Connecticut Has Nation's Highest Average Student Loan Debt, Analysis Shows

The average student debt in Connecticut is higher than any state in the nation, according to a new analysis.  The latest annual report from The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization focused on making higher education more affordable, looked at the Class of 2017 broken down by the state in which they graduated college. The average student debt in Connecticut was $38,510, just ahead of Pennsylvania ($36,854), Rhode Island ($36,250), New Hampshire ($34,415), Delaware ($34,144), New Jersey ($32,247) and Massachusetts ($32.065).  On the other end of the scale are Utah ($18,838), New Mexico ($21,237) and Nevada ($22.064).

As the data reflects, the highest student debt is in states located in the Northeast. There are only two states from the Deep South where average debt tops $30,000, Alabama and Mississippi, and none are from the West Coast. States in the West produce graduates with average debt burdens of only $19-25,000, substantially less.

Nationally, about two in three graduating seniors had student loans. Their average debt was $28,650, about 1 percent higher than the Class of 2016. New graduates’ likelihood of having debt varied from 38 percent (Utah) to 74 percent.  In Connecticut, it is 57 percent.

In all but 8 states, 50 percent or more graduates are saddled with debt of some amount. New Hampshire, South Dakota and West Virginia are tied for having the greatest percentage of indebted graduates (74%). Utah takes first place as the most affordable where only 38 percent of students leave owing student loans.

Between 1996 and 2012, federal data on bachelor’s degree recipients show that the average debt of borrowers increased steadily, according to the study, at an average of 4 percent per year. It has edged higher only slightly in recent years.

(Infographic by howmuch.)

CT Is 6th Oldest State in the Nation, with Projections Pointing to Even Older Population, Economic Ramifications

Considered the 7^th oldest state in the nation for the past few years, Connecticut is getting older relative to other states, according to newly released analysis.  The state is now seen as being the 6th oldest in the nation, following Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, West Virginia, and Florida. The analysis, by S&P Global Ratings, found that the median age of the U.S. increased to 38.0 from 37.2 from 2010-2017. It is projected that by 2030, all baby boomers will be older than 65, and the size of the older population will be such that one in every five residents will be of retirement age.

Connecticut’s median age is 40.9, among a list of “oldest states” that is dominated by New England.  S&P declared that “Northeast States Face A Substantial Old-Age Wave That Is Verging On A Crisis,” highlighting the economic impact of the aging population.

“This aging population has contributed to diminished economic growth, with Connecticut being one of only four states in the country with contracting output. This occurred while its population growth was nearly at the bottom for all states, along with having one of the largest contractions of prime working-age adults,” S&P noted in their analysis.  “The outlook is equally dim. We expect the state's higher concentration of middle-aged and elderly residents compared with young adults and children to worsen.”

Connecticut’s State Department on Aging (SDA), re-established in 2013, is a cabinet-level agency, which developed in August 2017 the state’s 2018-2020 State Plan on Aging, entitled “Growing Older Together”, to serve as a blueprint for the agency’s work. It outlines the activities and strategies the state will pursue to navigate the issues arising from a growing older population.

Citing U.S. Census Bureau data, the report pointed out that “the nation’s population is aging, but not as fast as Connecticut’s.”  At the time, it noted “Connecticut is the 7^th  oldest state in the nation, in terms of median age, with the third longest lived constituency.”

The 100-page report described Connecticut as “one of the slowest-growing states. The state’s total population grew by only 11,169 people from 2010 to 2015. Connecticut had just fewer than 3.6 million residents last year” (2016).

It went on to explain that “upon further look, there is a profound distinction among the projected population shift when broken down by age. Between 2010 and 2040, Connecticut’s age 65 years and over population is on pace to increase by 57%. However, its population between the ages of 20-64 is projected to grow less than 2% and the population age 18 and under is projected to decline by 7%.”

The Connecticut Commission on Women, Children and Seniors, in a presentation titled “Connecticut’s Aging Landscape: State Policy Overview” issued last year, also noted the state’s 7^th oldest status.  Looking ahead, the report cited data developed by the former Legislative Commission on Aging and the Connecticut State Data Center that shows that by 2020, the vast majority of Connecticut municipalities will have populations that include more than 20 percent individuals age 65 and older.  Only six towns are projected to have less than 13 percent of their populations in that age bracket, reflecting the anticipated aging of the population throughout the state.

By 2050 the number of people in Connecticut aged 85 and older is projected to increase to 260,052, according to an analysis by the AARP Public Policy Institute in 2015. This age cohort will more than double in 2050 when it will represent 6.3 percent of state’s overall population compared to 2.6 percent in 2015.

