Issue Position: Improving Air, Rail & Bus Service

Issue Position

As governor, I will:

Expand service at Bradley, Tweed, and Sikorsky Airports. As we know, GE didn't leave the state just because of taxes but in part because of poor infrastructure including limited air connectivity. I support extending Tweed New Haven's main runway to accommodate larger passenger aircraft, and I will work to grow service at Connecticut's main airports. Service to Washington, Atlanta, and Chicago from Tweed and Sikorsky will greatly improve the business climate in our two largest cities.

Improve the New Haven line. The Metro North line connects the people of Connecticut to one another and to one of the great economic engines of the world. This line, which completes over 40 million passenger trips every year, supports significant economic development in our state and particularly in our largest cities, removes cars from I-95 thereby easing congestion and pollution, and is in ever-increasing demand. Given this history of success, it is a travesty that the line has been underinvested in. I am saddened that this line has seen loss of life, and I am angered that delayed repairs have caused trains to have to slow down, meaning that trains today run slower than 10 years ago. We must invest in a comprehensive overhaul of the New Haven line including accelerated installation of positive train control and repairs to bridges and tracks. We can bring travel time from New Haven to New York down to one hour and 15 minutes through improvements to our current line. I also support investment in high speed rail that will bring travel times to under one hour.
Build on the progress of the newly opened Hartford Line by exploring other rail options to connect our communities and encourage regional economic growth. Expansion in rail and dedicated bus rapid transit like CTfastrak will reduce congestion on highways while supporting development in our urban centers. I support an extension of the Waterbury line to Hartford, and I support new regional train service between Hartford and Providence that also services Storrs and brings development to northeastern Connecticut.

Improve CTTransit. I support regionalizing control of CTTransit so that routes can best reflect the needs of our regions. We must make common sense investments in technology such as smart traffic lights that turn green when buses approach (now that's a benefit that commuters would pay for!). I envision CTTransit being a major part of our plans to improve economic growth while reducing congestion on our highways.

Source