What’s new?

DOT Chief Marie resigns

Thu, 1 Jul 2010 00:15:52 -0400

Governor's Office Press Release: Governor Rell Appoints Jeffrey Parker As New DOT Commissioner
The Hartford Courant
June 30, 2010
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-joseph-marie-dot-resign-0630,0,2283696.story
Governor Rell Appoints Jeffrey Parker As New DOT Commissioner

Commissioner Joseph Marie Resigns

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that state Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph F. Marie has submitted his letter of resignation in order to pursue long-term employment opportunities and spend more time with his family. The Governor has appointed Deputy Commissioner Jeffrey Parker to be commissioner.

"I thank Joe Marie for his service to the state of Connecticut and wish him well as he pursues other opportunities. Joe made a significant contribution to DOT over the last two years and his leadership will be missed," Governor Rell said. "I have full confidence that Jeff Parker will continue moving the DOT in the dynamic new direction that I have set."

Under Governor Rell's leadership, Connecticut is adding 300 new, state-of-the art rail cars to the New Haven Line, expanding Shoreline East service and upgrading dozens of commuter stations. Bradley Airport has added airlines and is undergoing major improvements. The state has used more than $150 million to replace 77 transit buses and 28 commuter coaches, many of which feature clean-burning hybrid fuel. The safety of the state's roads and bridges are a top priority for the Governor and the state's "Fix-it-First" maintenance campaign is improving hundreds of miles of roadway and bridges.

"Deputy Commissioner Parker brings a wealth of experience in mass transit and commuter rail to which we are committed. I fully expect a seamless transition at DOT as we move forward with our goals," Governor Rell said.

Parker, a Newington native, joined DOT in 2008 after a successful tenure as Senior Director of Transportation Operations at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA). A graduate of Northeastern University of Boston, Parker also worked for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) where he oversaw project management, safety and operations control. -30-
Copyright © 2010, The Hartford Courant

Market-priced parking

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:53:56 -0500

New Haven Independent
Too Many Parking Lots?
BY Melinda Tuhus | JAN 21, 2010 3:25 PM

MELISSA BAILEY PHOTO
A parking guru gave New Haven a glimpse of what we look like from the sky—and then suggested removing some of the cars from the picture.
Donald Shoup, author of The High Cost of Free Parking, offered his slides and his prescriptions Tuesday night, at a gathering at Yale’s Harkness Hall. He was joined by Tom Vanderbilt, author of Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us).
The crowd was mostly non-Yalies, including Joseph Marie, the state’s transportation commissioner; Mike Piscitelli, the city’s director of transportation, traffic and parking; and Matthew Nemerson, chairman of the city’s parking authority
Shoup showed aerial shots of New Haven to the capacity crowd. In the photos, buildings appeared to float in a sea of surface parking lots.
“New Haven has an awful lot of parking,” Shoup said. “If more parking were the solution to urban problems, New Haven would be a very prosperous city.”
He said parking infrastructure in most American cities is a “planning disaster.” It raises the cost of housing, promotes sprawl, harms the environment, and impedes the reuse of older buildings on properties that can’t comply with newer parking requirements.
His proposed solution, implemented in a number of cities around the country: charge the “right price” for parking – not too little (or free) and not too much so as to discourage people from coming downtown.
That could be done either by varying the price according to time of day, or by charging for length of stay, Shoup said. He said optimally, most parking spots would be full but there’d be enough open spaces to make finding a spot relatively easy.
Second, he proposed returning parking meter revenue to the neighborhoods that generate it, to pay for improvements neighbors and merchants want to see.
Then cities should remove or reduce off-street parking requirements, shrinking the amount of pavement surrounding urban buildings and facilitating the creation of more human-scaled development, he recommended.
Shoup argued that city planners use supposedly scientific counts in calculating requirements for off-street parking spaces. “No one can say how many spaces are really needed,” he maintained.
City traffic czar Piscitelli said he knows.
After the talk, city traffic czar Piscitelli was asked by a reporter if he knows the utilization rate of parking spots in downtown New Haven. He was ready with his answer.
“Every year we do a point in time count – the parking garages and all the meters,” he said. “This year we ran at approximately 85 percent [capacity].”
That puts the city right in line with Shoup’s guidelines. “We have a couple of garages on the table [proposed for construction], but they won’t get built until the demand truly justifies it,” Piscitelli added.
Responding to the aerial photos of surface parking galore, he said, “Around the medical district, about half of that land area is surface parking. So one of the efforts with [the city’s plans for redeveloping] Route 34 is to build structured parking so we can build more office and residential [buildings], and allow the medical area to grow.” (Click here to read about the Route 34 proposal.)
“Donald Shoup’s message is critical,” train and bicycling advocate Richard Stowe argued during a post-talk discussion. Parking – something that should be market-priced, is treated as part of the commons,” and, he said, that has to change.

