A recent op-ed in the Norwich Bulletin by Connecticut State Rep. Steve Mikutel is the latest attempt to build momentum for an extension of Route 11 and a widening of I-95 from Branford to the Rhode Island border. In June, State Rep. Ed Jutila sent an open letter to Governor Rell which also called for expansion of the two highways and was signed by the majority of the Southeast Connecticut state delegation (the letter was first published in The Day and recapped here and here). In July, the state and federal governments released $5 million for work on Route 11 environmental mitigation and preliminary design.

An 8.5-mile extension of Route 11 to Waterford is projected to cost almost a billion dollars but remains largely unfunded in state capital programs. Given the project’s hefty cost, it is unlikely to ever be fully funded.

Connecticut General Assembly’s Transportation Committee Reps. Mikutel and Jutila have been strong and vocal proponents of expanded Shore Line East service, but, like many in the state, seem stuck in the 20th Century when it comes to the issue of road widenings and expansions.

In his op-ed piece, Rep. Mikutel acknowledges that road expansions will do nothing to solve gridlock, but nevertheless says that they should be part of the approach to solving congestion. He writes, “I agree with those who argue we cannot pave our way out of gridlock, but reducing congestion will require a balanced transportation approach.” Unfortunately, besides Shore Line East he proffers no alternatives to widenings and expansion as part of this comprehensive solution.

One step Reps. Mikutel and Jutila could take is to request that ConnDOT shift the $5 million allocation toward a corridor planning study that develops coordinated solutions to traffic congestion and development patterns along the corridor. Such an approach is the basis of projects in New Jersey, and can provide a more effective long term fix to traffic while taking a local community vision into account. This may also provide the “balanced approach” the Representative is seeking, at a cheaper cost.

Such a move would also make sense in light of recent Federal Highway Administration data that indicates people are driving less across the United States, including in the Northeast, and ConnDOT’s recent report that road project costs are skyrocketing.