CT's Blockchain Working Group Strives to Drive State Policy in Emerging Field

It was established in the final hours of the 2018 legislative session, and held its first meeting the following month, back in June.  Special Act 18-8 created Connecticut’s Blockchain Working Group, with little fanfare and less notice.  The objective:  make recommendations to the incoming 2019 legislature that will “help promote innovation and economic growth by reducing barriers to and expediting the expansion of the state's blockchain industry.” While the Task Force was getting started, another blockchain initiative was grabbing headlines.  Seven Stars Cloud announced in early  July that it was planning to purchase the former University of Connecticut campus in West Hartford to develop a $283 million financial technology hub that would attract more than 50 companies, along with a research institute and training center, with blockchain technology being the centerpiece.

Local zoning approvals are pending, and the state has agreed to loan the company $10 million for renovations to the 58-acre property, and to forgive the loan if the company employs 330 people there over five years. In late August, the company changed its name to Ideanomics.

The legislation calls for the leaders of the legislature’s Commerce Committee – Republicans and Democrats – to  jointly appoint and convene a working group to develop a master plan for fostering the expansion of the blockchain industry in the state and recommend policies and state investments to make Connecticut a leader in blockchain technology. It calls for the “master plan” to:

• Identify the economic growth and development opportunities presented by blockchain technology;
• assess the existing blockchain industry in the state;
• review workforce needs and academic programs required to build blockchain expertise across all relevant industries; and
• make legislative recommendations that will help promote innovation and economic growth by reducing barriers to and expediting the expansion of the state's blockchain industry.

A final report and recommendations is due on January 1, 2019.

The Working Group, which met initially on June 28 in Stamford, is chaired by Nick Kammerman of Westport-based Chateaux.  Members include David Noble (UConn Business School), Don Tirea (Checkmate Inc.), Jamil Hasan (Blockchain Consultant), Kevin Hart (Green Check Verified), Emily Goodman Binick (Blockchain Consultant), Margaret Feeney (Nat West Markets), Bryant Eisenbach (DappDevs), Spencer Curry (Trifecta Ecosystems), Philip Bradford (UConn Engineering School) and Stephen Ehrlich (Crypto Trading Technologies).  Legislators participating in the Working Group are Senators Joan Hartley and L. Scott Frantz and Representatives Caroline Simmons and Dave Yaccarino.  State Economic and Community Development Commissioner Catherine Smith serves as an ex-officio member.

Among the tax treatments the Working Group discussed preliminarily at the meeting, according to the  official Minutes,  were creating “tax incentives for companies that create blockchain products or use them who are currently in the state or coming to the state,” “changing laws to give blockchain industries access to banks in order to pay taxes,” and “figuring out how the state of Connecticut can implement a system to help blockchain/cryptocurrency companies and individuals pay taxes and fees.”

Testifying in support of the legislature this spring, Spencer Curry, CEO and co-founder of Trifecta Ecosystems, explained that “blockchain stands to revolutionize global industries by creating new revenue models and driving costs down on existing revenue models, automating processes with smart contracts, increasing traceability/visibility, and hardening security to malicious attackers.”

Supriyo B. Chatterjee of West Hartford noted that “blockchain has arrived in the Connecticut industries andwith it brings high-vbalue jobs that will contribute significantly to the Connecticut economy.” He pointed out that blockchain will have a “profound effect on the health sciences industry,” as well as the insurance industry and STEM jobs, and will “fundamentally change the distribution of goods and services worldwide.”

Curry went on to suggest that “supporting this technology will benefit Connecticut’s workforce through an infusion of excellent talent from around the world.  If the State does not embrace blockchain technology, it … will only hasten the corporate flight from our state.”  He said that “if the State chooses to empower companies exploring blockchain technologies, then a new wave of prosperity and success awaits these tried and true Connecticut industries,” such as insurance, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, financial, agriculture and military supply chain.

Commissioner Smith, one of the seven people to submit testimony on the bill, told the Commerce Committee at the March public hearing that the department lacks “the in-house expertise to conduct an informed analysis” of “all facets of blockchain technology.” The original version of the bill included $200,000 allocation for the Department of Economic and Community Development to conduct the study.  The Senate amendment eliminated the funding allocation.

