2005 Connecticut Code - Sec. 13b-57g. Transportation strategy and revisions. Public transportation priority. Reporting requirements.

      Sec. 13b-57g. Transportation strategy and revisions. Public transportation priority. Reporting requirements. (a) Not later than January 15, 2002, the board shall propose to the General Assembly an initial transportation strategy.

      (b) In developing the strategy and the revisions, the board shall take into account: (1) The strategic concerns associated with the movement of people and goods; (2) the technological options and multimodal options, including, but not limited to, transportation by rail, road, air or water, available to address such concerns; (3) the relationship of such concerns and options to sustainable economic growth, environmental quality, urban development, open space, open space preservation, access to employment by residents of the state and public safety; (4) that transportation is a cornerstone of the state's economic vitality and overall quality of life and therefore inextricably linked to other key policies that deal with the state's future including, but not limited to, land use planning, environmental quality, urban vitality and access to quality jobs and services for the state's residents; (5) the connectivity of the state to the northeast, continental and international economies and that the mobility of people and goods within the state are critical to vibrant and sustainable economic growth; (6) that the benefits of leveraging existing transportation assets and infrastructure, especially in urban centers, and the reduction of automobile-oriented demands, are highly desirable; (7) managing demand for transportation assets, including using employer and employee-based initiatives as an integral part of the strategy; (8) the integration of brownfields remediation and affordable housing and access to employment that should occur as a result of implementing the strategy; (9) the need to engage local planning agencies and other relevant constituencies in developing the strategy; (10) the need to engage representatives of the state's major transportation assets and of the transportation industry in the strategy to help ensure that the strategy is multimodal and integrated; (11) the benefits of technology to expand capacity, enhance safety, provide information and access funding alternatives; (12) the need to fully explore the sources and methodologies for funding investments in transportation infrastructure, and for annual operating and maintenance costs and the regulations applicable to the expenditure of federal and state funds; (13) that the development of appropriate metrics, methodologies and standards is essential for determining customer needs, for evaluating the return on transportation investments and for the prioritization of specific projects and the degree of success in meeting these needs; (14) that the state needs to play a leadership role with the other northeastern states and the eastern Canadian provinces in developing and advocating a transportation strategy for the northeast region of the continent; (15) that the analyses and decision-making related to transportation initiatives in the strategy needs to be done expeditiously within the existing statutory and regulatory framework and that any amendments to the general statutes or to the Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies that are needed to achieve such objectives should be identified; (16) the development, renovation and expansion of Bradley International Airport; (17) the state conservation and development plan, established pursuant to section 16a-24; and (18) that the role, including the role of financial incentives, of private sector companies, public agencies and institutions needs to be clearly defined with respect to (A) encouraging and supporting employees to use public transportation, (B) providing employees with appropriate alternatives to the locations at which and during the times they perform their work, including, but not limited to, flexible working hours and telecommuting, (C) developing an effective means for delivering goods within and through the state, and (D) encouraging different sectors to participate with the state in specific initiatives. On and after August 20, 2003, in developing the strategy and the revisions pertaining to roads, the board shall establish as its priority for improving transportation on public highways the use of public transportation and other traffic mitigation methods not involving the improvement or expansion of public highways. The board shall propose improving public highway transportation by the improvement or expansion of public highways only after it has determined that no means of public transportation or other traffic mitigation method exists that will accomplish such improvement. The board shall include an explanation and documentation of such determination with any proposed improvement or expansion of any public highway.

      (c) The board shall design the strategy to achieve the following results:

      (1) Public benefits that consist of (A) stimulating sustainable economic growth and enhancing the quality of life for the residents of the state, and (B) developing and continuously upgrading analytical tools to demonstrate the link between transportation and the public benefits;

      (2) Ease of mobility of people and goods within the state and the TIAs, that consists of (A) reducing traffic congestion, (B) enabling inter-corridor movement within the state, and (C) enabling access to employment opportunities and essential services;

      (3) Connectivity in access to the regional, national and global economies, that consists of (A) improving access (i) to surrounding states, consisting of the Interstate 95 corridor to New York, the Connecticut River Valley and Interstate 91 corridor to Springfield, Massachusetts and southeastern Connecticut to Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island, and (ii) to the national and global economies; and (B) expanding modal choices for passenger and freight, consisting of (i) developing an airport system that stimulates growth, (ii) linking the state to international rail grids, (iii) developing water-borne alternatives, and (iv) assuring workable freight access to the ports of New York and New Jersey and the corridor related to the North American Free Trade Agreement;

      (4) Safety and security that consists of (A) adequately maintaining infrastructure and equipment, and (B) enforcing safe operations and use of the transportation systems by customers and operators; and

      (5) Expanded use of public transportation and other traffic mitigation methods to relieve congestion on public highways.

