Transportation

 

Fairfield County is stuck in the middle of a transportation crisis. Interstate 95, the main artery between New York and Boston, is clogged with cars and trucks slowing our daily rush hour to a crawl. In order to alleviate this congestion, we must invest in a practical public transportation system that works for the thousands of people who travel to and from Southwestern Connecticut each and every day.

 

In the face of soaring fuel costs, Christopher is working to sustain mass transit by obtaining millions in federal funding for Metro-North stations across the District. Our Connecticut delegation has already secured $62 million for the Stamford Urban Transitway project, including $15 million in FY 06 to construct a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane and a new 1200-car parking garage at the Stamford train station.

 

We have also obtained $51.5 million for the Bridgeport Intermodal Center, including $6 million in FY 06. The Center is designed to serve as a transportation hub for Metro-North, Amtrak, intercity buses, bus and van service to New York airports, passenger ferries from Long Island, and taxis.

 

Norwalk and Fairfield are on track as well. Our delegation has obtained $6 million for improvements to the South Norwalk Intermodal Facility, and $4 million for a new Fairfield train station, which will provide another 1,200 parking spaces for commuters.

 

Christopher worked with Governor M. Jodi Rell, the State Legislature, and the Transportation Strategy Board over the past five years in a joint effort to replace the state’s aging fleet of rail cars. In 2005, they responded by passing a $1.3 billion, 10-year transportation package that includes funding for hundreds of new cars on the New Haven line. Delivery is set for spring of 2010.

 

In order to ease congestion on I-95, we must also consider diverting truck traffic and encouraging the movement of freight by rail and barge. Chris joined members of Congress from both parties across the metropolitan region to initiate a major study of a rail-freight tunnel under New York Harbor. The plan would remove one million trucks from highways around the metropolitan New York area. Christopher is also requesting funding for The Bridgeport feeder barge project, which would ship containers across the Long Island Sound. 

 

We can make better use of our waterways as an efficient means of transportation. The sole ferry in our area, which goes from Bridgeport, Connecticut to Port Jefferson, New York, isn’t a viable option for commuters who need to travel to New York City. Congress has appropriated more than $15 million to research and plan for high-speed ferry service between southwestern Connecticut and Manhattan.

 

In June, Christopher organized a special transportation forum to address many of the District’s transportation needs. The forum included a panel of state and local experts who set priorities for next year’s congressional reauthorization of federal transportation funding.