In 2010, Gov. Jodi Rell’s administration made good on earlier promises to emphasize transit in Connecticut, even as the state went through budget challenges similar to its neighbors. Both the Hartford-New Britain Busway and New Haven-Springfield Rail Line are close to construction, and they weren’t the only transit improvements the state realized in 2010. The state also made promising steps towards supporting biking and walking.

In June, ConnDOT Commissioner Joseph Marie abruptly stepped down. But many of the priorities pushed by Marie continued through the rest of the year. Here are some of the themes from 2010:

Transit Projects Advance

The Hartford-New Britain Busway got a huge boost in February, when the Federal Transit Administration recommended that the project receive a grant from the New Starts transit program. The FTA had been skeptical of ConnDOT’s commitment to the project in prior years, but the agency was able to turn around the project under Commissioner Marie. Despite some late opposition, the busway gained the support of multiple Chambers of Commerce, advocates, and House Speaker Chris Donovan. A “federal funding grant agreement” that will allow construction to proceed is expected later this year.

The New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Line benefited from ConnDOT’s repositioning of the project to qualify for high-speed rail funds (a path previously suggested by advocates). At the beginning of the year, the project was awarded $40 million in federal high-speed rail funds. The state stepped up for the project by bonding out $260 million in August, which was rewarded when the project won $121 million in high-speed rail money in October. The project is now on the cusp of a “near-term vision” to increase Amtrak service and introduce a new commuter rail system to Connecticut.

Service to and from New London on the Shore Line East rail service was increased in May. Another long-time promise nearing fruition has been the delivery of new M8 rail cars to replace the ancient equipment on Metro-North’s New Haven Line. A last-minute glitch means the new cars will enter service in January, later than planned. Rail riders will surely appreciate the upgrade.

For the most part, Connecticut transit agencies were able to avoid the giant fare hikes and service cuts of other states in the region. The Bridgeport Transit Authority raised fares in October, though this garnered little notice from politicians compared to the much larger outcry over relatively small fee increases on Metro-North.

A Boost For Bikers and Walkers

One area that ConnDOT has historically neglected has been biking and walking projects. Early in the year, the agency showcased this deficiency yet again with a “blame the victim” response to a Tri-State report on pedestrian fatalities.

The State Legislature fell just short of passing a “vulnerable users” bill that would have enhanced penalties for careless drivers who injure or kill walkers, bikers, emergency personnel, and others. But the state’s complete streets law, passed in 2009, went into full effect this year. And Gov. Rell and ConnDOT Acting Commissioner Jeff Parker closed the year by announcing a package of bike and pedestrian projects and policy reforms that will close gaps in the state’s nonmotorized trail network and increase ConnDOT’s commitment to sidewalks and urban bike projects.

Internal Changes

In June, ConnDOT Commissioner Joseph Marie, who had been picked by Gov. Rell to lead the agency out of scandal two years prior, resigned under questionable circumstances.  As MTR has recapped above, however, acting commissioner Parker managed to continue the policy reforms begun by Marie through the rest of the year.

The next head of ConnDOT may have more internal housekeeping to take care of, however. A report released by the General Assembly in December found that the agency needs systemic ways to measure its goals and better coordination with the Department of Environmental Protection, and still lets too many projects run late and over budget (though ConnDOT improved on this metric in 2010).

Reconnecting New Haven

New Haven, which has become a leader in sustainable transportation in recent years, took another step ahead of the pack when it sought and eventually won funds for its “Downtown Crossing” project.  The project will turn part of Route 34, a highway that divides downtown from other parts of the city, into a more walkable urban neighborhood.

In February, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano announced that the city would aim to begin the first phase of the project by the end of the year and would commit to the project whether or not it received federal support. But the boldness of the project must have caught someone’s attention in Washington, since Downtown Crossing won $16 million from the USDOT’s “TIGER” grant program in October. The city’s Board of Alders signed off on the plan last month.

Getting Spending Priorities Straight

New Governor Dannel P. Malloy seems to have a clear understanding of the value of transit and smart growth.  During the campaign, he told TSTC that he would support a “fix it first” approach that prioritizes road and bridge repair over expansion, and is a big supporter of transit-oriented development and rail. (His principal opponent, Republican Tom Foley, had essentially no transportation platform.)

As with his counterparts in New York and New Jersey, money will be the biggest challenge for Malloy. The new government will have to address looming deficits in the state budget and Special Transportation Fund.

But unlike the other states in our region, Connecticut has thus far managed to make it through tough economic times without backsliding on transportation policy or its commitment to maintaining infrastructure. If it is to continue to do so, the state will have to seriously consider new sources of revenue like congestion pricing on state highways and the gas tax.

ConnDOT will also have to prioritize.  It should focus on road and bridge repair, completing its major transit projects, and increased support for walking and biking.  The agency doesn’t have room in its budget to accomplish these needed goals while also starting counterproductive road expansion projects like the expansion of Route 11 and I-84, which would worsen traffic in the long run.  (Commissioner Marie recognized this, citing ConnDOT’s funding constraints in suspending both projects. But in October 2010 the agency put the I-84 widening back on a priority list of projects to be built if its funding is increased.)

As Tri-State has found, the state is spending roughly half of its road and bridge budget on expansion.  But this is down from last year and nearly all of it represents the Pearl Harbor Memorial (“Q”) Bridge in New Haven.  Focusing on sustainable projects, keeping existing infrastructure intact, and keeping transportation aligned with the state’s environmental and economic goals will allow the “Land of Steady Habits” to continue the steady progress it has shown in recent years.