Parking authority Chairman Nemerson (pictured) said parking “is going to become a very complex political and financial issue over the next few years. A lot of the freedom to do the right thing in cities is limited by the fact that we have tiny cities in Connecticut and private ownership of land in the suburbs. We have to be careful not to price ourselves out of markets [and keeping people from coming into the city]. Any city is always battling with suburbs and their ability to price parking below them,” as evidenced by the oceans of free parking at suburban malls.
“We have to figure out how to maximize the value of those parking assets,” Nemerson continued. “They are crucial revenue producing assets, including from people who don’t live in our city.” And because of cutbacks from the state, that source of revenue becomes even more important.
He was asked if the city would consider reducing the amount of parking in an effort to “green” transportation options by encouraging more transit and bicycle commuting. Emphatically not, he responded. “We’re not going to be eliminating any parking. We [already] make sure that land and houses and streetscapes get as much priority as any city in Connecticut.”
The event was sponsored by Yale Transportation Options and the Yale Journalism Initiative.

posted by: abg on January 22, 2010  3:07pm
It’s important to understand that Shoup’s is a demand-side approach - it tells you how you should price whatever number of parking places you already have to achieve a desired equilibrium. But it has nothing to say about supply—that is, it doesn’t tell you how many parking places you should have. If a city already has low parking fees and its utilization rate is below 85%, it shouldn’t lower its parking rates to raise the utilization rate, it should simply eliminate spaces. Also it’s important to add that while metered parking in San Francisco is an “exorbitant” $3.50/hr, it’s mitigated somewhat by a generous system of validated parking, which helps buttress support for performance-based pricing among local businesses. The validated parking is also based partly on the number of people in your car, which helps to encourage carpooling.
posted by: WalkBikeCT on January 26, 2010  1:46pm
“It’s important to understand that Shoup’s is a demand-side approach - it tells you how you should price whatever number of parking places you already have to achieve a desired equilibrium. But it has nothing to say about supply—that is, it doesn’t tell you how many parking places you should have”
Exactly, abg. Mr. Shoup has given us an excellent answer on how to price the parking we have. He has not taken the next step and determined what the ideal amount of parking should be for a community, or even if there is such a thing as the ideal amount of parking. I’m hoping he delves into this issue in his next book, assuming there is a next book.
Aerial photos embedded in this article were contributed in reader comments by: Jonathan Hopkins on January 22, 2010  12:41am

Rell Hops A New Choo-Choo

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:16:36 -0500

New Haven Independent
BY PAUL BASS | DECEMBER 24, 2009 12:55 PM

You can’t ride the new train until mid-2010 at the earliest. Gov. M. Jodi Rell showed up on the platform, transit aide James P. Redeker in tow, to hop aboard for a first look at the car — and at the new age of commuter rail between New Haven and New York.
The train was the first of two to arrive in town — and the first of 350 modern trains the state is bringing here to replace old cars over the next five years. The state’s buying the M8 rail cars from Kawaski Rail. It has to test each car for months before putting them on the tracks for good.
“What better present could we ask for for Christmas?” Rell declared as she viewed the ergonomic seats with added legroom and headroom, the plus-size bathroom (as big as a “Manhattan apartment,” quipped one observer), the overhead light-display panel to announce station stops, the alcoves designed for two bicycle hooks (to be placed in every other car).
What struck Rell most of all was the cleanliness — and that new-car smell.
“It is beautiful. It smells nice and fresh and new too,” Rell declared. “I hope that smell lingers for a little while when we actually get them tested and get them on the tracks.
“It’s like getting a new bicycle, getting a new car. You’ve had one for a long time. It’s still to get that new one out there.”

Rell spoke of the importance of modern, more user-friendly cars in promoting mass transit. “Our commuters have suffered a long, long time waiting for the new cars to come in. They’ve been riding … 30 year old cars for some time now. They’ve been very patient.”
“This is a happy day for commuters,” agreed Jim Cameron (pictured behind Rell), chairman of the CT Rail Commuter Council. “We have waited a long time.”

