Danbury Bridge Project To Receive State Aid

DANBURY, CT — A city bridge project is poised to receive a cash injection from the state.

The Franklin Street extension over Mercer Pond Brook is on Gov. Ned Lamont's list to score a piece of the $839 million slated for state transportation system upgrades at the next meeting of the state Bond Commission.

The governor, who serves as chairman of the commission and determines which projects get placed on the agenda, said that these upgrades are long overdue and complement projects that are expected to be financed through the recently adopted federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

The Franklin Street upgrade is part of the State Local Bridge Program, which has earmarked $13 million for grants providing 50 percent of the cost for 24 local bridge projects across the state.

In addition to local street and bridge improvements in towns throughout the state, other transportation upgrades set to be approved at the meeting, convening Tuesday, include:

• $280 million to procure dual-power locomotives to replace aging diesel locomotives. The new dual-power locomotives will enable electric train service where overhead wire is available and enable new express train service to New York City.
• $35 million to build the new Enfield Train Station on the Hartford Line.
• $12 million to renovate the Derby-Shelton Multimodal Station.
• $61 million to reconfigure the interchanges of I-91, I-691, and Route 15 in Meriden to reduce congestion and improve safety associated with crashes in this segment of highway.
• $12 million for an additional round of grant awards to local projects that improve roadway safety and access for pedestrians and bicyclists.
• $4.2 million to upgrade and install new curb ramps and sidewalks, and improve accessibility for all residents.
• $2.5 million to match $10 million in federal funds for purchasing battery electric buses for CTtransit to replace its existing diesel vehicles
• $13.5 million to support local transit districts, including capital projects and the procurement of new vehicles. Among these funds is support to initiate the development of a new transit facility in Middletown for the merged Middletown Area Transit and Estuary Transit District.
• $4 million to construct three new segments of the Moosup Valley State Park Trail in Plainfield and Sterling to East Coast Greenway standards. It will also provide a connection to the Trestle Trail in Rhode Island.
• Nearly $4 million to fund a planning and environmental study of I-95 between exits 19 and 27A in Fairfield and Bridgeport.