area, and having shorter delays during peak traffic times.
The design of roundabouts bring safety benefits, including that cars drive
through them at lower speeds resulting in fewer severe crashes and wrong-way
drivers.
Scott Bushee, principal engineer of the state highway design
unit and chairman of the DOT's roundabout committee, said the traffic circles
have fewer "conflict points" in which vehicles could collide. A
conventional intersection has 32 conflict points, compared to eight with a
roundabout.
He said the roundabouts would not have any left turns, so no
one would cross directly in front of anyone, avoiding severe T-bone-type
crashes that typically create injuries.
Bushee said a study of five roundabouts on state roads in
Connecticut found an 81% reduction in severe crashes and a 44% reduction in
overall crashes. Federal data shows a 78% reduction in several crashes and a
48% reduction in overall crashes with roundabouts. They are also safer for
pedestrians because cars drive at lower speeds.
He added that roundabouts are more efficient because
vehicles aren't idling at a light or stop sign.
Over the three-year period between Jan. 1, 2020, and Jan. 1,
2023, there were 13 crashes, including seven injury crashes, at the
intersection where the I-95 southbound on and off ramps are located, according
to DOT data.
The intersection where the I-95 northbound on and off ramps
are located, had 29 crashes, including seven injury crashes, over that period.
Groton Town Police Chief Louis J. Fusaro Jr. said the
roundabouts would reduce accidents and potentially reduce speeding on Allyn
Street.
Slowing down fire trucks?
Old Mystic Fire Chief Kenneth Richards Jr. said he thinks
the roundabout is a great concept but asked whether there have been any studies
about an increase in emergency response time.
He said currently when fire trucks exit the Cow Hill
headquarters, just north of the southbound interchange, they take a right turn,
hit the first traffic light and then it's clear sailing all the way down to the
I-95 northbound ramps to head to Stonington, where the fire department responds
to 800 calls a year. He said with slower speeds due to the design of
roundabouts, he's thinks it would take significantly more time to drive to the
ramp.
Bushee said he hasn't heard of any complaints about a delay
in response because of a roundabout. He said across the country, crashes within
roundabout areas have decreased significantly, lowering response needs and
costs to communities.
Bushee said the roundabouts have accommodations, such as a
truck apron and curbing, for trucks if they need to pass by other vehicles.
Richards say he is comfortable with that solution. He said
he is familiar with the Route 85 roundabout in Salem and has had conversations
with the fire department there. He said it is true that the roundabout has an
accommodation for trucks, though fire officials said it takes longer for a fire
truck to go through the roundabout than on a straight road.
The roundabout project would cost $12.5 million, while an
alternative for signalized intersections would cost $6.4 million, according to
the DOT. The project is slated to be paid for with 80% federal funds and 20%
state funds.
Councilors asked questions and offered mostly supportive
comments, including that the roundabouts would not be affected by a power
outage and that they felt they were safer and would cut down on wrong-way
driving.
Eva Zymaris, DOT spokesperson, said Wednesday that sidewalks
are proposed along Allyn Street from Cow Hill Road to Stony Hill Drive.
Work set to begin on $15 million, 100,000-square-foot Middletown pickleball facility
MIDDLETOWN — Construction is beginning on a $15
million, 100,000-square-foot-plus indoor pickleball facility, the
largest by far in Connecticut and beyond, according to Pickleball Park President and
General Manager Rob Keefrider.
The business, at 100 Centerpoint Drive, will be open 24
hours a day, 365 days year, he said. It is expected to open in July 2026.
The facility will be outfitted with 21 courts: 18 indoor,
two indoor paddle courts, both of which will be climate-controlled; and one
outdoor, illuminated court on a patio, he said. A stadium court mezzanine and
bleacher viewing area are also planned.
There will also be five outdoor courts designated for
seasonal play, and eight, open air-equipped courts with overhead doors to bring
in fresh air.
America’s
fastest growing sport, a racquet sport played on courts smaller than
tennis with paddles and hollow plastic balls with holes, is popular in
Connecticut parks. It's grown so popular that the demand for indoor courts open
year-round has generated a new pickleball economy.
Keefrider expects to mainly draw players from within a
25-mile radius due to its location at the junction of Route 9 and I-91 and
proximity to Cromwell, Berlin, Rocky Hill among other towns.
There will also be a children's club, yet-unnamed restaurant
serving fast, casual food; basketball courts, a fitness center, weight room,
group classes, athletic field space, yard and arcade games, and office,
meeting, party and event rooms for members and visitors.
Rounding out offerings are a yard, and arcade games, and
office, meeting, party and event rooms.
“Our training programs are going to be top-notch
for pickleball,” he added. It’ll be a place to “meet, work, train, play
and connect.”
Earlier this week, the Economic Development Committee
approved a eight-year, tax agreement.
The company will pay taxes on the land while the facility is
under construction, he said. A deferred assessment was approved for two years,
then taxes will increase in years three to six.
Pickleball Park will make an incremental investment of about
$11.4 million in real and personal property, he added.
The company surveyed the local and regional landscape and
reviewed many business models, Keefrider said. “We are not copying any of
them.”
There were an estimated 19.8 million pickleball players
in 2024 in the United States, according to
Pickleheads.com, which cited figures from the 2025 SFIA Topline
Participation Report. This represents a 45.8% increase from 2023, it
said.
It’s popularity has grown 311% over the last three years,
according to the SFIA, and the average player age is lowering. The 25 to
34 age group now has the most pickleball players (2.3 million), and 1
million more children started playing the sport.
The average pickleball player is 35 years old.
The size and scale of the club enables better open play, he
explained. “We will have more courts and can better match people based on pace
of play, skill level and temperament."
"Face it, it isn’t as much fun when you play against
someone at a totally different skill level and crush them,” Keefrider said.
“Worse yet, is holding back. We want to ensure maximum enjoyment at our
club."