As he and the governor sat for a photo-op chat, Cameron pointed to the outlets that will be next to every seat, ready for cellphones or computers to plug into. You don’t find the outlets on current Metro-North trains.

Departing the train, on the way back to her fossil fuel-burning car ride out of New Haven, Rell stopped to press the flesh. She received a warm greeting from a 3 1/2-year-old constituent who’ll help her prevent damage to the new trains: Mullen, a purebred German Shepherd who sniffs out explosives for the transit cops.

Register reports on Solari Sign

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 00:02:35 -0500

Preservationists push to save mechanical sign at Union Station
By Ed Stannard, Register Metro Editor
NEW HAVEN — A small group representing what they call a growing movement met Friday afternoon near the mechanical train schedule board they want to save.  The group, which totaled eight people at one point, included advocates for bicycling and historic preservation, looking for a way to keep the mechanical flip board in Union Station.  The state Department of Transportation plans to replace it with a larger light-emitting diode display that will show more information and be more visible, according to state officials.  Richard Stowe of Rail Trains Ecology Cycling described his discussion with DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick.  “The opinion that he conveyed to me was there was a compatibility issue and there seems to be a big thing about ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) or ADA compliance issues,” Stowe said.  The traditional flip board is made only by Solari di Udine of Italy and requires factory-trained technicians to maintain at a cost of $971 a month, according to Nursick. But the plan to replace it with two larger LED boards has generated a grass-roots movement to save it, with more than 450 members joining an online group on Facebook and numerous comments on the Web site SeeClickFix.  Tradition, the aesthetics of Union Station, which was renovated and reopened in the 1980s after standing dark for years, and spending priorities were among the issues brought up.  “The $60,000 they were going to spend on the new displays would almost pay for the sheltered bike parking” that cycling advocates have sought, said Jason Stockmann of New Haven, a member of Elm City Cycling.  “It seems to me it’s also about the DOT not paying attention to what citizens want,” said Aaron Goode of New Haven.  Anstress Farwell, president of the New Haven Urban Design League, said she received calls from people who are visually impaired claiming that the Solari sign is easier to see than LED signs because of glare. Nursick disputed that.  “These are ADA-compliant signs. They will be visible from all angles in all light conditions from anywhere in Union Station,” he said.  Despite the small turnout, the advocates said the movement to save the Solari sign is growing. “I wouldn’t discount the activism and interest of a community that bloomed in one week,” Farwell said. “That isn’t something you see very often.”  Nursick said it wouldn’t be possible to keep the Solari along with the LEDs, because the flip sign displays so much less information and wouldn’t be compatible. But he said the sign may be saved in some way.  “The department is looking at the potential to preserve the existing sign in some capacity at the rail station,” he said. “‘Potential’ is the word.”  Ed Stannard can be reached at estannard@nhregister.com or 203-789-5743.
READER COMMENTS
The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of nhregister.com.
Seattle Don wrote on Dec 19, 2009 1:58 PM:
" Some photos would have been a nice addition to this story. I'd say it's a no brainer that the flip sign is much more compatible with the historic character of the station than some modern LED thing. What is all this "information" that the DOT seems to think we need?

A lack of vision on the part of DOT to install a garish and incongruous element into our beautiful station! "

Report Abuse

Observer wrote on Dec 19, 2009 3:36 PM:
" DOT spokesman Kevin Nursick sounds like a typical state "worker" The flip board was good enough for our grandfathers, what additional info could the LED signage provide? The color of the train, c'mon. "

Report Abuse

RR Dave wrote on Dec 19, 2009 4:04 PM:
" Classic - if the old board was good enough for our grandfathers, then the state should cancel the billion dollar purchase of new M-8 rail cars, cuz hey, the old M-2 were fine for our grandfathers. Hey, in the name of "preservation" let's shut off the electricity and bring in some out-houses as well, that's what our grandfather's had... "

Report Abuse

Seattle Don wrote on Dec 19, 2009 4:36 PM:
" RR Dave -- We are talking about the character of the Station. Both Union Station and Grand Central in NY were turned into neon nightmares in the 60s. Both have been restored to their historic original state. The flip board fits well with this character while a bright LED board will clash horribly with it, in my opinion. "

Report Abuse

DUH wrote on Dec 19, 2009 5:03 PM:
" It is an info board and costs too much money to operate and fix. Dump it - the ambiance comes last. "

Report Abuse

Patricia wrote on Dec 19, 2009 5:45 PM:
" It's great that people appreciate their connection with the past and seek to preserve some touchstones. Preservation and progress are not incompatible. Their is a human dimension to every change and if New Haven wants to remain a place of some distinction, changes should be thoughtful and considered.

