Ten Connecticut municipalities and three transit districts will share a $20 million federal grant for transportation projects designed to improve the flow of traffic, improve air quality and reduce energy use.
The grant was awarded under the Federal Highway Administration’s Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, which funds projects that improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. To qualify, municipalities must demonstrate that their projects will result in reduced vehicle exhaust emissions and, at the same time, be cost effective.
The transit projects will assist in retaining current transit users and attract new ones by providing additional bus routes in heavily traveled corridors along with improved real-time passenger information signage at major hub locations. Its goal is to reduce personal automotive use.
Among the projects approved in Greater Hartford are:
- Bristol: $60,000 to purchase route management software to enhance the efficient use of vehicles in the Department of Public works that will lead to reductions in fuel consumption and emissions;
- Meriden: $2.99 million to upgrade twelve traffic signals in the Transit Oriented Development (TOD) District in the city center;
- New Britain: $3 million to improve the downtown traffic signal system at intersections along West Main Street, Columbus Boulevard, Myrtle Street, East Main Street, Broad Street and Main Street; and,
- Windsor: $1.32 million to install adaptive traffic control signal system on Day Hill Road. This system improves travel times while reducing congestion, queue lengths and delays by improving operating conditions and maximizing the capacity of the roadway.
