A Crucial Problem That Needs Resolution Holding back essential grants risks critical infrastructure repairs
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ne of the most curious stories to come out of Connecticut in 2019 is that state policy leaders have been extoling the virtues of a comprehensive transportation and infrastructure plan that will rejuvenate our trains, fix our bridges, and make our roads less congested, and, at the same time, holding back essential grants from municipalities that go towards maintaining and repairing the roads that Connecticut residents rely on. CCM has called on the state legislature and the Governor to release the essential Town Aid Road (TAR), Local Capital Improvement Program (LoCIP), and Grants for Municipal Projects. TAR, LoCIP, and Grants for Municipal Projects represent the biggest annual grants for infrastructure repair and capital improvements at $60 million, $30 million, and $60 million respectively. Because these grants are part of the bonding package, they must come from the Bond Commission, which has infrequently met since the Governor took office this past year. CCM currently does not anticipate changes to the funding amounts, but crucial deadlines have been missed as we move into winter. Municipalities have already missed the first of the two TAR grant installments, one of which arrives traditionally in July and the second in January. Because of this, towns and cities are being forced to expend their own funds for repaving and other transportation projects. These crucial funds are time sensitive because they are used 8 | CONNECTICUT TOWN & CITY | DECEMBER 2019
to complete projects that require warmer weather, such as repaving, or the buildup of supplies needed for winter weather. The challenge to maintain this critical infrastructure has increased given these funding difficulties. The delay in releasing the TAR, LoCIP, and Grants for Municipal Projects funding compromises the safety of existing roads and bridges and limits the opportunities to expand and improve our infrastructure network. This is in direct contrast to the Governor’s stated goals. According to a CNBC poll, Connecticut ranked 49th out of 50 in transportation and infrastructure quality. The increased use of the state and local road and bridge network has accelerated the decline of Connecticut’s local transportation infrastructure. Towns and cities rely on the State to release the allocated funds in a timely manner not only because of the crucial projects that need to be finished or winter supplies that need to be bought, but because they are on budgets that have included these funds. Towns and cities should be able to rely on the State to keep them on solid ground. Each day that passes without these funds being released is another crack in the dam that is Connecticut’s local transportation infrastructure. The public safety risks to our residents increase every day funding is postponed.
