Comments submitted to the Transportation Committee
League Opposes Certain Provisions of HB 6051
The League of Women Voters of Connected has recently communicated its support of tolls on Connecticuts major highways as a way of reducing vehicular traffic using the congestion pricing strategy as well as providing much-needed, stable funding for the various transportation needs of the state. However, we have previously opposed and continue to oppose the placement of tolls at the states borders only.
We continue to believe that return of tolls to Connecticut is almost inevitable. With diminishing revenues from traditional transportation funding sources such as the gasoline tax, increasing need for funding of infrastructure improvements and transit operating and capital projects, electronic tolling must be considered as part of the fundraising mix.
Locations of toll gates need to be carefully considered to avoid possible legal challenges, hinder the regions economic activity and severely impact the affected localities. We believe that the Department of Transportation ought to be tasked with studying a more equitable placement of tolls throughout the state and present a balanced proposal that will offer congestion-pricing strategies as well as relief for frequent users of the tolled highways.
League Opposes HB6052
The League of Women Voters of Connecticut strongly supports the Department of Transportations Fix-It First policy over new road construction. We support upgrades of existing highways instead of building of new superhighways. We therefore oppose this bill which seeks to establish tolls for the sole purpose of building an extension of Route 11 from Salem to interstate 95.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input.
Respectfully submitted,
Jara Burnett
League Transportation Specialist
Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut recognized the critical importance of transportation for our state by designating Transportation as legislative priority for several years. Transportation is critical to keeping our economy viable now and into the future and our workers working to make Connecticut competitive.
While the League supports the $1.3 billion for construction of transportation infrastructure, we oppose the Governors proposed reductions for the following reasons:
The proposed budget reduces the state subsidy by increasing bus fares to $1.50, effective January 1, 2014. This reduction in the state subsidy and increase in fares will also affect ADA paratransit fares, effective January 1, 2014.
The Connecticut transportation system provides over 42 million trips on buses and another 38 million per year on trains that run through the state. Public transit allows workers to get to their jobs, schools and recreation. Adequate funding is needed to provide a reliable income stream for operations as well as much-needed infrastructure maintenance. An increase in fares and a reduction in the state subsidy will impact the most vulnerable users of transit by either costing them more money or reducing needed services.
This year, the League strongly supported legislation that requires that any revenue raised from fares paid by public transportation users be dedicated to the Special Transportation Fund and be used exclusively for transportation purposes. We continue to believe that when users of public transit are asked to pay more for service, they should have the assurance that the increased revenue will be used to fund the critically-needed services.
The reduction in funding for the non-ADA Dial-A-Ride program will also impact the systems most vulnerable users. The elimination of DSS TEIP funding will greatly affect the ability of residents to get to jobs.
We urge you to rescind these cuts.
Thank you.
Respectfully submitted,
Jara Burnett, League Transportation Specialist
Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut have long recognized the
importance of transportation to the economy of the state. Transportation is critical to keeping our economy stable, our workers working and to making Connecticut
competitive. We further believe that the principal goal of a modern transportation policy must be the reduction of vehicular traffic on our major roads.
Thus, the League has supported tolling on major Connecticut highways as a way of reducing vehicular traffic as well as providing much-needed, stable funding for the various transportation needs of the state.
The return of tolls to Connecticut is almost inevitable. With diminishing revenues from traditional transportation funding sources such as the gasoline tax, increasing need for funding of infrastructure improvements and transit operating and capital projects, electronic tolling must be considered as part of the fundraising mix.
Electronic tolling has none of the negatives of the old method of collecting tolls. Tolls can be collected at highway speeds even without special passes or transponders. There are no tie ups resulting in air pollution. Trucks that currently speed through Connecticut, use our roads and contribute to the congestion would pay a reasonable contribution to the
cost of maintaining the highways.
We believe a serious consideration needs to be given to modern, electronic tolling throughout the state.
Thank you.
Respectfully submitted,
Jara Burnett, League Transportation Specialist
Respectfully submitted to the Legislative Transportation Committee by Jara Burnett, League Transportation Specialist
Members of the League of Women voters of Connecticut recognized the critical importance of transportation for our state by designating Transportation as legislative priority for several years. Transportation is critical to keeping our economy viable now and into the future and our workers working to make Connecticut competitive.
