Regional Transportation Hearing Slated For May

HARTFORD, CT - The Connecticut Public Transportation Commission has scheduled a public hearing for May 23 to gather input on the status of public transportation in the area.

The hearing is slated for 7 p.m. at Windham Town Hall, 979 Main St. Willimantic.

It is the second of three hearings that the commission is sponsoring statewide this spring to gather testimony from the public, transportation providers, public officials and other entities concerning the operation of public transportation services, dial-a-ride and ADA transportation and other issues.

Commission officials said they want to know which existing services are meeting public needs and on whatever improvements or new services are needed to "address unmet travel needs."

Commission said a focus will be on the routing of CTfastrak East and the Eastern Gateways Study by the Capitol Region Council of Governments.

The sutdy is aimed at analyzing travel access needs to the University of Connecticut campus; interregional transit needs from Storrs and Willimantic to Manchester and Hartford; and transit needs to access health care in rural areas.

Commission officials said will use the testimony received at the public hearing as well as from other hearings conducted across the state in preparing recommendations for its annual report to the Governor, the Commissioner of Transportation and the Transportation Committee of the General Assembly.