The number of people who spoke in their comments here and other places indicates that the Solari means something to people and they don't want that connection ended.

Surely there is room for a compromise that both preserves the Solari and install the new technology somewhere else. "

Report Abuse

bigcheese wrote on Dec 19, 2009 6:35 PM:
" The new signs are made in china...where else? Obama has created millions of jobs...in china. "

Report Abuse

F-Railnut wrote on Dec 19, 2009 8:35 PM:
" While nostalgia buffs would prefer to save the old sign board, there is more to the story than just replacing the old mechanical board with an led board.

The railroad and CDOT have spent the last few years installing these new message boards in various stations throughout the system. The important advantage of the new boards is that they are centrally controlled from the Metro-North rail traffic control offices, and as such can provide better and more updated information as to arrivals, departures, and delays of Amtrak, Metro-North, Shoreline East, and now even Jersey Transit trains for Giants/Jets games.

In addition, once the Hartford Line comes to fruition and the amount of trains using New Haven increases, the old board would not have enough lines to adequately report the trains. Add to that the additional trains from Metro-North once the new cars finally enter service and you can see why the old, limited board must be replaced.

The Danbury Railway Museum would be a great repository for the old sign. "

Report Abuse

Seattle Don wrote on Dec 19, 2009 9:06 PM:
" So wishing to preserve the historic character of Union Station can be characterized as "nostalgia", and the flip board belongs in a museum? I suppose this is the thinking that went into this decision. Why the heck did we go to the trouble of restoring the station then? I think a little vision is needed here. "

Report Abuse

tom tom tom wrote on Dec 19, 2009 10:12 PM:
" Explain the historic character of a 25 year old sign? There is NO historical significance to it. RR Dave is right - bring back the outhouses and lanterns if you want history. Grand Central no longer has flip boards, they are now using electronic LEDS. They work great at Grand Central, they will work great in New Haven. "Our station?" Yea it is our station, all of the people in CT's station, not just the vocal "yocals" that are resisting change that will benefit the entire state. "

Report Abuse

sara wrote on Dec 20, 2009 3:23 AM:
" nursick and DOT are total and complete morons trying to remove a beautiful, historic sign with garbage from china without even consulting the community. who the fu** do they think they are? "

Report Abuse

Duzer the cat wrote on Dec 20, 2009 10:44 AM:
" Some things are not worth preserving (like the unused concrete monstrosity in front of Ikea. The flip sign is one of them. Yup the station looks nice. But, informing the passengers of train arrivals and DELAYS seems primary to me. An LED board seems better suited toward that objectve. "

Report Abuse

Bill wrote on Dec 21, 2009 6:35 PM:
" Duzer; some things are worth saving, some things are worth knocking down, I believe you're correct...I was all for the knocking down of the monstrous Colosseum but the sign is a pleasing addition and far from out of date technology--no more so than analog clocks.

Take the money for LED signs and instead fix the bathrooms--there wouldn't be any complaints about that. Nursick's authoritarian sounding comments on this matter is rubbing me the wrong way however...whatever happened to community planning? "

Report Abuse

Emily wrote on Dec 21, 2009 10:12 PM:
" I like how the "face" of this movement is now called "Rail Trains Ecology Cycling". I do believe the Facebook group came first, and this group is almost, well, hijacking it a bit in order to push their desired bike parking. Do they even want the sign kept, or are they just complaining because they'd rather the money spent on their project instead?

As to what you said Railnut, it is true that in the future more room for information might be needed (once the Hartford Line is up, or rather IF), but I don't think us "preservationists" want to keep the sign and end it there. I think we were more looking for some kind of compromise that would allow the sign to stay, and have smaller supplemental LEDs that can list delays, additional information, etc.