Thus, the League strongly supports HB 5320 that requires that any revenue raised from fares paid by public transportation users be dedicated to the Special Transportation Fund and be used exclusively for transportation purposes.
The Connecticut transportation system provides over 38 million trips on buses and another 38 million per year on trains that run through the state. Public transit allows workers to get to their jobs, students to schools and residents to recreation. Adequate funding is needed to provide a reliable income stream for operations as well as much-needed infrastructure maintenance. When users of public transit are asked to pay more for service, they should have the assurance that the increased revenue will be used to fund the critically-needed services.
We note several other bills ( HB 5122, HB 5128 and HB 5301), raising a similar concept and would support any bill that would use funds from public transit rate increases to be placed in a lock box fund to support service and infrastructure.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide input.
Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut believe that the main priorities of the state transportation policy should be to increase dedicated funding sources for mass transit, highway congestion relief and highway and bridge maintenance. We support congestion pricing/electronic tolling not only to provide needed revenue but especially to implement the goal of reducing congestion on our roads and to help decrease pollutants in our air. The League has also long supported a Fix-It-First policy over new construction and we continue to believe that we cannot build our way out of congestion. We oppose SB 289 for the following reasons: - While the proposed tolling of the extension of Rte11 from Salem to I95 will produce revenue, no study has been done to determine if the revenue would be sufficient to cover the cost of construction and maintenance. Many experts believe that the projected traffic volume is too low and is likely to remain so given that free alternative routes will remain available. Thus, our main goal of reducing congestion is not being met by this alternative;
- The fiscal analysis of SB 289 notes that the fiscal impact of imposing of electronic tolls for the purpose of extending Rte 11 cannot be determined at this time as it will depend on the fee structure, technology implemented and associated administrative and capital costs.
- The DOT is currently developing a traffic study for the extension. The study is due for completion in December 2012 and will provide the data needed to estimate the amount of revenue that could be gained from tolling of this portion of the road.
- EPA reviews of the project have shown that the extension of RTE 11 will have significant environmental impact that will require significant mitigation plan that has not been completed or approved.
The League believes that the future return of tolls to Connecticut is probably inevitable. But we firmly believe that this first introduction of a tolling proposal is not the right vehicle given the financial, environmental and policy concerns above. We urge you to oppose SB 289 when it comes up for a debate and possible vote today. Thank you for this opportunity to provide input. Respectfully submitted, Jara Burnett, League Transportation Specialist
Statement by the League of Women Voters of Connecticut to the Transportation Committee in support of HB 5067 AA Committing Bus and Rail Fare Increases to Bus and Rail Upgrades
by Jara Burnett, LWVCT Transportation Specialist
Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut support this bi-partisan bill calling for the Administration and the General Assembly to earmark the revenues collected from the rail and bus fare increases for mass transit expenditures rather than letting these revenues be placed in the General Fund.
Public transit is an enabler of economic activity. Getting people to work at a reasonable cost is critical to keep our economy working and growing and making Connecticut competitive and modern. Connecticut must maintain dedicated funding sources for mass transit, highway congestion relief and highway maintenance. To achieve this goal, the State should review all long-term and short-term funding options including congestion pricing and mileage-based pricing and commit to keeping these funds segregated from the general revenues.
Support of HB 5067 would ensure that the newly-imposed bus and rail increases will not be placed in the General Fund but be used to improve necessary public transit.
Thank you for this opportunity to provide input.
To: Appropriations Committee for Public Hearing, February 16, 2012
From: Jara Burnett, LWVCT Transportation Specialist
Re: LWVCT opposition to the reductions in
HB 5014 AA Making Adjustments to State Expenditures and Revenues for the Fiscal Year Ending 6/30/13
Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut have long recognized the critical importance of public transit as an enabler of economic activity. Getting people to work at a reasonable cost is critical to keep our economy working and growing and
making Connecticut competitive and modern. Thus, our members are concerned about the proposed adjustments to the 2012-13 budget of $8,893,762 to the Rail Operations Subsidy, $2,264,232 to the Bus Operation Subsidy and the $90,233 to the ADA Subsidy.
In these difficult times, public transit is needed more than ever.
Bus transit is the backbone of public transit in Connecticut. Commuter bus service continues to impact most immediately the congestion on our highways and provide mobility for our most economically-challenged citizens. Although we recognize that the fiscal situation is creating a serious scarcity of resources, now is not the time to reduce funding. Investment in transit generates short and long term jobs needed to keep our economy recovering.