Don Tirea of DappDevs indicated that a blockchain initiative that “incentivizes research and development for enterprises and startups, coupled with a highly skilled tech talent pipeline is a recipe for economic revitalization across Connecticut’s historic industries.  He added that embracing blockchain technology would create a “shift in our nation’s perspective of Connecticut’s ability to innovate”

Co-sponsors of the original legislation (Senate Bill 443), which was later amended in the Senate, included Senators Michael McLachlan, Heather Somers, Scott Frantz, and George Logan.  House co-sponsors included Caroline Simons, Michael Winkler, Livvy Floren, Laura Devlin and Linda Orange.

Business Association Launches Campaign Urging Candidates to "Fix Connecticut"

Connecticut’s largest business association is launching a statewide advertising blitz to exert its voice in the political debate in the aftermath of the state’s primaries as the focus turns to the November elections.  CBIA will on focus on raising public awareness of what it describes as the critical issues and challenges impacting the state's economic future and job growth. The campaign, called “Fix Connecticut” will include digital, broadcast, and print advertising and will run into the 2019 General Assembly session and beyond, officials said.  It includes a website, fixconnecticut.com, and a video that acknowledges some progress made since the 2016 election, noting that "our state's economy is better than it was," but stresses that "we have a long way to go."

“High taxes, job growth, and a sluggish economy are the top concerns for Connecticut residents and must be priorities for lawmakers and candidates for elected office," CBIA president and CEO Joe Brennan said, echoing the video's urging "we need lawmakers that have a plan" to make the state more affordable, cut state spending and "help us compete with other states in the region."

The advertising campaign may also serve as a precursor to anticipated endorsements of candidates by CBIA in statewide and local legislative races.  In 2016, CBIA endorsed candidates in 22 of 36 State Senate races, urging the election of 4 Democrats and 18 Republicans.  There were also endorsements made in 85 of 151 House districts, including 23 Democrat and 62 Republican candidates.  Those endorsements came in mid-September two years ago.

“Lawmakers and candidates must understand what really matters to Connecticut and we want residents to understand how critical these issues are to the state's economic future,” Brennan added.  “We want to make sure those issues are front and center during what we believe is a make-or-break time for Connecticut.

The Fix Connecticut campaign centers on a five-point plan that outlines key policy steps designed to remove barriers to economic growth and leverage the state's many strengths, according to CBIA:

• Prioritize Economic and Job Growth. Help businesses compete for talent, expand private-public workforce development initiatives, and continue strengthening high school and college programs to meet the needs of our 21st century economy. The best way to solve the state's fiscal problems is to grow the economy.
• Cut State Spending. Reduce the size and cost of government, privatize appropriate state services, expand the use of non-profit agencies, and put the brakes on spiraling overtime costs.
• Make Connecticut More Affordable. That starts with lowering taxes. Connecticut's personal income, business, and property tax burden is one of the highest in the country—a key factor behind the state's population decline, including the loss of billions of dollars in income.
• Reform the State Employment Retirement System. Align state employee compensation and benefits with Northeast states' public sectors and the private sector and end the use of overtime in calculating pensions.
• Improve Connecticut's Business Climate. Reject costly, burdensome workplace mandates, cut unnecessary red tape, block new taxes and fees that drive up healthcare costs, reform the state's unemployment compensation system, and overhaul transportation infrastructure.

"State lawmakers' actions have a far greater impact on our daily lives, our workplaces, and our economy than decisions that are made at the federal level.  With so much attention on national politics, we cannot lose sight of the critical issues impacting Connecticut,” Brennan pointed out, noting that the campaign will complement CBIA's advocacy efforts during the next legislative session, which begins in January.

https://youtu.be/1UTTqLaVpUI

39 CT Companies Among 5,000 Fastest Growing in U.S.: Inc.

A total of 39 Connecticut companies are among the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America, according to the 2018 ranking published by Inc. magazine. Leading the way are Southbury-based Current Staffing Solutions (#133), InGenius Prep (#657), a New Haven business, ONE SOURCE Companies of Wallingford (#824) and Votto Vines Importing (#911) headquartered in Hamden. Stamford Technology Solutions (#919) was the only other Connecticut-based company to earn a spot in the top 1000.

Collectively, the companies on this year’s list, according to Inc., amassed $206.2 billion in revenue in 2017, up 158 percent from $79.8 billion in 2014. Last year's list included 34 Connecticut companies.

No company on the 2018 Inc. 5000 list has grown by less than 50 percent over the past three years. To make the even more exclusive Inc. 500 list this year – as one Connecticut business did - a company had to grow by more than 1,000 percent.

Only about 12 percent of American companies achieve one-year revenue growth of 25 percent or more, according to Inc., yet those are the companies that are responsible for half of all jobs created.

Companies on the 2018 Inc. 500 were ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2014 to 2017. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 31, 2014. They must be U.S.-based, privately held, for-profit, and independent--not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies--as of December 31, 2017.