And come on people, exaggerating the point saying bring back outhouses? I think it is possible to balance the historic nature and aesthetics of the past without returning to the dark ages. I spend the good majority of my waking hours in front of the computer, but I think it is nice every once and a while to send a person a hand-written note. And I suppose I'll be one of the people fighting in the future for books in libraries, against a bunch of other people that want to get rid of the books and replace them with Kindles. The books feel more "real" to me, just as the Solari board seems more "real" when compared to a characterless board of blinking lights. "

RailTEC Echoes Save Solari Call

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 18:26:49 -0500

New Haven Independent
BY THOMAS MACMILLAN | DECEMBER 18, 2009 4:37 PM
As the campaign to rescue Union Station’s schedule board gathers momentum, a local train and bike advocacy group has added its support.
Rail*Trains*Ecology*Cycling (RailTEC) — a local advocacy group on train, bike, and environmental issues — is working to preserve the Solari board at the train station. That was the word from Richard Stowe (pictured), the head of RailTEC, who called a meeting below the sign on Friday afternoon.
RailTEC’s Solari-saving efforts join an outpouring of opposition to recently revealed state Department of Transportation (DOT) plans. The plans call for the board to be removed.
The decades-old sign — made by the Italian Solar Di Udine SPA company — would be replaced by two large LED screens as part of a $5 million improvement project for the station. Kevin Nursick, spokesman for the State DOT, has said that the Solari board is not large enough, not flexible enough, and does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Nursick has also said that the board is difficult and expensive to maintain.
RailTEC is pushing the state for more answers.
Just before the 1 p.m meeting on Friday, Stowe reached out to Nursick by telephone. He asked the DOT spokesman for a breakdown of the cost of individual components of the multi-million dollar improvement plan. He wanted to know the relative energy and maintenance cost differences of the new and old boards.
Reached later by email, Nursick said that the Solari board costs $971 per month to maintain. “Also, we do not expect any real maintenance costs with the 2 new LED panels. The technology is very reliable, and there are no moving parts. Thus - a cost savings of $12,000 over a year,” Nursick said.
He said that the LED boards will use more energy than the Solari boards. But LED boards are still very efficient, he said, so the energy costs will still be low.
“The Department is more than willing to assume any additional electricity costs to be able to provide more information to the public, and to have that information available to all users, including those with disabilities,” Nursick said.
After his phone call with Nursick, Stowe suggested that it might be better to wait to replace the Solari board until LED technology improves and comes down in price. That would theoretically free up the $60,000 marked for the replacement LED boards for other projects.
“Sixty thousand would almost pay for sheltered bike parking at the station,” said RailTEC’s Jason Stockmann. Bicycle parking is one of RailTEC’s advocacy issues.

Aaron Goode (at left in photo, with Anstress Farwell), another RailTEC member at the meeting, later agreed that adding more bike parking should take priority over replacing the Solari board.
“I think it’s great this has touched a nerve with people,” said Goode. He said that while he’s pleased that the Solari board issue has generated so much interest, it would be nice to see similar civic involvement in other train station-related issues.
Goode said the he hoped the RailTEC could “piggyback” on the Solari board movement to advocate for some of those other causes, like increased bike parking and improvements to the State Street Station.
Goode and Stowe also said that they’d like to see more opportunities for public input on DOT projects. “Let’s open up the process,” said Goode.
And while the DOT is improving the station, Goode added, “Let’s get a better soundtrack in here.”
The sound of seasonal appropriate soprano saxophone music could be heard above the flapping of the Solari board posting updated information on train delays.

draft bike-ped plan

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 22:34:36 -0400

State maps improvements for cyclists, pedestrians
By Noelle Frampton
STAFF WRITER
Updated: 07/05/2009 10:07:42 PM EDT
Connecticut isn't known for being very accommodating to bicyclists and pedestrians, but the state Department of Transportation and local cycling advocates are optimistic that will change soon.

A new statewide plan designed to boost the safety, convenience and accessibility of roads and trails for bicyclists and pedestrians is reaching its final stages. Consultants sought public comment for the final time last week at a forum in the Fairfield Public Library.

The Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation Plan and Map Update will recommend a new, online map outlining local and statewide routes for biking, running, walking and horseback riding, and indicating which ways are most suitable, said Kenneth Livingston, director of corporate services for environmental and transportation planning for Fitzgerald & Halliday in Hartford.