Traffic congestion is a great deterrent to attracting new employers to the state and keeping companies here. Railroads play a major role in decreasing traffic congestion and along with bus transit should be efficient, reliable and affordable.
The proposed cuts in the Rail Operations Subsidy, Bus Operation Subsidy and the ADA Subsidy are simply too deep and will adversely affect a segment of the state’s population that is already feeling the economic downturn. We urge you to reconsider the proposed
cuts.
Thank you for this opportunity to provide input.
Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut re-adopted transportation as one of the legislative priorities for the 2011 and 2012 legislative sessions. On behalf of the nearly 2,000 state-wide members of the League, we are pleased to submit our transportation and transportation-funding priorities for the upcoming session. Transportation is critical to keeping our economy viable, our workers working and making Connecticut competitive and modern. The League continues to believe that the principal goal of any transportation policy must be the reduction of all vehicular traffic on Connecticut’s roads. The League will advocate for the following measures: - Careful priority setting among programs using reliable and complete fiscal projections to clearly identify all the costs and benefits of competing projects. Although the state’s fiscal situation is creating a serious scarcity of resources we believe that a commitment to mass transit will result in the reduction in road congestion, the decrease in pollution, and the improved availability for moving freight through the state.
- Commuter bus service continues to impact most immediately the congestion on our highways and provide mobility for our most-economically challenged citizens. We will support continued funding for existing bus service, and incentives for intra-state mass transit users, increasing the frequency and longer hours of service in place in communities where bus service already exists
- Continued efforts to make mass transit more attractive to current and potential users by improving the service and the passenger capacity on existing railroad lines by changes in scheduling to respond to the passenger needs on existing commuter rail service. Bus shelters for passengers and clear information as to the schedule need to be made available.
- Continued efforts to maximize the use of existing rails for freight by improving scheduling, eliminating surcharges, and improving access for shippers at origin and terminal points.
Adopting a Fix-It-First Policy giving priority to maintenance of highways and bridges over new construction. - DOT should develop and implement a prioritized, multi-year plan to maintain state roads and bridges.
- Prioritize efforts to find solutions to eliminate specific congestion points along the major highways and propose solutions such a flexible use of highway lanes, congestion pricing and, as a last resort, expansion of on and off ramps.
- Continue planning to upgrade existing highways instead of building new superhighways.
Better coordinated land use/transportation planning. - Land use planning at all levels should be coordinated to minimize highway congestion and urban sprawl.
- The state needs to continue planning for critical projects even if funding is delayed in order to be ready when funding is available.
Maintain dedicated funding sources for mass transit, highway congestion relief and highway maintenance. - Review all long-term and short-term funding options including congestion pricing and mileage-based pricing. Explore public/private partnerships to implement various projects.
- Increase fines for safety, speeding and other infractions.
- Aggressively pursue receiving a higher share of federal transportation funds. We need to invest in infrastructure to keep our state competitive.
January 2012
Members of the League of Women Voters of Connecticut recognized the critical importance of transportation for Connecticut by designating transportation as a legislative priority. The League has supported the proposed Busway since the early planning for the following reasons: - After fifteen years of careful planning and design we are close to beginning construction on a wholly modern transit network that will create 4,000 construction jobs over a three year period, alleviate congestion along I-84 and provide a faster and more efficient trip for more than 16,000 riders a day.
- The Hartford-New Britain corridor with 11 stations, is designed to be a part of a growing transit network in Connecticut which will connect to existing Amtrak service at Union Station in Hartford as well as to new stations along the proposed New Haven-Hartford-Springfield rail line.
- Furthermore, the system will be flexible enough to enhance local service by looping to major employment centers throughout the region and serve as a regional link to West Hartford, Farmington, Bristol and Waterbury.
