A new Tri-State report finds Connecticut making mixed progress on its planned transportation infrastructure investments. TSTC analyzed the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s (ConnDOT) $4.26 billion 2012-2015 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) to understand what types of projects the State intends to prioritize over the period and to determine how the State’s priorities have, and have not, shifted from previous years.

The STIP outlines transportation projects which ConnDOT plans to commit federal, state and local funds in the four years from 2012 through 2015. The document serves as a blueprint for transportation investments and is a key tool to understanding the State’s transportation policies and priorities.

While the analysis shows Connecticut making important progress — investment in pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is up and the State is dedicating more money to maintaining existing infrastructure — the analysis also shows that Connecticut continues to over-commit funds toward costly road and bridge expansion projects. Almost 41 cents of every road or bridge dollar goes to expansion, even with over 70 percent of roads in the State in less than good condition.

Neighboring states have a greater focus on road and bridge repair: Rhode Island spends just 11 cents of every road or bridge dollar on expansion; New York about 14 cents, and Massachusetts 26 cents, according to TSTC’s previous 50-state STIP analysis.

TSTC also found that Connecticut is dedicating a smaller share of its STIP to transit capital projects than it did in its 2010-2013 STIP. With the near-completion of two major transit projects – the New Haven-Springfield Rail Line and CTfastrak –  making up almost a quarter of all the transit capital dollars, TSTC called on Connecticut to start thinking about the next generation of transit projects.

 The Campaign found that:

• Although transit capital investments continue to comprise the largest chunk of the STIP, the share of the STIP dedicated to these types of projects has decreased from previous years. The New Haven-Hartford-Springfield Rail Line and CTfastrak make up 24.9 percent of transit capital dollars.
• While spending on road or bridge expansion has decreased to 14.7 percent from 20.0 percent in the 2010-2013 STIP, nearly 41 cents of every dollar is still dedicated to road or bridge expansion.
• Although fix-it-first projects consume a larger share of STIP funds, 72.4 percent of the state’s roadways were in less than good condition in 2009 and 35.1 percent of the state’s bridges were rated deficient in 2012, highlighting the need for renewed commitment to the repairing and maintaining of the state’s existing infrastructure.
• The percentage of funds going towards pedestrian and bicycle projects has increased since TSTC’s last analysis.  However, a higher percentage of federal earmark funds are paying for these projects, foreshadowing a future funding problem given that MAP-21, the current transportation law, eliminates federal earmarks.
• Transit projects are receiving a smaller share of flexible federal funds than they have in the past. However, MAP-21 provides funding that the State could “flex” to pay for transit and maintenance projects.

To keep the State moving towards a more equitable and sustainable transportation system, TSTC recommends:

• Decrease spending on road or bridge expansion projects
• Doubling down on its commitment to a fix-it-first program 
• Increasing investment in pedestrian and bicycle projects 
• Using flexible funding available in MAP-21 to invest in more pedestrian, bicycling and transit infrastructure  
• Presenting information in the STIP in a more clear and transparent manner

Tri-State went line-by-line through the STIP and categorized projects into 15 categories: Bicycle/Pedestrian, Environmental, Ferry, Freight, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Road or Bridge Expansion, Road or Bridge Maintenance, Road or Bridge Minor Expansion, Transit Capital, Transit Operating, Safety, Signage, Streetscape/Landscape, Transportation Demand Management and Other.

The full report is available here, plus more information about the report’s methodology here.