CT’s Regional Planning Agencies Consolidate, Realign and Disappear

As the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCRPA) prepares to go out of existence, the newly formed Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments is advertising for an Executive Director.  It’s all part of a major shake-up of regional planning agencies in central Connecticut, prompted by the state legislature’s decision to reduce the number of regional planning agencies in the state from 15 to 9, as of January 1.  Among the by-products:  Bristol and New Britain are parting company. The realignment is breaking up long-term relationships going back decades, and forcing municipalities to decide on new partners.  Regional planning agencies deal with a range of issues, but generally focus on transportation, land use, brownfield cleanup and environmental projects. For communities between two large cities that serve as anchors of regional planning agencies, it often comes down to deciding it they’d like to align to the east or the west.

The Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency (CCRPA), for example, has been the regional and metropolitan planning organization for the cities of Bristol and New Britain and the towns of Berlin, Burlington, Plainville, Plymouth, and Southington. For over 45 years, CCRPA has worked with government, business, and the public to develop a vision for the region and resolve its challenges.  It will cease to exist at the end of the year.

The newly formed Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) will replace the Council of Governments of Central Naugatuck Valley and the Valley Council of Governments plus add two towns from the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency – Bristol and Plymouth.

The other CCRPA towns, including New Britain, are headed elsewhere. Most of the towns in the CCRPA have opted to join with Hartford area municipalities in the Capitol Region Council of Governments, but Bristol officials decided to join the Waterbury agency instead.  New Britain is one of eight municipalities to join CRCOG in recent months, as part of the CCRPA break-up.

CRCOG will have grown to 38 member municipalities, with a total population of just under one million, and 1,047 square miles, the largest of the state’s regional planning agencies.  Joining CRCOG since July 1 are Berlin, Columbia, Coventry, Mansfield, Plainville, Southington, Willington and New Britain.  The new Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments will represent 19 towns and cities with a population of 448,738, over 420 square miles.

Ed Edelson and Kurt Miller, the current chairmen of the two councils of governments that had been covering the Naugatuck Valley, which will be subsumed by the new Council, said recently that “although our two current organizations have done high-quality work over the past four decades, we recognize they each have had different strengths and areas of focus.”

Edelson, the Democrat first selectman of Southbury, and Miller, the Republican first selectman of Seymour, added “we believe this step to align the 19 cities and towns around the urban center of Waterbury provides the best opportunity for all of our communities to combine resources, and bring significant new investment and cost savings to each of our communities.”  NVCOG held its first organizational meeting in late summer, and launched their Executive Director search last week.

Bristol Mayor Ken Cockayne recently said he “looks forward to strengthening existing ties to neighbors and building new relationships and cooperation with communities that share many of Bristol’s priorities and challenges.”

They also said they “recognize the importance of our new region’s major cities — such as Waterbury, Bristol and Shelton — as the economic engines. Their economic and social future is critical to all of the surrounding towns. We are all dynamically linked.”

For those who may be interested in the Executive Director position, topping the list of characteristics for the “ideal candidate” – “honest, trustworthy, diplomatic and ethical.”  And leading the “opportunities and challenges” – managing the consolidation, “sensitive to the cultural differences” of bringing the 19 towns together as a new council of governments.

The next challenge for the state, according to Edelson and Miller, is the consolidation of the Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), which are the federal regions that plan transportation systems and jointly allocate federal funds for these projects with the Connecticut Department of Transportation. There currently are eight MPOs in Connecticut, and the aim is to have fewer MPOs with boundaries that coincide with the new councils of governments’ boundaries.

Anti-Texting Enforcement Intensifies as Study Indicates Law Can Save Lives

An unprecedented anti-texting enforcement effort by the Connecticut Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Office, part of the “U Drive. U Text. U Pay.” campaign, concludes this week on September 24.  The nearly month-long enforcement mobilization marked the first time the state has used dedicated federal funds to curb texting while driving. Connecticut was the only state in the nation to receive $2.3 million in federal Distracted Driving prevention funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The joint effort by state and local police enforces Connecticut’s law that prohibits motorists from texting and/or using hand-held cell phones while driving. Under Connecticut’s cell phone and texting law, violations involve heavy fines, ranging from $150 for a first offense and $300 for a second violation to $500 for each subsequent violation.

