Issue Position: Transportation

Issue Position

Connecticut's infrastructure is critical to our economic competitiveness and our quality of life. You don't need to spend much time on I-95 or the Merritt Parkway to understand the severity of the challenges we face. I am committed meeting these challenges by reducing traffic congestion, making rail transit more accessible and easing the burden of our district's commuters.

I believe that our rail system must be updated for the 21st Century. The system that was initially designed to serve commuters who traveled from Connecticut's Fourth District to Grand Central Station during morning and evening rush hour no longer meets the needs of those who travel to locations other than downtown Manhattan or who keep less traditional work schedules.

We must reduce congestion on our highways. To that end, I strongly support the building of the Cross Harbor Rail Freight Tunnel under New York Harbor. This tunnel would reconnect Fairfield County to the nation's rail freight system and move a significant number of trucks off of Connecticut's I-95 corridor. This is the best way to ease the truck-traffic burden with the added benefit of reducing air pollution and bolstering security in the region's goods-movement system.

The Transportation Reauthorization bill, the legislation that governs the management of federal transportation policy and the disbursement of federal funds is up for reauthorization this year. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress on this legislation and am committed to addressing the growing transportation needs of Connecticut's Fourth District.

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