Bill Evans is President of Current Staffing Solutions, an industry leader offering a full variety of staffing options.  The company was founded in 2012.  The company website notes that “as a Disability Owned Business, you will find we are not your typical recruiting agency.” Evans was diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson's Disease.  The company’s 3-year growth, according to Inc.: 2,987 percent.

The goal of InGenius Prep is to “get you in the school of your dreams, and we have a spotless track record.”  The company’s website indicates that the company is led by “Admissions Experts - Former Deans of Admissions and Grads of Top Universities - who will bring your dream schools into reach.”

Among the 39 Connecticut companies, the largest employee growth was at Inspira Marketing, a Norwalk-based “experiential marketing agency that specializes in forging connections between brands and consumers,” which added 631 jobs.  The top revenue generator among the companies based in the Nutmeg state was Carla’s Pasta, with $116.5 million in revenue in 2017.

A total of 24 Connecticut companies earned a slot in the first 3,000: Current Staffing Solutions (133), InGenius Prep (657), ONE SOURCE Companies (824), Votto Vines Importing (911), Stamford Technology Solutions (919), Julia Balfour (1129), Inspira Marketing (1180), MediaCrossing (1189), The Pi Group (1196), GEM Advertising (1258), Port One (1562), Port One (1562), Laurel Road (1801), Alliance All Trades (1919), The Lockwood Group (2042), Health Products For You (2043), Leap the Pond (2333), northeast Private Clint group (2598), The Junkluggers (2743), NEOS (2863), Buyers Edge (2841), Avanta Systems USA, (2897), Charles IT (2934) and i2e Consulting (2975).

The other companies from Connecticut among the top 5,000 are: IMPACT Branding & Design (3127), Metropolitan Interacrtive (3194), Framework Solutions (3216), heartsmart.com (3258), Choice Merchant Solutions (3343), Bizzmark (3693), CME Associates (3745), Kyber Security (3832), Torque Technologies (4451), Carla'sPasta (4567), Frsh Green Light (4596), FCP Euro (4750), Fosina Marketing Group (4840), SCIO Health Analytics (4908), Strategic Sales (4959), and Mediassociates (4979).

(Note:  a previous version of this story inadvertently indicated 59, rather than 39, Connecticut companies, although the list of companies correctly included 39.)

Toll Technology, Revenue Considered in Indiana, Minnesota and (Possibly) Connecticut

“Toll technology advancements significantly altered the tolling landscape, expanded the types of toll facilities being operated and improved customer experience,” a report on tolling feasibility developed for the Minnesota Department of Transportation explained.  “New toll facilities using all-electronic tolling are being implemented in several places across the country to add new roadway capacity, manage congestion and provide a sustainable revenue source for asset lifecycle costs.” The 106-page report, issued in January, concluded that more study is needed — if that’s the direction the state wants to take, the Minneapolis StarTribune reported.  The StarTribune noted that “Minnesota doesn’t have the kind of toll-road system that is common on the East Coast and other regions of the country. The E-ZPass electronic toll system, for example, was first deployed in New York 25 years ago and now serves 17 states, stretching from Maine to Illinois to North Carolina.”

The MnDOT study, initiated at the legislature’s behest, cost $175,000 and recommended a follow-on in-depth study, anticipated to have a considerably larger price tag.  The report stated that “results of the feasibility analysis are a high-level revenue assessment based on numerous assumptions and a more detailed study would be required before any decision is made to implement a specific toll project.” The report was prepared by four consultants – the Minneapolis offices of WSB and HNTV Corporation, and Prime Strategies, Inc. and Lock Lord LLP, both of Austin.

Indiana is also giving tolls a careful look, with the type of in-depth study recommended in Minnesota, and proposed by Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy, who signed an Executive Order authorizing a $10 million study.  Malloy’s proposal is to be considered by the State Bond Commission later this week.  “Without transforming the way the state funds its highways,” Malloy said recently, “we will be unable to pay for the large-scale construction and rehabilitation projects that our state needs to ensure continued safe travel while attracting businesses and growing our economy.”

In Indiana, a strategic plan that could clear the way for that state to add tolls to its interstate highways, including inside the I-465 loop in Indianapolis, is currently being developed by one of the companies utilized by Minnesota.

The Indianapolis Star reported earlier this summer that the state signed a $9.6 million contract with HNTB Indiana Inc. to study the impact of tolling and provide project planning if the state chooses to move forward with tolling.  The administration of Gov. Eric Holcomb is required to study tolling under a road-funding plan lawmakers passed in 2017, but a decision has not been made on whether the state will go forward with authorizing a tolling plan, according to published reports.

