Testimony of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut at the Public Hearing of the Transportation Committee, 2/16/2007
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Testimony of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut at the Public Hearing of the Transportation Committee, February 16, 2007
Support for SB 438, SB 450, SB 717 and HB 5788
Since 1975, members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut, a state wide organization of 2,500 members, supported efforts to reduce all vehicular traffic on state roads, especially the interstates. To achieve this goal, we have supported the study of re-introduction of tolls, expansion of schedules, capacity and incentives for intrastate mass transit usage as well as efforts to promote safety on our highways.
We support, with reservations, SB 438, AA Concerning the Extension of Weigh Station Hours. While we agree that extended weigh station hours will increase highway safety and reduce highway maintenance costs by removing unsafe and overweight trucks, we believe a clearer definition of "open" is required. For the past twelve months, we have observed the Greenwich weigh station. As long as there was personnel within the station, doing clerical or other work, the station was deemed "open" although the electronic sign flashed "weigh station closed" and no truck traffic was going through the facility. The priority must be on the actual inspection of trucks, not other tasks performed at the stations.
We strongly support SB 450 and all related bills to extend the service of Shoreline East and Metro North railroads to New London.
We believe that providing free public transportation to seniors (SB 717) will increase the use of mass transit and also increase the safety of our highways.
Finally, we support HB 5788, AA Concerning Employers who Provide or Assist with Transportation to Work. Incentives for employers and employees to provide transportation from mass transit locations to places of work significantly reduces congestion around railroad or bus stations and helps eliminate the use of private cars for commuters. Such public-private partnerships have worked in numerous communities, such as Greenwich, providing transportation for teachers who commute by train to their schools.
Thank you for this opportunity to provide input. Jara N. Burnett Transportation Specialist, League of Women Voters of CT
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