In the Wake of DOT Commissioner Joe Marie

State Transportation Commissioner Joe Marie, a staunch proponent of the nine-mile, $600 million, New Britian-Hartford busway, is gone.

An interesting story on the front page of today's Hartford Courant (www.courant.com) tells the tale with a few juicy details, but I'm sure there is much more to it than that. Marie leaving now is especially intriguing given that Marie would certainly have been a goner anyway when Gov. Jodi Rell departs early next year and a new governor takes her place. What was the rush to dump him now?

Of more interest locally, I'm wondering what it means for mass transit in Connecticut, especially in our little corner.

The Great and Powerful Wizard??

Straight from the Emerald City, in came Oz this morning.
That's Oz Griebel, a Republican who is running for governor. I wondered how come he didn't introduce himself as "the great and powerful wizard of Connecticut" and he just laughed. Then he told me I could feel free to call him that in my story.
In my story for The Bristol Press (http://www.bristolpress.com/) I didn't call him that, but on Extra B.S., I can. Who knows if he is really a wizard, but Connecticut sure needs one with the fix we're in.
He did one of those chamber coffee chats this morning (thanks to the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce for organizing all these) and as usual, it was interesting to meet and listen to someone who wants to have a go at turning the state around from financial disaster into economic prosperity.
He talked a lot about thinking outside the box. My impression is that if he's governor, just about everything might be up for grabs, with nothing assumed. He questioned whether we need two state university systems, whether we really need all the hospitals we have operating independently, whether towns and the state could considate and regionalize to save money and make things work better. He seemed open to ideas and full of energy.
He supports the New Britain to Hartford busway project, which didn't go over well. He said he'd be open to discussing it, but definitely did not waver in his support. That set him apart from several of the Democrats who have been in town, each saying to various degrees that they don't like the idea.
I had to ask how he got the name Oz, which is pretty cool, if you think about it, especially for a candidate. It's certainly memorable. He said he got it when he was a kid because his middle name was Nelson. It came from the old TV show, "Ozzie and Harriet."
I found things to like both personally and philosophically about every one of the candidates who have visited Bristol so far. Many of them had similar messages (how many times can you say we need to get our fiscal house in order, anyway?).
The state party conventions are next month. It'll be interesting to see if the Republicans recruit the man behind the curtain.

Guess Who Else Is From New Britain?

Mary Glassman came to town early Thursday to chat it up with chamber types over some coffee. She's a Democrat and is Simsbury's first selectman and hopes to win the party's nomination for governor.
A UConn grad who put herself through college and law school, Glassman focused on education, and noted that her kids are students at three prestigious schools: Yale, Tufts and soon, Johns Hopkins. She said none of her children or their friends has any interest in living in Connecticut, which she said is losing its best and brightest minds for lack of opportunity.
Along with education, Glassman cited regionalization of town services, affordable housing, transportation and fiscal discipline as important to Connecticut’s future.
As for the rail vs. busway issue, she said she's been a big proponent of rail going back to 1991. After some years of pushing and not getting the rail projet they wanted, she and others from the Capitol Region Council of Governments heard from the DOT that if they ever wanted any project to go forward, they better give up on rail and get on board the busway. The rail project they wanted at the time was a line from the Hartford-Springfield airport to downtown Hartford. It was a fascinating tale. She said she still would rather see rail than a busway and if elected, would move the funds if it is possible.

Another interesting moment this morning came right away, when Glassman, who is originally from New Britain, introduced herself and asked the small crowd at the chamber if anyone else hailed from her hometown.
Only former Mayor Bill Stortz raised his hand.
“Nobody usually admits that,” said Glassman.

Busway Banter

Mike Nicastro at the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce has an interesting post about the New Britain/Hartford busway on the chamber's blog late Monday. You can see it at: http://tinyurl.com/ykzcxy3

I still find the busway price tag of nearly $600 million -- that's more than half a billion of our clams, folks -- simply staggering for nine miles of road. That's the same price the state was talking about spending for an entire replacement hospital for the UConn Health Center in Farmington before a bunch of people got upset around here and put the kibosh on it before it killed community hospitals like Bristol Hospital.


Remember that fight?

Low Bridge! Everybody Down!

I wrote a story for The Bristol Press yesterday about a state bill to allow a replacement railroad bridge (a bridge over a railroad track) on Broad Street in Hartford to be more than two feet lower than regulations require.
Who cares? The railroads do, and perhaps we all should, as a letter on the issue to lawmakers, from the regional planning agency, makes clear.
The bridge is needed for the New Britain-Hartford busway, but if it is lowered, it could be an impediment to freight and passenger rail cars.
Much of my story focuses on a letter from the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency to lawmakers, warning them of the trouble with the bill.
I don't think my story has run yet (hopefully soon!), but here's the letter from CCRPA Regional Planner Francis Pickering, emailed a week ago to some members of the Transportation Committee:

Dear Transportation Committee Members,
The Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCRPA) would like to share its concern about Senate Bill 411, An Act Concerning the Replacement of the Broad Street Bridge over the Amtrak Railroad Tracks in Hartford.
This bill would lower the statutory minimum clearance for this bridge from 22’ 6” to 19’ 4”. Discussions with stakeholders, including the owners of the railroad whose tracks and trains pass under the bridge, suggest that such a reduction could have profoundly negative consequences for passenger and freight operations through the region. It has been indicated to us that 19’ 4” will not only preclude enhanced intermodal service between points north and New Haven/Waterbury; it will also render electrification—a prerequisite for a true high-speed rail connection between New York City and Boston via Hartford—impossible.
CCRPA understands that, in an environment of constrained funding, tough choices have to be made. However, these choices must not endanger the state’s economic, social, or environmental wellbeing. The potential for rail, both passenger and freight, along the New Haven/Waterbury-Hartford-Springfield corridor is enormous. CCRPA cannot support any transportation project that undermines this potential.
CCRPA therefore strongly urges you to take a closer look at this legislation. In particular, we ask that you invite the parties the proposed height reduction would affect—including Amtrak, Pan Am Railways, and Metro-North—to testify as to the impacts this change would have on present and future rail operations.
Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Carl Stephani or me.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
FRANCIS R. PICKERING
Regional Planner
Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency
225 North Main Street, Suite 304, Bristol, CT 06010-4993
t (860) 589-7820 x18 f (860) 589-6950 http://ccrpa.org/

Lt. Gov. Takes a Pro-Rail Stand

Lt. Gov. Mike Fedele jumped on the pro-rail train, along with Dan Malloy and Ned Lamont. Wonder who will be next to see that taking a good look at the wisdom of spending almost half a billion dollars on a nine mile road between New Britain and Hartford is a good use of all those clams.
I wrote about what Fedele had to say about the rail and other things at this morning's chamber of commerce coffee chat. You can read all about it in The Bristol Press on Friday (www.bristolpress.com).
Steve Collins, who gets more comments than I do, not that I'm jealous of The Bristol Blog, wrote about Malloy. I wrote about Lamont's stand last week.
Momentum for rail is growing, which can only be good for Bristol and, dare I say, it the future of our state.

Nicastro Offers Alternative Plan

Mike Nicastro, the president of the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce, had a big op-ed piece in the Hartford Courant this morning. He's fighting, with a lot of residents and chamber members behind him and with growing support from political leaders in the state, to stop the $600 million busway that would connect New Britain and Hartford. Instead, Nicastro wrote, the limited transportation funds that Connecticut has should be used for the benefit of all the towns in the region, at a far lower price by restoring commuter rail between Waterbury and Hartford. The track would include stops in Bristol and New Britain, among other places. It would also offer a way to move freight. As Nicastro points out, the busway may take a few cars off I-84, but it won't do a thing about the trucks, while rail could.

Nicastro's piece on the opinion page is worth reading.

Opponents use LinkedIn to Fight Busway

Here's what Mike Nicastro, president of the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce posted on a LinkedIn chamber group. He's trying to get a discussion going, and is making a call to action. Thought I'd pass it along:

Say "no" to the Busway!
Central CT Chambers of Commerce Say "no" to the 9.4 mile, $573 million Busway and "yes" to a multi-city, lower cost regional rail system. With taxpayer's dollars needing to stretch farther and with the threat of $5.00 per gallon gas always looming we need to tell our elected officials at both federal and state level that we expect them, to make far ...better investments in our transporation infra-structure. While we waste time and precious capital on a 9 mile bus road, Massachusetts continues to pile up over $100 million in rail specific funding for rail renewal. Unlike what we have been told that such projects would take 10 years to do, the Massachusetts project in the Pioneer Valley was launched in June of 2008 and is already studied, deisgned and funded. All in 18 short months. Please see the attachments and links for more information and please contact our elected officials ASAP.

I didn't see any attachments, but if you contact Mike, I'm sure he'd send them to you.

First Dispatch From the Busway Meeting -- No Decision Yet

Steve sent this two minutes ago. He wrote it for the Herald's earlier deadline. The Press story may have more and I'm sure he'll post more on the Bristol Blog (http://www.bristoltoday.com/) later tonight. I'm just trying to fill in the gaps for those of you on the edge of your seats.