Under the law, Indiana’s Governor is permitted to draft a strategic plan "if the governor determines that tolling is the best means of achieving major interstate system improvements in Indiana."   That decision has yet to be made.

"He wanted more information to make an informed decision and will use the strategic plan due Dec. 1 as a basis for that," a spokesman for the Governor told the Star. "If after reviewing the plan the governor determines that tolling is not the best option, the state won’t move forward with the remainder of the contract."

The contract with HNTB lays out specific requirements for the consultant if the state chooses to add tolling. For example, the Star reported, HNTB would be required to assist with project start-up for tolls in the Indianapolis Metropolitan Planning Area, which includes Indianapolis and portions of nearly all of the bordering counties.

In Iowa earlier this year, a state DOT report on tolls was received by political leaders with distain.  In an editorial, The Gazette noted the possibility of tolls “is worthy of much more careful consideration than the political class is willing to grant.”  The publication added “Political fecklessness will not solve Iowa’s mounting transportation funding problems. Iowans love driving, we have a lot of roads and somebody has to pay for them.”

“Many Iowans have noticed a pattern in state government, a repetitive cycle of studies, recommendations and inaction. That may serve politicians fixated on their next election, but it does little to solve the very real problems Iowans face.”

https://youtu.be/kQxCVcMUq1s

Video: Connecticut House Democrats

Graphics:  2018 Minnesota DOT Toll Study Report

Power of Nature to Help Cities and Local Residents Being Revealed in Bridgeport

What would happen if ways to integrate nature into a major urban community were pursued?  In Connecticut, the largest city is Bridgeport, and the Connecticut chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been undertaking an effort to find out. Nature offers a lot of benefits to communities, TNC points out. “Trees provide shade and help clean the air. Gardens absorb and filter water, which reduces flooding and runoff into nearby rivers. Healthy dunes and wetlands protect coastlines from storms.”  In addition, the organization points out, “nature can also transform the way people experience their neighborhood.”

With 70 percent of the world’s population predicted to live in cities by 2050, heat and air pollution constitute a major public health concern, TNC points out, underscoring the importance of the organization’s initiatives to plant trees in urban areas across the country, among a series of related undertakings.

“People are at the core of our efforts to identify how neighborhoods are addressing daunting challenges in this formerly industrialized city,” said Drew Goldsman, Urban Conservation Program Manager. “We want to partner with communities to implement natural solutions in Bridgeport that help both people and nature.”

Their Eco-Urban Assessment looked at areas in Bridgeport that have poor air quality, high risk of flooding, and limited access to nearby green spaces and layered it with data on income level, impervious surfaces and asthma rates. The team was able to pinpoint neighborhoods where trees, green stormwater systems and open spaces will make the biggest difference for people and nature.  Air quality and flood risk topped the list of most acute needs.

In collaboration with local partners, the Conservancy is supporting a neighborhood-led greening effort known as ‘Green Connections’ in Bridgeport’s East Side neighborhood. Creating a plan for ways natural resources can shape the future of the community while making immediate changes to the landscape —through tree plantings and green stormwater infrastructure projects— is one of the initiative’s main goals, along with empowering volunteer stewards living in the community to take ownership of these natural areas. All of this helps create safe spaces for the community to gather, provides cooler and cleaner air, and improves wildlife habitat in the city.

According to the Nature Conservancy, Bridgeport currently has a 19% tree canopy cover, for example.  If all open spaces, vacant lots and parking lots could be planted, the city would have a 62% tree canopy cover.  The ramifications would be substantial, impacting various health and quality of life factors.

“Healthier people, cooler temperatures in the summer, cleaner air, reduced flooding, more urban habitat, parks and forests, less sewage overflow, a clean Pequannock River a more resilient coastline and green jobs” are cited as potential benefits.

The national publication Governing pointed out last year that “Streets cover about a third of the land in cities, and they account for half of the impervious surfaces in cities. Impervious surfaces don’t allow water to soak through them, which means they can alter the natural flow of rainwater. City streets collect, channel, pollute and sometimes even speed along water as it heads to the sewers.”

Goldsman indicates that currently efforts are focusing on the city of Bridgeport, but the Eco-Urban Assessment model is available to urban communities that want a deeper understanding of where nature can bring solutions to some of the most pressing urban issues.

