By Kassondra Granata
The New Britain-Hartford busway project has moved from the planning stage and will begin the permitting process.
CCSU held a town hall-style meeting for the busway project on Sept. 7 in Torp Theatre, where representatives from the Connecticut departments of Energy and Environment Protection (DEEP) and Transportation attended to discuss permits.
In August, U.S. Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman announced that nearly $6 million in federal funding became available for land acquisition, site work and professional services for the project.
The busway project will be a new 9.4 mile transit system developed by the Connecticut Department of Transportation, linking downtown New Britain with downtown Hartford. The plan is expected to cost over $500 million and will circulate downtown providing a direct connection to major employers and destinations.
The project has been under consideration since 2003 and has experienced fluctuating public support through three governors and the better part of a decade. State Democrats have been largely supportive of the plan as a sustainable approach to public transportation, while opponents in the Republican party have criticized the project as too expensive.
Richard Bachoo, chief administrative officer at CCSU, has a hand in this project with a responsibility for facilities. Bachoo oversees the production on East Campus along with the university representative to the Department of Transportation.
“This project here is a statewide priority,” Bachoo said. “The goal is to start construction at the end of 2012, beginning of 2013; it’s 95 percent completed when it comes to being designed.”
The developers of this project hope to reduce the congestion on the I-84 corridor and bring people in the New Britain and Hartford area back and forth on a regular basis.
“The University spends well over $60,000 a year on transporting people from the Hartford area to the University,” Bachoo said. “The busway would run through part of property that CCSU owns, it’s a perfect area.”
According to the plan, distributed by Capitol Region Council of Governments, the busway would bring life to downtown New Britain and help to provide opportunities to fill housing on vacant and unused areas.
“The busway will reduce the amount of commuters driving and also will ultimately reduce pollution,” said Bachoo.
SGA President Eric Bergenn intended to speak on behalf of CCSU students at a public hearing in August, but was delayed due to the rescheduling of the planned SGA retreat. Bergenn shared his thoughts in an interview with The Recorder.
“There are many students who would take advantage of this bus system,” Bergenn said. “This is a unifier of communities.”
In April, Governor Dannel Malloy aggressively made a statement to pursue the busway project to the next step.
“The busway is ‘ready to go’ with 80 percent federal funding and a commitment from the Federal Transit Administration to sign a Full Funding Grant Agreement,” Governor Malloy said. “The proposed revitalization of the commuter rail line is in the early stages of study and planning. We are working towards a comprehensive multi-modal system that will not only move people and goods more efficiently but, more critically, foster economic growth and an improved quality of life for Connecticut residents.”
According to the Hartford Courant, the DEEP is expected to decide later this summer or in the fall whether to authorize wetlands permits for the busway.
