Hartford Business Journal

www.CTGreenGuide.com SprinG 2015 • Connecticut Green Guide 27 and towards mass transit and getting cars off the roads. However, public opinion about the projects has not been promis- ing. Take the first project that will be up and running — the 9.4- mile busway from New Britain to Hartford known as CTfastrak. The bus rapid transit solution caused controversy over its 15 years of development, as many questioned whether the $567 million price tag was the best source of federal grant money and taxpayer dollars. An increasing desire statewide for car- less travel, however, has helped to quell those concerns. "It used to be a big joke, like, 'Why did we buy Alaska?'" said Joe McGee, vice president of public policy and programs at the Busi- ness Council of Fairfield County. "It's going to be very important for Hartford, but most people don't realize that yet." The busway is scheduled to take its inaugural ride on March 28. The prospect of using the low-emission hybrid diesel-electric buses has man- aged to become popular among the likes of Central Connecticut State University students, who will be able to travel around the area without bringing a car to campus. The DOT is even looking to expand the service east in the future to UConn. "When I got to Connecticut, [the busway] probably had the worst reputation of any project I'd ever seen," said DOT Commissioner Jim Redeker, who joined the depart- ment in 2008. "Now, it's like the area is getting a whole new lease on life when it comes to transportation." With CTfastrak, central Con- necticut is getting its first meaning- ful mass transit system, said Tim Sullivan, state director of waterfront, brownfield and transit-oriented de- velopment at the Department of Eco- nomic & Community Development. Comparatively, the shoreline is miles ahead of Greater Hartford in when it comes to public tran- sit, running the busiest commuter railway in the country, the Metro- North New Haven Line, but the overworked line has had its chal- lenges of late. Last summer, McGee had a first- hand experience getting stuck. He was riding on the New Haven Line on one of the two occasions last year when the 118-year-old Walk Bridge over the Norwalk River failed to open, resulting in massive de- lays. The DOT is now embarking on a $465 million bridge replacement project, which could be finished McGee believes the new train stations in Orange and Bridgeport, will make it more convenient for commuters to use alternatives to cars. PHoTo | HARoLD SHAPIRo

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