Before the Thanksgiving holiday, the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut celebrated progress on its BGreen 2020 sustainability plan, which aims to reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent from 1990 levels. The City released a three-year Progress Report highlighting accomplishments on 65 initiatives related to transportation and land use, green energy and buildings, parks, water resources, recycling, education and sustainable businesses.

The plan’s 16 transportation and land use strategies include:

• Working with employers and institutions to reduce the need to drive,  primarily by providing free or discounted transit passes for library staff and students at the University of Bridgeport and adult education classes
• Adopting a Complete Streets policy for the city and adding bike infrastructure on low- and high-traffic streets (both are progressing)
• Developing a downtown wayfinding system and making specific pedestrian improvements
• Seeking to build an additional Metro-North station in the city’s East Side

Tri-State was recognized in the report for helping to support Bridgeport’s efforts. Earlier this year, Tri-State teamed up with AARP to organize a pedestrian safety audit on East Main Street and have continued to support improvements that would make the road safer for walking. Tri-State and the City of Bridgeport also partnered on the development of a Complete Streets policy and co-hosted a forum on sustainable streets together in April 2012.