“With the Eco-Urban Assessment model, we’re able to help municipalities identify the places and ways we can work together to use nature to improve residents’ quality of life and build more sustainable communities,” said Dr. Frogard Ryan, Connecticut state director for The Nature Conservancy. “From the beginning, we wanted this to be a community-led and TNC-supported program. Residents help us identify areas of other focus that aren’t highlighted by the model and be sure our study reflects what people experience day-to-day.”

State Funds Continue to Support Transit-Oriented Development; $8.5 Million in New Grants to 5 Municipalities

Five Connecticut communities – Danbury, Hartford, Stamford, Torrington and West Hartford - will share approximately $8.5 million in funding under the second phase of the state’s 2017 Responsible Growth and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Grants. They are the latest in a series of competitive state grants to be awarded in recent years to support the development and implementation of TOD initiatives around the state. The competitive grant program “supports transit-oriented development and responsible growth in the state and is targeted at boosting economic activity and creating jobs,” according to state officials. Administered by the Office of Policy and Management (OPM) the grants rely on a combination of funding from the Responsible Growth Incentive Fund and the Transit-Oriented Development and Pre-development Fund.

A year ago, OPM released a request for applications for the current grant program, and the State Bond Commission approved a total of $15 million to be used – comprised of $5 million from the Responsible Growth Incentive Fund and $10 million from the Transit-Oriented Development and Pre-development Fund. Following that, OPM – with input from other state agencies – reviewed, rated, and ranked each of the proposals.

In this round of funding, Danbury’s Downtown Streetscape Project is receiving $2 million to prepare design drawings and construct sidewalk and streetscape infrastructure improvements along key downtown pedestrian routes within the vicinity of the Danbury train station. Improvements include the new construction or replacement of sidewalks, intersection improvements, landscaping, removal and installation of street trees, ornamental lighting, and pedestrian access improvements as detailed in the city’s Downtown TOD Planning Study.

Stamford’s Springdale TOD Implementation project is receiving $1,994,188 to prepare design and engineering drawings and construct improvements around the Springdale train station consistent with the recommendations of the Glenbrook/Springdale TOD Feasibility Study. Improvements include safer bicycle and pedestrian access to the village center and rail station, realignment and modification of the station’s main entrance at Clearview Avenue, and other improvements to landscaping, lighting, and general accessibility in and around the station area.

In Torrington, the East Main Street (Route 202) Sidewalk Implementation will receive $1,997,700 to construct new sidewalks, and repair/replace existing sidewalks along portions of East Main St (Route 202) between Torrington Heights Road and the Big Lots Plaza. The city will use a portion of the funding to evaluate existing conditions at nine signalized intersections within the project boundary, and at more complex sections of roadway which lack sidewalks, to determine if additional pedestrian improvements are feasible.

Hartford’s Main Street Complete Streets Vision Plan and Innovation District Activation will receive $450,000 to develop a Complete Streets Vision Plan for a section of Main Street from State House Square to the vicinity of South Green in order to identify improvements to bike and pedestrian amenities, and prepare complete construction documents for future buildout. In addition to bike and pedestrian amenities, the final plan is to identify potential improvements to transit services, new streetscaping, a new cycle track, and other linkages to improve bike and pedestrian connections within the project area.

A portion of Hartford’s funding will also be used to implement the Innovation District Activation Program, to provide grants to new and existing businesses within the project area to support capital and other investments such as façade improvements, building infrastructure, marketing, business planning, public events, and other business/community support services with the objective of creating vibrant employment and residential hubs.

West Hartford’s New Park Avenue Complete Streets Implementation will receive a grant of $2,000,000 to construct complete streets infrastructure improvements along New Park Avenue from New Britain Avenue to Oakwood Avenue, consistent with the recommendations of the 2017 New Park Avenue Transit Area Complete Streets Study. Improvements include a road diet with center turn lane, landscaped medians and protected bike lanes, new street trees, lighting, wayfinding signage and other amenities, and a pocket park at the gateway to the Trout Brook Trail.

“Transportation isn’t just about cars, trains, and buses – it’s about building vibrant communities and continuing to make Connecticut a more attractive place to live, visit and do business,” Gov. Malloy said in announcing the grants. The awards “will build upon the smart, targeted investments we have made in recent years, which have already led to significant growth in transit-oriented development across the state.”

The first round of grants under the current initiative were released in December 2017, with eleven projects to receive $15 million.  Communities selected to receive funds were Berlin, Clinton, East Windsor, Madison, New Britain, Norwalk, Stratford, Wallingford, Winchester, Windsor Locks, and the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments.

