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we're helping to
educate Connecticut about the very real possibilities for smart
transportation that makes Connecticut greener, cleaner and
healthier.
Connecticut's transportation policy
can't be all about cars anymore. It doesn't make
economic sense. It doesn't make environmental sense.
And it doesn't make health sense. Our habits may be
steady, but they aren't serving us well.
We need policies and smart planning that makes it
easier—not harder— for
 people to get out of their cars and
make more trips, especially the shorter ones, by foot or by
bike.
With gas prices inching back up, cycling's popularity
will only continue to rise. But too often our road
projects
make walking and bicycling impractical or unsafe in many
places. We need to ensure that all road users--including
transit users, bicyclists, and pedestrians--are considered
in our transportation systems.
Hartford Courant Reports: Commuter Train Key To 'Smart
Growth' Development In Connecticut
The Courant's Don Stacom reports:
A Senate Banking committee hearing on June 16 focused on
getting Americans to drive less, stop suburban sprawl and
cut foreign oil consumption. Three Cabinet members — the
chiefs of the environmental protection, transportation, and
housing and urban development agencies — told the committee
that they're making unprecedented efforts to make that
happen, and announced a new interagency Partnership for
Sustainable Communities, designed to remove barriers to
transit and housing regulations.
Connecticut's Senator Chris Dodd organized the meeting as
chair of the Senate Banking Committee. Dodd cited the
New Haven-to-Springfield rail initiative as a key to
future "smart growth" development in Connecticut.
Starting commuter and high-speed train service along the
route "will create new transit villages, get people off the
roads, and revitalize our regional economy," Dodd said as he
convened the meeting in Washington.
The hearing was broadcast live on the internet and open to
anyone who wanted to tune in.
Complete Streets Bill Passes!
Connecticut's SB735, which sets the stage for the state,
cities and towns to start considering pedestrians and
cyclists in transportation projects. SB735 became
Public Act 09-154. Read it
here.
For more legislative background on the bill,
click here.
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