Infrastructure Investment High on Business Agenda at State Capitol

Infrastructure investment is one of the Connecticut Business & Industry Association’s leading priorities for the 2021 state legislative session. The state’s largest business membership organization is seeking to gain traction for the effort to earn approval for funding to move ahead with needed repairs to state roads and bridges as an investment in jobs and an array of businesses.

CBIA points out that $306.1 billion in goods are shipped to and from Connecticut each year through the state’s transportation network, and 731,000 full-time jobs in key industry sectors – including manufacturing, retail trade, and wholesale trade – are “completely dependent” on Connecticut’s transportation system.

In this year’s legislative session, which began this month, CBIA is urging approval of a bipartisan transportation funding plan that would provide the “necessary resources to rebuild and modernize Connecticut’s infrastructure while protecting Special Transportation Fund revenues.  According to CBIA and TRIP 2020 Key Facts, 63% of Connecticut’s major roads and highways are in poor or mediocre condition while 62% of the state’s bridges are at least 50 years old. 

CBIA is also urging legislators to leverage public-private partnerships to speed planning and completion of priority transportation projects, additional infrastructure projects such as critical laboratory space, and revitalize and grow the economics of Connecticut’s cities.

And CBIA points out that the current state of disrepair of the state’s transportation infrastructure is costly to state residents.  The estimated cost is $1.83 billion a year or $706 per motorist in additional repairs accelerated vehicle depreciation and increased fuel consumption.

Infrastructure is one element in the organization’s “Rebuilding Connecticut” initiative, which also includes a focus on Connecticut’s cities, workforce development, and small business relief, particularly due to the ramifications of COVID throughout 2020 and into 2021.  CBIA notes, for example, that more than a third of Connecticut’s small businesses have closed their doors during the past year. 

“Businesses are playing a critical role as the state navigates the pandemic,” explained CBIA President & CEO Chris DiPentima and Board Chair Jeff Hubbard.  “We have an historic opportunity ahead of us to reimagine Connecticut and to leverage this opportunity we must dramatically reshape the relationship tween job creators and government.”