In 2016, state officials announced that twenty projects in towns and cities across Connecticut would receive a total of nearly $11 million to transit-oriented development and responsible growth, targeted at boosting economic activity and creating jobs. At the time, Gov. Malloy said “Our focus is on not only improving overall quality of life for residents in these areas, but also encouraging economic development by making our towns and cities more accessible."

Communities selected were Berlin, Branford, Canton, Clinton, Danbury, Hartford, Madison, New Canaan, New Haven, Old Saybrook, Torrington/Winsted, Waterbury, Westport, Windsor, and Windsor Locks.  Also receiving funds were the Capitol Region Council of Governments, Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, and Northwest Hills Council of Governments.

Previously, 11 state grants between $75,000 and $150,000 were provided in 2015 to “prospective planning projects that best support transit oriented development.”  Receiving the state grants were Berlin, Bethel, Bridgeport, Enfield, Meriden, Milford, New Britain, New Haven, Stratford, Wallingford and West Hartford.

Aetna, CVS Health Earn Place Among 50 Civic-Minded Companies

Hartford-based Aetna and Rhode Island-based CVS Health, with their merger plans currently under review at the state and federal levels, have both been named to The Civic 50 for 2018, reflecting their community-minded programs and policies.  They are among the public and private companies with U.S. operations and revenues of $1 billion or more, selected based on four dimensions of their U.S. community engagement program.  Both companies also reached the list of 50 in 2017. The Civic 50 survey, produced annually since 2011 for Points of Light, has provided “a national standard for superior corporate citizenship and showcased how companies can use their time, skills and other resources to improve the quality of life in the communities where they do business,” according to Points of Light.

The survey analysis is administered for the Points of Light Foundation by True Impact, a company specializing in helping organizations maximize and measure their social and business value, and analyzed by VeraWorks. The survey instrument consists of quantitative and multiple-choice questions that inform the Civic 50 scoring process. It is the only survey and ranking system that exclusively measures corporate involvement in communities.

Among findings highlighted in the latest annual report:

• Civic 50 companies are evolving from being supporters to engaging as stewards of social causes. Instead of confining themselves to writing checks or piggybacking off of nonprofit work, Civic 50 companies are involving themselves in all aspects of social causes which they champion. In 2018, 70 percent of Civic 50 companies took national leadership positions on four or more public education or policy efforts, an increase from 62 percent in 2017.
• Civic 50 honorees continue to exemplify one of the core tenets of corporate citizenship: "doing well by doing good". The 2018 honorees demonstrate that integrating community engagement initiatives into business strategy can support business interests. The 2018 honorees are using community engagement to drive key business functions, including employee engagement (86 percent), marketing/PR (78 percent), diversity and inclusion (74 percent), skill development (74 percent) and stakeholder relations (56 percent)
• Leading innovations for purpose at work, Civic 50 honorees have found community engagement as a meaningful and valuable investment to inspire employee changemakers and create a strong culture of giving back. 68 percent of Civic 50 companies include community engagement as a formal component of employees' performance reviews, an increase from 62 percent in 2017.
• Civic 50 companies understand the importance of impact: to ensure the sustainability and success of their community engagement initiatives, Civic 50 companies are using measurement practices to not only measure quantifiable outputs, but social outcomes. Civic 50 companies are making sure to measure social outcomes as part of regularly implemented data collection. In 2018, 68 percent of Civic 50 companies collected and analyzed data on organizational grants and 42 percent did so for volunteerism.

Among the other companies included in the Civic 50 are KeyBank, Marriott International, Wells Fargo, UPS, Prudential Financial, and Comcast NBC Universal.

In its Corporate Social Responsibility Report, Aetna noted that as the company “pursues its goal of building healthier communities, we view social responsibility as a critical driver of success and an integral part of how we conduct our business.”

The report notes that “three quarters of Aetna employees are women, a third are people of color, 11 percent self-identify as LGBT and nearly 5 percent self-identify as having a disability.  Additionally, millennials comprise 31 percent of Aetna’s employees, which was a key driver of our new program to provide up to $10,000 to qualified recent college graduates to help them repay education loans.”

CVS Health, in the company’s social responsibility report, shares that their work “is rooted in our company’s values:  innovation, collaboration, caring, integrity and accountability.”  Three pillars – Health in Action, Planet in Balance and Leader in Growth – make up the company’s Prescription for a Better World, which provide the framework for the CVS Health strategy in corporate responsibility.

The four-dimension criteria used in assessing companies include:

• Investment: How extensively and strategically does the company apply its resources to community engagement in the United States, including employee time and skills, cash, in-kind giving and leadership?
• Integration: How does the company integrate their U.S. community engagement programs into key business functions, including employee engagement, marketing/PR, diversity and inclusion, recruiting, stakeholder relations and skill-development?
• Institutionalization: How does the company support community engagement in the United States through organizational policies, systems and incentives?
• Impact: How does the company measure the social and business impact of their U.S. community engagement program?

