The Connecticut Transportation Strategy Board (TSB), charged by the state legislature with creating a long-term transportation plan for Connecticut, officially submitted its proposal to the governor and General Assembly. The plan is driven by five strategies and is designed to guide the state for the next 20 years.
The 20-year plan includes a comprehensive list of more than 50 strategic actions and tactics, as well as funding and finance recommendations over the next 10 years.
“The overarching objective is to strengthen and expand the state’s transportation system — taking into account the linkage of transportation with land-use — so as to enhance economic growth and improve quality of life,” said Oz Griebel, TSB chairman. “We need to commit to a major investment in our transportation system if we are to remain one of the country’s most economically dynamic and attractive areas.”
The five broad strategies that provide the blueprint for the recommended action plans and tactics include:
• leveraging existing transportation and other infrastructure assets, especially in urban centers;
• expanding and marketing the quality and quantity of options to single occupancy automobile trips so as to mitigate road and transit congestion throughout the state with an initial focus on the Coastal Corridor;
• expanding and coordinating the state’s air, rail, road, and water infrastructure so as to expand the quality and quantity of options for the movement of freight;
• implementing a 10-year financing plan with the revenue dedicated to funding the capital plan’s strategic actions and tactics; and
• ensuring adequate and reliable financing of the state’s ongoing capital and operating transportation needs.
The strategic actions and tactics for the first 10 years of the plan reflect the recommendations of the five Transportation Investment Areas (TlAs) and the five working groups as well as points made in the 1999 Strategic Economic Framework. This was produced by the Connecticut Regional Institute for the 21st Century and also was known as the Gallis Report. The actions also reflect the TSB’s initial strategy submitted last January.
The board will refine these strategies and tactics each year as additional data become available and as facts and circumstances evolve. The strategic actions and tactics recommended for implementation through FY’13 are designed to complement those set forth in DOT’s master plan, to address opportunities for greater enhancements, and to strengthen the state’s foundation to incorporate emerging transportation trends and improvements in the future.
The TSB recommended programs for improvements are estimated to require an investment of $5.5 billion during the 10-year period FY ’04 to FY ’13.
The plan recommends for consideration that the majority of funding come from two major sources:
• 0.5-percent increase in the state sales tax for 10 years to be used exclusively for capital investment. This is estimated to raise $2.65 billion over the 10-year period.
• A 3-cent per year/per gallon increase in the gas tax leveling off in 2007. This is estimated to raise $1.8 billion in 10 years, which will go to increasing ConnDOT’s annual capital and operating costs associated with the improved/expanded system.
“TSB does not go out of business with the submission of this report,” Griebel said. “We will resume responsibilities when we meet again on Jan. 15 in Bridgeport to begin addressing items not addressed in 2002. We plan to monitor progress of the plan through the legislative process in 2003, as well as continuing to prioritize tactics, look for cost reductions and eliminate overlap between what’s in the plan and what’s in DOT’s programmed budget.”
The 15-member permanent Transportation Strategy Board was created in the June 2001 Special Legislative Session by Public Act No. 01-5 and submitted an Initial Transportation Strategy recommendation to the Governor and General Assembly on Jan. 15, 2002.
“All in all, there were literally hundreds of very talented and dedicated people from every corner of the state with a genuine concern for the future of Connecticut who contributed to this dynamic and comprehensive plan,” said Griebel. “We couldn’t have done it without them.”