Using data from the Governor’s Highway Safety Administration, the National Conference of State Legislatures summarizes state cellular phone use and texting while driving laws.

• Hand-held Cell Phone Use Ban: 13 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands prohibit all drivers from using hand-held cell phones while driving.
• All Cell Phone ban: No state bans all cell phone use for all drivers, but 37 states and D.C. ban all cell phone use by novice or teen drivers, and 20 states and D.C. prohibit any cell phone use for school bus drivers.
• Text Messaging ban: 44 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands ban text messaging for all drivers. Four states prohibit text messaging by novice or teen drivers and three states restrict school bus drivers from texting.

Texting bans can reduce teen traffic fatalities by as much as 11 percent, according to a new study of the effect of such state laws.  Texting bans aimed at teens and that allow primary enforcement of the law —they don’t require officers to have another reason for the traffic stop — have had the most dramatic effect, a team of researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health found in a study published in the August edition of the American Journal of Public Health.

“[O]ur results provide strong evidence that the primarily enforced texting laws seem to be reaching the intended subpopulations who are most at risk for texting while driving,” the researchers indicated.

According to the website distraction.gov, the official U.S. government website for distracted driving, Connecticut law includes:

• Handheld ban for all drivers (Primary law)
• Ban on all cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for bus drivers (Primary law)
• Ban on all cell phone use (handheld and hands-free) for novice drivers (Primary law)
• Ban on texting for all drivers (Primary law)

Connecticut defines novice drivers as those under the age of 18 or with a learner's permit.

In the recently published research, the team examined 11 years of data from the 48 contiguous states. They controlled for other factors that may influence crash risk, such as economic, legal and population-specific indicators. (Unemployment, for example, can influence risk because fewer workers means fewer drivers on the road. Income and gas prices can affect how much people drive, again exposing them to more risk.)

Just having a texting law was linked to a 2.3 percent decline in overall traffic fatalities for all drivers.

“Our results indicate that states that have not enacted any primarily enforced texting bans are missing out on opportunities to prevent avoidable roadway deaths,” said one of the authors, Alva O. Ferdinand.

The first of the researchers’ three main findings was that primary enforcement really matters.  At the time of this study, Alva O. Ferdinand, Nir Menachemi, Bisakha Sen, Justin L. Blackburn, and Michael Morrisey were with the Department of Health Care Organization and Policy, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Leonard Nelson was with the Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, Birmingham, AL.

While the focused enforcement mobilization will end Sept. 24, the Transportation Department says enforcing Connecticut’s tough hand held mobile phone ban remains a priority.

New Haven Leads the Way in Major Transportation Infrastructure Projects Underway

There’s a decidedly New Haven bend to the state’s largest ongoing transportation infrastructure projects.  A listing of the largest Department of Transportation (DOT) projects indicates that of the top 20 projects, eight of them are in New Haven, including four of the top six. The largest project is the construction of the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge, better known ats the Q-bridge, which carries I-95 over the Quinnipiac River.  The $417 million project began in 2009 and is slated for completion in 2015.

The second largest project is less than a stone’s throw away.  The reconstruction of the I-95/I-91/Route34 interchange in New Haven began in 2011 and is estimated to be completed in 2016, at a cost of $359.9 million.

Ranked as the third largest DOT infrastructure project now underway is the reconstruction of the Moses Wheeler Bridge, which brings I-95 over the Housatonic River in Stratford.

It’s back to New Haven for the fourth largest ongoing project, the facilities improvements to the New Haven Rail Yard, including construction of a component changeout shop.  The estimated cost is $160.9 million, with the project due to be completed next April.