Points of Light is the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service.  It grew from the vision of 1,000 points of light shared by founder President George H. W. Bush in his 1989 inaugural address. The Points of Light Corporate Institute is a leading resource for community-minded companies looking to build and expand effective employee volunteer programs.

US DOT Looks to Future of Transportation Infrastructure, Taps College Consortium Including UConn for $14.2 Million Initiative

Connecticut’s deteriorating transportation infrastructure, and the lack of sufficient funding to make needed improvements, have been in the news often in recent months.  While not an immediate solution to pressing challenges, an announcement from the U.S. Department of Transportation may provide encouragement for those seeking longer-term remedies. The U.S. DOT has selected the University of Maine to lead the creation of a highly competitive University Transportation Center (UTC), to focus on “improving the curability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure.”

The initiative, to include the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Department of Transportation, will be called the Transportation Infrastructure Durability Center (TIDC). TIDC aims to help save taxpayer dollars by extending the life of transportation assets, including bridges, roads and rail.

The U.S. DOT will provide as much as $14.2 million over five years for the UMaine-led coalition including UConn, University of Rhode Island, University of Massachusetts Lowell, University of Vermont, and Western New England University.

Additional partners include representatives from the Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT), Vermont Agency of Transportation, Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT), Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT), Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT), and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Transportation and Development Institute.

“Along with our partners from all New England states, we look forward to leading research to extend the life of existing bridges, construct longer-lasting assets, and reduce costs for the DOT and the public,” said Dr. Habib Dagher, founding executive director of the UMaine Advanced Structures and Composites Center, and center director of the newly formed TIDC Center.

Officials explain that working with state DOTs, the new TIDC will seek to identify new materials and technologies that maximize the impact of transportation infrastructure investments. The center will work along four pathways:

1. develop improved road and bridge monitoring and assessment tools;
2. develop better ways to strengthen existing bridges to extend their life;
3. use new materials and systems to build longer-lasting new bridges and accelerate construction; and
4. use new connectivity tools to enhance asset and performance management while promoting workforce development, the release said.

According to the U.S. DOT, each University Transportation Center is a consortium of two- and four-year colleges and universities that come together to form a unique center of transportation excellence on a specific research topic.

“Together, they advance U.S. technology and expertise in the many disciplines comprising transportation through education, solutions-oriented research and technology transfer, and the exploration and sharing of cutting-edge ideas and approaches,” USDOT explains.

The U.S. DOT invests in the future of transportation through its University Transportation Centers (UTC) Program, which awards and administers grants to consortia of colleges and universities across the United States.  In the Northeast, other consortia with the same policy focus include a 9-institution UTC led by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey and a 6-institution group led by Pennsylvania State University.

Other groupings include a 10-institution consortium led by the University of Florida devoted to reducing congestion; a 6-institution effort to promote safety led by the University of Michigan and a 8-institution initiative to improve mobility of people and goods coordinated by the University of Southern California.

The newly announced TIDC will harness the experience of 28 faculty researchers, including a team of five engineering faculty members from UConn, led by Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Professor Ramesh B. Malla, and will train 280 student researchers from all New England states. It will focus on real infrastructure needs identified by DOT partners, and prioritize extending the life of existing transportation assets to ensure cost-effectiveness.

“As a regional and national leader in transportation-related research, UMaine is prepared and ready to take on this work,” said U.S. Sen. Angus King of Maine. “The creation of this new center will allow the university to expand its efforts to tackle the infrastructure problems facing communities not just in Maine, but across the country. This project has the potential to save taxpayer money and improve quality of life.”

“We are eager to partner with this program to support research that will offer new technologies and techniques that ensure taxpayer investments continue to be maximized while also extending the lifespan of our investments,” said Maine DOT Commissioner David Bernhardt.  Officials noted that member universities of the new TIDC have an extensive record of accomplishments in transportation infrastructure research, education and technology transfer.

New England’s transportation infrastructure faces unique challenges due to harsh winter weather and short construction seasons. According to ASCE, Nearly 30 percent of New England roads are rated in poor condition which, on average, costs each motorist $584 annually in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs. Nationally, driving on roads in need of repair costs U.S. motorists $120.5 billion.

Since 1987, the UTC program has advanced transportation research and technology at colleges and universities across the country. Every five years, academic institutions nationwide compete to form their region’s UTC.