Gerratana Ecstatic About Busway, Railway Announcement

Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced his decision regarding the fate of the New Britain-Hartford Bus Rapid Transit project – better known as the “Busway” – and the Bristol/Waterbury commuter rail line. After meeting with advocates and opponents of the Busway, Governor Malloy has decided to aggressively pursue construction of the Busway while launching a parallel and equally aggressive initiative to plan for the Bristol/Waterbury commuter line. This decision will create new jobs now, as the Busway project is “ready to go,” while continuing to address the needs of commuters on the Bristol/Waterbury rail line. In addition, Governor Malloy’s decision maximizes the availability of federal funding now and going forward.

State Senator Terry Gerratana (D-New Britain) today issued the following statement in response to the announcement that Governor Dannel Malloy has decided to move forward with construction of the Hartford-to-New Britain Busway project:

“This is a great event for our city and for central Connecticut—one that I hope will make great strides toward meeting our transportation needs. The busway not only offers connectivity between New Britain and Hartford, it also offers significant opportunity for economic development and growth.

“Additionally, the governor commitment to take on the analysis of a potential rail system is welcome news for the entire 6th District.

“In these continuing difficult economic times, the potential for job creation that this project offers cannot be ignored. Any mass transit option that will reduce congestion on our roadways, including Interstate 84, would be a positive thing. I appreciate the governor’s support of this project, and I’m hopeful that this will just be a part of a greater vision for mass transit development in central Connecticut and across the entire state.”

Senator Terry Gerratana represents New Britain, Berlin and Farmington in the Connecticut State Senate, where she serves as co-chair of the Public Health Committee and the Select Committee on Children and as a member of the Judiciary and Regulations Review Committees.