The Hartford-New Britain area of central Connecticut has the fifth largest project, the construction of the CTfastrack bus corridor.  The I-95 West River Bridge replacement in New Haven is number six, followed by catenary replacement in Bridgeport (number 7) and New Haven (number 8).

There are approximately 200 track miles of overhead catenary lines powering trains in Connecticut.  Officials have described the job of replacement those lines “while still operating the nation’s busiest commuter rail services, as a “monumental task.”  The original lines were put in place at the turn of the century – the 20^th century – more than 100 years ago.

The full list of the top 20 projects currently underway in Connecticut was compiled by Hartford Business Journal with data provided by the state Department of Transportation.

Fairfield County May Hold Key to Trans-Atlantic Flights at Bradley; Passenger Numbers Increasing

Bradley International Airport has seen passenger traffic increase for two consecutive months, and is stepping up efforts to re-establish service to trans-Atlantic destinations. The Connecticut Airport Authority (CAA) is working with the state’s business community and potential airline carriers to demonstrate the need for the overseas service. In May, passenger traffic at Bradley increased 9 percent, compared with a 7.8 percent decrease at T.F. Green Airport in Providence and a 9.5 percent decrease at Manchester Regional Airport in New Hampshire. Logan International Airport in Boston increased 7.5 percent that month.

During June, Bradley saw a 9.3 percent increase in passengers, while Providence saw a 7.3 percent decrease and Manchester saw passenger numbers drop by 14.6 percent. Logan experienced a 4.1 percent increase in June.  July data was not yet available.

Kevin A. Dillon, Executive Director of the Connecticut Airport Authority, told members of the CAA at their August meeting that the state’s improved economy and ongoing efforts to add capacity at the airport are lead factors in the upbeat numbers. United Airlines recently announced plans to begin service to Houston in October. In June, JetBlue initiated service from Bradley to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.

Year to date, Dillon reported, passenger numbers at Bradley are up 10.6 percent, while Providence is down 6.8 percent, Manchester is down 13.0 percent, and Logan is up slightly, 4.4 percent.

The return of trans-Atlantic service to Bradley is one of the CAA’s top priorities, Dillon said. Much of the business case for trans-Atlantic routes depends on corporate clients outside the immediate Hartford-Springfield market, Dillon explained. He indicated that the CAA would be “orienting our advertising program for the next year” toward Fairfield County and Southeastern Connecticut, to include targeted outreach urging potential business customers to “give Bradley a try,” underscoring that “Bradley is a great option” compared with the New York airports.

The CAA is also poised to move forward with the demolition of the old Terminal B at Bradley, with the contract awarded to S&R Corporation of Lowell MA, with a price tag of $12, 572,622.75. The CAA anticipates that the demolition will begin before the end of this month, consistent with the airport’s strategic plan. The goal of the CAA is to make Connecticut’s airports more attractive to new airlines, bring in new routes, and support Connecticut’s overall economic development and growth strategy.

Members of the CAA also discussed a potential new retail business for the airport – Dairy Queen – and approved plans for a 20-year agreement with WFSB-TV for the lease of land at Bradley for a Doppler radar installation at Bradley, which would be relocated from Terminal B where it has been since 1999.

Bradley will also be enhancing band-with capacity of wi-fi at the airport, which has seen increased usage as passenger levels have increased.

Bradley International Airport is the second largest airport in New England. According to the most recent economic impact analysis, Bradley contributes $4 billion in economic activity to the state of Connecticut and the surrounding region, representing $1.2 billion in wages and 18,000 full-time jobs. The CAA was established in 2011 to develop, improve, and operate Bradley International Airport and the state’s five general aviation airports.

CT Slips from #18 to #21 in State Bikeability Comparison

Connecticut has dropped from 18th to 21st in the rankings of the bicycle-friendliest states, according to the League of American Bicyclists 2014 survey. Every year, the League ranks all 50 states on their bikeability, based on a mutli-faceted Bicycle Friendly State℠ questionnaire. They look at five categories: Legislation & Enforcement, Policies & Programs, Infrastructure & Funding, Education & Encouragement, and Evaluation & Planning.

