FTA awards Conn. bus rapid transit project $6.3M

Progress continues on Connecticut's New Britain-Hartford Busway project thanks to a $6.3 million Federal Transit Administration (FTA) formula grant announced by FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff. The grant will provide dollars for engineering services and property acquisition.

"The Obama Administration is pleased to partner with the people of Connecticut to create jobs now on a project to ease the punishing congestion on I-84." said Rogoff. "Governor Malloy's support of this ready-to-go project echoes the Administration's position that this is a smart, cost-effective investment in Connecticut's transportation future. This grant keeps us moving forward."

The Connecticut Department of Transportation proposes to construct the New Britain-Hartford Busway, an exclusive-guideway bus rapid transit system along a 9.4-mile corridor between downtown New Britain and downtown Hartford. The busway would run parallel to Interstate 84, the primary transportation link between New Britain, West Hartford and downtown Hartford. To date, FTA has provided $69 million in support of the project.

In addition to the New Britain-Hartford Busway project, President Obama's proposed 2012 budget includes funding for busway projects in El Paso, Texas; San Francisco; Seattle; Jacksonville, Fla.; Oakland, Calif.; Fresno, Calif.; and Grand Rapids, Mich. — projects that will greatly improve mobility and reduce congestion while creating thousands of jobs right now, precisely when they are needed, according to FTA.