Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1170674
2019 | DOING BUSINESS IN CONNECTICUT | 85 Bradley Airport officials recently broke ground on a transportation center that will eliminate the need for shuttle service from the airport to and from rental car agencies' off-site locations. [Photo | courtesy of the Connecticut Airport Authority ] Smart Moves Planners for transportation initiatives have an eye on the future By Cara McDonough Transportation across Connecticut is buzzing with possibility. There are massive roadway improvement projects underway, new airline routes on the horizon, and rail service expansions in the works, providing commuters and sightseers alike with more ways to get around. Perhaps most important, say transportation officials working on these bold, often complicated projects, is an overall effort to coordinate efforts across the state, building towards a more cohesive plan that makes traveling Connecticut more fluid, from the tarmac to the bus stop to evening rush hour. Rail lines are undergoing improvements, which may mean delayed travel times in the immediate future, but much smoother trips ahead. A $4 billion Metro-North improvement plan will address movable railroad bridges in Milford, Greenwich and Westport. And a $164 million improvement plan for the recently opened Hartford Rail Line – which runs from New Haven to Springfield – includes funds to purchase new cars (the current cars are leased from Massachusetts). The line could also be crucial if future transportation plans link rail service to the airport, said Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT DOT) Commissioner Joseph Giulietti. "We know we can put rail into Bradley airport," he said, noting that Connecticut might benefit from a more "European model," linking air travel to all other modes of transport. "Things like that excite me. What are the potentials we could be considering?" Meanwhile, there are massive plans for the state's roadways in store, including improvements to the state's most traveled thoroughfares. "We are looking at highways that were designed to carry 50,000 cars a day that are now carrying much more," Giulietti said. Commuters will be happy to know that there are several projects in the works to improve congestion on I-95; a detailed study released last year showed congestion along both the western and eastern portions of the highway caused 54 million hours of delay and cost $1.2 billion in lost time annually. Several projects are currently in "design" phase, according to Judd Everhart, director of communications for the CT DOT. The I-95 West project calls for widening in "strategic locations" where there are traffic bottlenecks between Greenwich and New Haven. Another project still in design phases – with work slated to begin in the next five to 10 years – is the Hartford Viaduct project, aimed to replace the 2.5-mile elevated portion of I-84 through Hartford, which carries more than 175,000 vehicles per day and is the busiest route in Connecticut. Depending on the final design, the project could cost up to $5.3 billion. The I-84 Hartford project team is also planning a new multimodal rail and bus station that would sit about 1,000 feet west of the existing tracks. In May 2020, work will begin on the northbound Gold Star Bridge, which carries I-95 over the Thames River between New London and Groton and is the longest bridge in the state. The $290.5 million "state of good repair" project will keep the bridge – which carries 120,000 vehicles per day – in good shape. "Roads and bridges are key to keeping Connecticut, and its economy, moving forward. The efficient delivery of goods is paramount to every business in the state. The Connecticut Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining more than 35,000 lane miles of roads and 4,000 bridges," said Everhart. "In addition, the agency handles about 40 million passenger trips TRANSPORTATION SECTION SPONSOR