      (d) In designing the strategy to achieve the results provided in subsection (c) of this section, the board shall evaluate specific tactics and approaches in the strategy by using the following criteria:

      (1) Focusing on people who use transportation systems by (A) involving such people directly in planning and through ongoing market research, (B) creating a seamless interface with state, regional, national and global systems, and (C) developing transportation systems that operate as if they had intelligence, including, but not limited to, systems that provide real-time information to their users;

      (2) Oriented to economic growth by (A) responsiveness to general business needs, (B) responsiveness to specific industry cluster needs, and (C) support for state urban development strategies;

      (3) Being environmentally responsible by (A) improving air quality, (B) leveraging existing assets to minimize impact on wetlands and open space by directing development to the areas of the state that have the infrastructure to support the development, and (C) reducing energy consumption;

      (4) Encouraging and enabling intermodal links and usage wherever possible, and managing the transportation systems from a multimodal perspective; and

      (5) Involving the TIAs by (A) building upon natural economic and service areas, (B) enhancing connectivity of all population centers in the state, and (C) implementing strategic priorities through TIAs.

      (e) The board shall include in the strategy the criteria by which the board, the commissioner and the department will evaluate and prioritize existing and proposed transportation projects.

      (f) The board shall identify in the strategy the tools and measures by which it intends to assess transportation system performance and analyze the value of projects proposed to implement the strategy, including their overall value to the state as a public investment.

      (g) The board shall include in the strategy (1) a projection of the required capital investments and operating costs over the next succeeding ten years and the recommended sources of such funds, (2) a distinction between transportation costs for operations and maintenance and transportation investments which shall (A) be based on the strategy and evaluated against strategic goals, (B) provide additional benefits that are tangible and attainable, (C) include a range of transportation uses including, but not limited to, transit, airways, highways, waterways and freight, to gain public support, (D) reach as many people as possible throughout the entire community in each TIA, and (E) respond to widely perceived needs.

      (h) The board shall review the TIA corridor plan prepared by each TIA, as provided in section 13b-57f, and may incorporate all or parts of such plans in the strategy.

      (i) In developing and revising the strategy, the board may: (1) Conduct public hearings; (2) consult and cooperate with officials and representatives of the federal government, neighboring states, interstate commissions and authorities, local agencies and authorities, interested corporations and other organizations concerning problems affecting transportation in the state; (3) request and receive from any agency or other unit of the government, of the state or of any political subdivision of the state, or from any public authority, such assistance and data as may be necessary to enable the board to carry out the board's responsibilities under this section; and (4) to the extent the board may deem appropriate, make use of, and incorporate in the strategy, any existing long-range transportation plan, survey or report developed by any public or private agency or person.

      (j) Copies of the strategy and revisions to the strategy shall be kept on file as a public record in the department.

      (k) The board shall submit the following reports, in accordance with section 11-4a, to the Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to transportation and finance, revenue and bonding: (1) Not later than January 15, 2002, an initial strategy and preliminary projections of the cost necessary to implement the strategy over the first ten years, which shall be subject to approval by the General Assembly; (2) on June 30, 2002, and each December thirty-first and June thirtieth thereafter, a status report on the implementation of and any needed revisions to the strategy and the quarterly report provided by the Department of Economic and Community Development, pursuant to subsection (b) of section 32-6k; and (3) on December 15, 2002, and every two years thereafter, an update or revision of the strategy, if necessary, which shall be subject to approval by the General Assembly, and a report on implementation of the strategy.

      (June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-5, S. 4, 18; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-4, S. 9.)

      History: June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-5 effective July 2, 2001; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-4 amended Subsec. (b) to add new Subdiv. (7) re managing demand for transportation assets, to redesignate existing Subdivs. (7) to (17) as new Subdivs. (8) to (18), to add "and the degree of success in meeting these needs" in new Subdiv. (13) and to add requirement that on and after August 20, 2003, the board establish public transportation and other traffic mitigation methods not involving road improvement or expansion as priorities, amended Subsec. (c) to add new Subdiv. (5) re expanded use of public transportation and other traffic mitigation methods, and amended Subsec. (k) to add provisions re submission of reports to the Governor and legislative committees and re update or revision of strategy subject to approval by General Assembly and to make conforming and technical changes, effective August 20, 2003.