Consultants also developed a "toolbox" that includes education programs for cyclists to underscore safety and confidence while they share roadways with motor vehicles, and suggests ways to make more room for them and pedestrians, including bike lanes and "road diets" that narrow lanes and widen shoulders.

"We're excited to be at this point," said Livingston, an avid cyclist and runner. "There's really a need for something ... because biking on Route 1 is not always enjoyable, to say the least. This whole area down here is really tough."

The plan aims to encourage cycling, walking and other means of non-motorized transportation, and promoting public health through a convenient and safe "network of on-road facilities and multi-use trails."

Developed over 18 months and culminating with four public meetings like the Fairfield session, the draft plan updates a 1999 plan and will be forwarded to the DOT for review and adoption this summer.

Its main purpose is to provide connections, both on roads and multiuse paths, between municipalities, schools, state parks, train stations and other destinations, rather than creating new routes, Livingston told roughly 20 people at the Fairfield meeting.

Several people in attendance said they are pleased by the state's efforts to be more bike and pedestrian friendly.
Connecticut has evolved into a "mass suburb," said Ray Rauth of Weston, who served on the plan's steering committee, speaking for the Merritt Parkway Trail Alliance, Connecticut Bicycle Coalition and Sound Cyclist Bicycle Club. "Everything was designed for the auto," he said, adding that most commuters don't even think of riding a bicycle to the train.
But Rauth and others believe a new day is dawning.

"I think this is one component of a step forward for Connecticut," said Richard Stowe, a New Canaan resident and cycling advocate. He is pleased to see the state go from lagging behind to cutting edge, at least in terms of its statewide online map.

The updated map, which will be launched this summer using a Google Maps interface, will mark least suitable routes red, most suitable green and others yellow, to help cyclists, pedestrians and equestrians better understand what they're in for before they set out. A hard-copy version will be available later, Livingston said.

Linda Hoza of Stamford, also with the trail alliance and bicycle coalition, suggested partnerships with local YMCAs to provide showering facilities for cyclists near train stations.

Planners are seeking public input until July 24. The entire draft plan is posted at www.ctbikepedplan.org.
Questions or comments should be directed to David Balzer, DOT bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, at david.balzer@po.state.ct.us.

Connecticut DOT study

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:37:59 -0400

The Connecticut Department of Transportation held public meetings for the Waterbury and New Canaan Branch Lines Needs and Feasibility Study on Tuesday June 16th in Waterbury, Wednesday June 17 in Derby and Thursday June 18 in Stamford.

The study consultants, Parsons Group, and Connecticut Department of Transportation official were unable to answer simple questions accurately, or at all - such as “What is the average speed of the New Canaan Branch Line?” better bicycle access on trains and to stations, sheltered and covered bicycle parking and “Safe Routes to Transit” at the New Canaan Branch Line study public meeting tonight.

We should be asking for bicycle parking lockers designed to pay bicyclists with daily commutes to train stations.

The South Western Regional Rail Station Parking Study has developed, but not published Appendix C - Bicycle Storage Capacity Report. That study should have been released prior to this public meeting so that if its findings were sensible we could ask that the findings be incorporated into the New Canaan Branch Line study.

A big part of the “oversubscribed” parking demand is the ‘high cost’ of underpriced station parking. Merritt 7, Wilton and Cannondale on the Danbury Branch Line are ‘free.’ Parking at tony stations in Westport and Green’s Farms are only $18.75. That bargain price for ‘Gold Coast’ real estate sounds like a good deal, but in fact has severe, adverse environmental impacts in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, air & water quality degradation and increased impervious surfaces.

Thursday, June 18, 2009
Ferguson Library
Main Auditorium
One Public Library Plaza
Stamford, CT 06901
Informal Open House: 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Presentation: 6:30 pm

New Canaan branch planning charette (January 12, 2009, Newington, CT)
http://www.waterbury-newcanaanrail.org/documents/planning_charette_reports/Charrette-New%20Canaan-1-12-09.pdf
New Canaan branch charette slides
http://www.waterbury-newcanaanrail.org/documents/planning_charette_reports/charette_slides/New%20Canaan%20Charrette.pdf
New Canaan survey
http://www.waterbury-newcanaanrail.org/documents/New%20Canaan%20ConnDot%20Final%20Report%20122308.pdf

