Belsito Bashes, Dems Praise Tolland-to-UConn Bus

TOLLAND/STORRS, CT — Reaction to the newly implemented bus line extension from Tolland to the University of Connecticut is traveling along party lines.

Republican state Rep. Sam Belsito from Tolland on Monday bashed the program, while on Thursday, two Democrats who represent Mansfield — state Rep. Gregg Haddad and state Sen. Mae Flexer — not only sang its praises, but called for a further extension to neighboring Eastern Connecticut State University.

Said Belsito, “Asking taxpayers to subsidize a bus line from UConn to Hartford at a time when we are facing a multi-billion dollar deficit is a terrible idea. Our only priority right now should be passing a budget, not spending more money on pointless projects. Legislative Democrats need to call a budget vote, so we can stop the governor from recklessly spending taxpayers’ money.”

Belsito said the bus line could produce "approximately $800,000 a year, but the state will still be on the hook for another $1.1 million."

Haddad and Flexer on Thursday praised the expansion of CTtransit bus service from Hartford to new stops in Storrs and also called on state officials to create a transit loop through Willimantic with service to Eastern Connecticut State University.

"I’m very pleased that transit service is being extended to Storrs. Students, university staff and Mansfield residents need reliable public transportation in the corridor between Mansfield and Hartford. I look forward to advocating for further extending the service to Willimantic. We need service to Eastern, Quinnebaug and Main Street, Willimantic,” said Rep. Haddad, co-chair of the legislature’s Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee.

“The expansion of CTtransit bus service onto the UConn campus is wonderful news, but this bus service should also be expanded into Willimantic. I’m sure the students and staff at the colleges and the residents of Willimantic would appreciate having the same the opportunity to travel quickly and easily into Manchester, Hartford and beyond,” Flexer said. She is vice-chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee.

“It’s just another 5 miles, and extending CTtransit bus service into Willimantic would allow people to connect with other transportation services throughout eastern Connecticut,” Flexer added.

Last week, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and Connecticut Department of Transportation Commissioner James P. Redeker announced that, beginning Aug. 13. the existing CTtransit bus route that serves destinations between Hartford and Tolland is expanding further east and will include new stops in Storrs. The plan was announced several years ago when Exit 68 was added to the commuter park-and-ride route.

The route extension – for the first time ever – provides University of Connecticut students, faculty, and staff the ability to connect to the main UConn campus in Storrs, the downtown Hartford campus, and UConn Health in Farmington via public transit, in addition to a wide variety of other destinations in between.
UConn students are eligible to ride the bus at no charge by showing their student ID and a UPass obtained through the university, the costs of which are included in their university fees.

“An investment in our transportation system is an investment in our economic development, and it makes great sense to considerably improve connections between campuses within our state’s flagship university,” Malloy said. “By linking these three campuses together via public transit, in addition to the ability to connect to other destinations in Central Connecticut, including the upcoming Hartford Line rail commuter system with convenient connections to Bradley International Airport, we are making smart investments in our economy.”

The service was made a priority by Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, a Tolland resident.

“This new service gives residents more opportunities to pursue education, expand employment options, even access restaurants, entertainment, and shopping,” Wyman said. “It’s the modern transit connectivity that is vital for quality of life and commerce.”

The extended bus route will run hourly and include the following stops:

• Nash-Zimmer Transportation Center, Storrs Center (Connections to UConn Transportation for travel around campus and for connections to Willimantic)
• UConn campus Whitney Hall
• Route 195 at Route 44 (Four Corners)
• Tolland park and ride lot
• Buckland Hills Mall
• Manchester - Buckland park and ride (Bus Stops A & B)
• Downtown Hartford at Central Row (a short walk to UConn Hartford campus and connections to other local and express bus services)
• Union Station, Hartford
• CTfastrak Sigourney Street station (transfer available via CTfastrak Route 121 to UConn Health in Farmington)

Photo Credit: CT.gov