By STEVE COLLINS
STAFF WRITER
BRISTOL – Regional planners listened intently late Thursday to pitches for both the proposed busway and the potential for commuter rail.
Rail backers spoke first and then the proponents of the 9.4-mile busway between New Britain and Hartford got their turn.
Members of the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency questioned the plans in preparation for a possible vote on whether to give their blessing to shifting $116 million in state transportation funds to the busway.
As of deadline, no decision had been made. Some urged postponement of the decision until March to give planners time to review the material.
Others pushed for quick approval.
“The busway has been studied. The busway is now. The busway creates jobs,” said Joseph Marie, the state’s transportation commissioner.
With the federal government “behind us on this project,” Marie said, it makes sense to proceed as planned.
New Britain Mayor Tim Stewart said it is important to note how close the project is to construction, which could begin next year.
That stands in sharp contrast to the commuter rail option pushed by many Bristol officials.
Commuter rail “is an idea, not a project,” Stewart said, and would take eight to 10 years to come to pass at best.
If the agency backs the busway funding, it’s not clear that the $573 million project will face no further troubles.
“This thing has miles to go,” said Mike Nicastro, president of the Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce.
Nicastro said rail backers will carry their fight to the General Assembly and elsewhere to keep the heat on the project.
But Bristol Mayor Art Ward, another rail backer, sounded resigned Thursday.
“The eggs are all pretty much in a basket for the bus route and we need to move on,” Ward said. “It’s very, very unlikely there’d be any roadblocks.”
He said the state and federal officials who have looked into the issue have essentially made the decision “to move forward with the busway.”
Adding some weight to the opposition to the busway was a letter written tis week by West Hartford’s mayor and four legislators stating that if the town had to choose, it would prefer rail.
“If building the busway will eliminate the opportunity for a commuter rail stop” in Elmwood, the letter to U.S. Rep. Johnson Larson said, “we must come out even stronger against the busway.”
Marie said that a station in Elmwood could handle both buses and trains.
Michael Sanders, the DOT transit manager, said the assumption has been the joint station would be at Flatbush Avenue, but it could be moved to Elmwood if that’s what West Hartford wants.
Rail advocates said that trains would tie the region into a network that offers more long-term potential for growth.
But Sanders said the busway benefits are immediate, including faster travel time for commuters who continue to use I-84. There would also be more buses and routes to service the region, including buses every 12 minutes between Hartford and Bristol during commuting periods.Sanders said the design is 90 percent finished and all but two of the property purchases needed have been completed.He said the project will create more than 1,000 jobs annually during the construction period through 2013.State officials said the bureaucratic process allows regional officials to approve any federal funding within their regions. The state can’t spend the money without the agency’s green light.

9:55 p.m.
I just revised the story to reflect an updated version. Only the last few paragraphs have changed -- Jackie
10:30 p.m.
Nothing new.
11 p.m.
No word.
Watch the Bristol Blog... www.bristoltoday.com. He'll probably leave something there later tonight and if not then, certainly in the morning.

Chamber Prez Blasts Press for Busway Editorial

I just got this from Mike Nicastro at the chamber, asking for it to be posted on this blog:

As the executive officer of the Chamber of Commerce I have state how disappointed the Chamber was this morning to see the Bristol Press editorial staff endorsing a Busway project that is out of control with costs and will provide no tangible benefit to Bristol or any of the communities that make up the Central Connecticut Chambers.
Since saving the Press and Herald from the “mouth” of bankruptcy the paper’s management has repeatedly told the Chamber that they were going to “complete change the newspaper” and that coverage of Bristol and the Bristol region would be better than ever. Evidence of this change has been minimal at best. The Busway issue provided maybe the greatest opportunity for a breakout from the status quo and leap into a new day.
The Press editorial board missed the opportunity. They could have worked hand in hand with the two largest communities of Bristol and New Britain to push our federal leaders to adapt to the changing environment and work with us to evolve the limited and costly Busway project into transit solution that could service hundreds of thousands of residents providing a bidirectional rail solution to New York and Hartford with the potential in future to service Bradley International and Boston. Instead they chose to protect that status quo. Instead of demanding to know why this project is in reality a 60/40 (new federal money/state) split and not the 80/20 that we have been told all along that it was they stayed silent. Instead of leading, they chose to follow.
If we are going to change the future of our region we need to be happily accused of being “dreamers” and we need to fight to reverse ridiculous bureaucracy that works to force through bad ideas simply because they’re “too far along.” We have to work by the adage that “good enough is not good enough.” This was the opportunity to make that statement and they just plain missed it.

Michael D. Nicastro
President & Chief Executive Officer
Central Connecticut Chambers of Commerce/Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce

High Noon for Train / Busway Collision

The Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency is gearing up for a doozy of a meeting Thursday. Steve drew the short stick, so he'll be there until the cows come home. It could be a long night. I don't know if he'll be live blogging, but if I get any updates from him, I'll post them. I'm sure he'll put something on the Bristol Blog at the end of it all. You can see that at http://www.bristoltoday.com/. Cheeze, with all the free publicity he's getting from me and Extra B.S., you'd think I'd at least get a mention in the Bristol Blog!

In unrelated but still important news, I'll be at the Bristol Cares meeting early Thursday, so I'll be reporting on that later in the day.

Don't Miss the Train... Stories Today

Don't miss all of Steve Collins' stories in today's Bristol Press (www.bristolpress.com) about the train and busway battle. He's doing his best to outline the issue before the hot potato lands with the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency Thursday night. You can find some, if not all of it, on the Bristol Blog (www.bristoltoday.com)