Waterbury Branch Line
Waterbury branch planning charette (January 22, 2009, Newington, CT)
http://www.waterbury-newcanaanrail.org/documents/planning_charette_reports/Planning%20_Charrette-Waterbury%201-22-09.pdf
Waterbury branch charette slides
http://www.waterbury-newcanaanrail.org/documents/planning_charette_reports/charette_slides/Waterbury%20Charrette.pdf
Waterbury survey
http://www.waterbury-newcanaanrail.org/documents/Waterbury%20ConnDot%20Final%20Report%20122308.pdf

News story (Wednesday June 17, 2009 Waterbury Republican-American) on public meeting in Waterbury on May 16, 2009 http://www.railtec.org/Site/News/Entries/2009/6/17_Raucous_crowd_calls_for_more_frequent%2C_safer_Waterbury_rail_service.html)
CBS Radio 880 AM Fran Schneidau reported on the study’s public meetings this morning in which she captured David Kooris, Connecticut Director, Regional Plan Association
The New Canaan Advertiser ran an online story on Tuesday June 16
http://www.acorn-online.com/joomla15/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30279:views-sought-on-metro-norths-new-canaan-branch&catid=28:nc-local&Itemid=1014

National Train Day Forum

Fri, 8 May 2009 13:05:01 -0400

Celebrate the 140th anniversary of the “Golden spike” That ceremonial last spike was driven by Leland Stanford on May 10, 1869 at Promontory Point, Utah, where Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads met.
What: National Train Day Connecticut
Host: Rail*Trains*Ecology*Cycling
Where: The historic beaux arts New Haven Union Station
(take elevator to the balcony area above the ticket windows)
When: Saturday May 9th from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
Who: Al Martin Deputy Commissioner of Transportation State of Connecticut; Norman Garrick, Director Center for Transportation and Urban Planning at University of Connecticut and others
Why: To engage in a discussion about the role rail transportation and bicycling will play in developing sustainable transportation

E-mail Transportation Committee co-chairs

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:44:54 -0400

State Rep Tom Kehoe suggests that cyclists send a brief e-mail to the Transportation Committee co-chairs to let them know they support State Rep Tom Kehoe’s bikes on trains at peak hours initiative to insert bikes on trains at peak hours in the Transportation omnibus bill. Kehoe advises that your e-mail be very brief. He feels that you should mention that you support language in the bill that gives conductors the right to disallow the boarding of bicycles at peak hours in cases in which the conductor trains are overcrowded. Kehoe also believes that referencing U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd’s support for bikes on trains at peak hours will also be helpful (http://www.newhavenadvocate.com/blogs/home.cfm?aid=12615) or (http://www.railtec.org/Site/News/Entries/2009/4/17_bikes_on_trains_at_peak_hours_gets_a_boost_from_U.S._Senator.html).
E-mail Transportation Committee Co-Chairs State Senator Donald DeFronzo at DeFronzo@senatedems.ct.gov and State Representative Antonio Guerrera at Tony.Guerrera@cga.ct.gov Ask Co-Chairs DeFronzo and Guerrera to support State Rep Tom Kehoe’s “bikes on trains” initiative by including it in the Transportation bill.
In the morning, you may also call in your support to RIck Lopes (he works for Senator DeFronzo) at (860) 240-0595, or (800) 842-1420)
cc your State Senator & State Rep

Background 2009 information on bikes on trains:

In MNR invited cyclists on January 6, 2009 to view prototype bicycle racks on M-7 car on Track 28 at Grand Central Terminal.
On January 7, 2009 the MTA released the Draft Final Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Sustainability and the MTA, which recommends promot(ing) and facilitat(ing) “bike transport on trains.”
In late January 2009, State Rep Tom Kehoe introduced Proposed H.B. 6072, a "bikes on train" bill, which would increase access to Metro-North (MNR) trains.
The Transportation Committee deemed Proposed H.B. 6072 worthy of a Transportation Committee ‘Subject Matter Public Hearing’ and scheduled that hearing on Feb. 24th.
At that hearing Richard Stowe, Paul Hammer, Dave Bonan, Jason Stockmann, Michael Norris, Woody Bliss (Weston First Selectman and Southwestern Regional Planning Agency chair) and Marty Mador (legislative director, Connecticut Sierra Club) testified in favor of bikes on trains, but Rail Commuter Council chair Jim Cameron "railed" against H.B. 6072 effectively killing it as a stand alone “raised” bill. But bill sponsor State Rep. Tom Kehoe is not deterred and has submitted to the Transportation co-chairs a request to include the language equivalent to that bill into the 2009 Transportation omnibus bill.
MNR is now seeking request for information from companies to build 700 bike racks for New Haven Line M-8 cars and Harlem and Hudson Line M-7 cars.
On Thurs. April 16. Senator Dodd questioned panelists what they were doing to accommodate bikes on trains at a Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Field Hearing on Transportation entitled “21st Century Transportation System: Reducing Gridlock, Tackling Climate Change and Growing Connecticut’s Economy” in New Haven. MNR President Howard Permut, announced a policy change that effective May 3rd (new schedule), MNR has announced a policy change in which it will allow bicycles on board off peak trains including ‘shoulder’ peak and reverse peak trains. Commissioner Marie parroted Permut’s announcement. Dodd shot back “That seems counter-intuitive - that’s exactly when (peak hours) you’d want bikes on trains”

