Politics & Government
Simanski Supports Amendment to Stop Busway, Fix Roads and Bridges
Homeowners were not told of any compensation from the state for the taking of their property, and the promise of six foot noise barriers has now dwindled to a chain link fence.
State Representative Bill Simanski spoke up for and supported an amendment in the Connecticut House of Representative that would transfer state funds meant for the controversial New Britain to Hartford busway to instead go toward fixing rundown roads and bridges in the state.
The proposed 9.4 mile busway is estimated to cost a total of $567 million dollars, or about $1,000 an inch. The shared cost to each taxpayer in Connecticut is estimated to be $382.48 dollars if the project is built. Meanwhile, there are 1,800 bridges in Connecticut that are either structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.
"The people of Connecticut neither want nor need this busway," Simanski said. “It is ridiculous that we would spend this much money on a project with little value when there are so many roads and bridges in this state that are in disrepair. To ignore the safety of Connecticut motorists in favor of a pet project is contrary to the role of government.”
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Proponents of the busway argue that the project should continue as it will create thousands of jobs for Connecticut construction workers and will relieve congestion on I-84. However, the largest contract worth $130 million was awarded to a Massachusetts company for the right to build a 5.8 mile stretch. Ridership is also expected to be relatively light, particularly considering many of the riders ride the existing bus route.
The amendment failed in the house by a vote of 64 to 82. The groundbreaking for the busway has been scheduled for May 22nd.