The League believes that bus transit is the backbone of public transit in Connecticut. Commuter bus service continues to impact most immediately the congestion on our highways and provide mobility for our most-economically challenged citizens. While we understand the financial limitations and the difficulties in crafting budgets, investment in transit generates short and long-term jobs needed to get our state's economy started again We urge continued investment in the existing bus transit to allow the local bus systems serving the areas of Hartford, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, New Britain, Meriden, Bristol and Wallingford to hold the line on fares We also urge the continuation of the ADA paratransit services for these same areas. Combined, these bus systems serve over 29 million passengers per year. Transportation is critical to keeping our economy viable, our workers working and making Connecticut competitive and modern. Improved transit is critical to the long-term health of the state. Public transportation gets people to work and school, reduces air pollution and eases highway gridlock. Thank you for this opportunity to provide input. Sincerely, Jara N. Burnett Transportation Specialist League of Women Voters of Connecticut
September 5, 2011 Commissioner Daniel C. Esty Department of Energy and Environmental Protection 79 Elm Street Hartford, CT 06106 Dear Commissioner Esty, We are writing in support of the proposed New Britain-Hartford Busway and specifically in regard to the inland wetland permit submitted to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection by the Department of Transportation. Based on a review of the materials included in DOT's inland wetland permit application, it appears that the project strikes the appropriate balance between protecting the wetlands and allowing construction of the New Britain-Hartford Busway. Moreover, with the completion of the Busway, much of the 2 acres of impacted wetlands will be replaced by an extensive mitigation plan that will create a contiguous 8.8-acre system of new or enhanced wetlands. Furthermore, this Bus Rapid Transit system will result in other significant environmental benefits for our state. The New Britain-Hartford Busway will: - Reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and reduce congestion on the highways, both of which will reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, leading to cleaner air.
- Promote environmental justice by a.) reducing air pollution for citizens in Hartford County, an area with one of the highest asthma rates in the country, especially for those living in inner city neighborhoods; and b.) expanding travel options for those citizens without cars to access jobs, education (i.e.: CCSU), and medical care.
- Provide a 21st Century public transit system critical to transit oriented development (TOD), which has proven to decrease sprawl and encourage more efficient land use.
- Stimulate brownfield cleanup around Busway stations, i.e.: Newington's abandoned National Welding building, abutting both Cedar Street Station and Hayes development site.
- Include a new five-mile long multiuse trail for cyclists/pedestrians.
As the New Britain-Hartford Busway moves forward the environmental community will continue to advocate for: - The implementation of and strict adherence to the proposed mitigation plan.
- The use of low impact development (LID) best practices at every opportunity along the Busway route and in construction of the stations, i.e.: pervious pavers at stations, swales, buffers, rain gardens, stormwater management.
- The preference for bridges, not culverts, over primary and intermittent stream crossings to protect fish habitat and streamflow where appropriate.
- Commitment by DOT to purchase clean fuel buses.
- The outreach, planning and investment necessary for responsible transit oriented development, including walkable village centers, mixed use development and multi-income housing surrounding the stations to ensure that the transit system is used and that environmental and economic benefits of the investments are realized.
- The implementation of a complete streets strategy along the entire Busway corridor and surrounding neighborhoods with a firm commitment to dedicate 1% of the project to fund it, as required by Connecticut's complete streets law.
- The development of the new multiuse trail to the maximum potential.
- The protection of mature trees, other valuable natural vegetation and appropriate buffers, to the greatest extent possible, during construction.
Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to working with you and the staff of the DEEP as well as the DOT and the DECD to ensure the New Britain-Hartford Busway becomes a first class, environmentally and economically beneficial bus rapid transit system for Connecticut. Sincerely, Lori Brown, Executive Director, Connecticut League of Conservation Voters Don Strait, Executive Director, Connecticut Fund for the Environment Karen Burnaska, Coordinator, Transit for Connecticut Tom Colligan, Interim Executive Director, Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice Cheryl Dunson, President, League of Women Voters of Connecticut David Kooris, Vice President, Regional Plan Association Ryan Lynch, Connecticut Coordinator, Tri-State Transportation Campaign Senator Steve Cassano, 4th District Senator Terry Gerratana, 6th District Senator Ed Meyer, 12th District Representative Tim O'Brien, 24th District Representative Robert Sanchez, 25th District Pedro E. Segarra. Mayor, City of Hartford Timothy T. Stewart, Mayor, City of New Britain Mary Glassman, First Selectman, Town of Simsbury and Chair, Capitol Region Council of Governments Gerry Amodio, Executive Director, New Britain Downtown District Carolle Andrews, Chief Administrative Officer, University of Connecticut Health Center Oz Griebel, President, MetroHartford Alliance Avner Krohn, President, Jasko Development Jack Miller, Presiden, Central Connecticut State University William Millerick, President, New Britain Chamber of Commerce Mary Tomolonius, Executive Director, Connecticut Association for Community Transportation
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