Some benefits of implementing State Rep’s Tom Kehoe’s “bikes on trains” initiative into law:
One multi-modal (bike-train-bike) bike commuter reduces greenhouse gases by not commuting by car.
One bike commuter on a train frees up one parking space - 160 square feet - at a station garage or surface lot or means less one less car on a crowded highway.
Bike commuting on a train is a safer way to travel than “drive-only” or “bicycle-only” commutes.
It equalizes access to the train to all cyclists (instead of favoring cyclists who ride “folding” bicycles.)
It fulfills one goal outlined in the January 2009 Draft Final Report of the Blue Ribbon Commission on Sustainability and the MTA.

Two columns from April 2008: Talking Transportation Bicycles on Trains?. vs. Eco Man

KEEP ON FiGHTING FOR OUR RIGHTS:
Join our campaign to contact our Transportation Committee Co-Chairs and ask them to include bikes on trains language in the 2009 Transportation bill.

Useful Connecticut General Assembly links:
1) http://www.cga.ct.gov/hco/eob.htm explains how bills become law.
2) http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/MemberList.asp?comm_code=TRA&doc_type lists Transportation Committee members in the Connecticut General Assembly
3) http://www.cga.ct.gov/hco/members.htm features House leaders
http://www.cga.ct.gov/maps/townlist.asp is where you may find profiles of your State Representatives and Senators
http://www.cga.ct.gov/tra to find out if your legislator serves on the Transportation Committee (your legislator may speak directly to Co-Chairs)

S.B. 735 moves out of Planning & Development on party line vote

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:56:33 -0400

The Planning and Development Committee voted 12 to 5 in favor of S.B. 735 on Monday April 13.

The Committee co-chairs, State Senator Eric D. Coleman (D-02) <Eric.Coleman@cga.ct.gov> & State Rep Brendan Sharkey (D-088) <Brendan.Sharkey@cga.ct.gov> voted in favor of the bill as did all the other Democrats on the committee. Republicans voted against the bill.

Two things S.B. 735 will do:

S.B. 735 will establish an “Connecticut Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board” consisting of an 11-member board appointed by the Governor and six majority and minority Connecticut General Assembly members.

The duties of the (Connecticut Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory) board shall include, but not be limited to, promoting programs and facilities for bicycles and pedestrians in this state, and advising appropriate agencies of the state on policies, programs and facilities for bicycles and pedestrians.

The board may apply for and accept grants, gifts and bequests of funds from other states, federal and interstate agencies, independent authorities and private firms, individuals and foundations, for the purpose of carrying out its responsibilities.

The Department of Transportation shall assist the board in carrying out its responsibilities...

S.B. 735 also establishes Share the Road commemorative license plates
On and after January 1, 2010, the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall issue Share the Road commemorative number plates of a design to enhance public
awareness of the rights and responsibilities of both motorists and bicyclists while jointly using the highways of this state.

A fee of sixty dollars shall be charged for Share the Road commemorative number plates, in addition to the regular fee or fees prescribed for the registration of a motor vehicle. ...forty-five dollars of such fee shall be deposited in the... Share the Road account which shall be a separate, nonlapsing account within the General Fund. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be deposited in the account. The funds in the account shall be expended by the
Department of Transportation to enhance public awareness of the rights and responsibilities of bicyclists and motorists while jointly using the highways of this state and to promote bicycle use and safety in this state. The Commissioner of Transportation may receive private donations to said account and any such receipts shall be deposited in said account.