Overall, the state received 40 out of 100 points, slightly less that the 40.9 earned a year ago, when Connecticut ranked 18th.

On a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 being the highest grade, Connecticut received a 4 in legislation & enforcement, 3 in policies & programs, 3 in education & encouragement, and a 1 in infrastructure & funding.

The top-ranked states were Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Delaware, Oregon, Colorado, Maryland, Utah and California.  Connecticut, ranked 21st, was between Idaho and Tennessee. The top state in New England for bicyclists was Massachusetts, ranked 10th, according to the survey.

The survey highlights "10 signs of success" in analyzing each of the states.  Connecticut currently has 6 of the 10 in place, according to the survey report:  an active state advocacy group, Complete Streets policy, state bicycle plan, bicycle safety emphasis in the strategic highway safety plan, bicycle education for police, and a safe passing/vulnerable user law.

The Bicycle Friendly State℠ program is designed to establish best practices in states across the program.  In the 2014 survey, the least bicycle-friendly states were Alabama, Montana, and Kentucky.

The League, established in 1880, represents bicyclists in the movement to create
 safer roads, stronger communities, and a bicycle-friendly America. Through information, advocacy and promotion, the organization works to celebrate and preserve the freedom cycling brings to members everywhere.

Report Calls for Transition to Livable Communities Across Connecticut

In Connecticut, more than one-third of the population is over the age of 50, and that proportion continues to increase. Connecticut’s Legislative Commission on Aging has issued “Connecticut for Livable Communities,” a new report to the state legislature which outlines more than 50 recommendations for communities looking to enhance livability. The Commission has also launched a website which includes a list of communities that are responding to the call for more livable communities, and suggests a wide range of actions that communities can take.

Connecticut is undergoing a permanent and historic transformation in its demographics, the report points out. Between 2010 and 2040, Connecticut’s population of people age 65 and older is projected to grow by 57 percent, with less than 2 percent growth for people age 20 to 64 during the same period.

Livable communities are vibrant, inter-generational places that are easy to get around, according to the report. “They include affordable, appropriate housing options, supportive community features and services, and adequate mobility options. They foster independence, engage residents in civic and social life, and allow people to age in place. Done well, they benefit community residents across the lifespan.”

The 50-page report indicates that residents born in Connecticut today can expect to live to be 80.8 years old - the third highest life expectancy in the nation. A lengthy series of recommendations are highlighted in seven different areas: community engagement, health and well-being, housing, planning and zoning, safety and preparedness, social and support services, and transportation.

The recommendations include promoting opportunities for intergenerational collaboration, promoting in-home programs that improve health outcomes, creating a balanced transportation system that connects residents with health care services, and adopting policies that encourage incorporation of accessible housing features into new construction. The recommendations also include a call for municipal plans of conservation and development that include planning for older adults and individuals with disabilities to remain in their homes and communities, and building compact, mixed-use development “to encourage walking and eyes on the street.”

Creating livability requires “robust partnerships, long-range planning and sustained commitment.” To support those efforts the Legislative Commission on Aging plans to be:

• Providing educational opportunities on livable communities for community leaders and other partners in Connecticut;
• Creating partnerships to support the multi-faceted, multi-disciplinary endeavor of creating livable communities;
• Supporting, inspiring and incentivizing communities to enhance livability; and developing policies to support aging in place

To help communities implement the recommendations over time, the Commission plans to:

• Recognize localities that have implemented livable communities initiatives, pursuant to Public Act 14-73 (which established the livable communities initiative)
• Expand partnerships across multiple sectors to advance livability,
• Continue to convene municipal leaders, legislators and other thought leaders for statewide and regional forums on creating livability;
• Continue to identify funding opportunities for municipal leaders, seeking to implement or sustain livable communities initiatives;
• Work with partners to conduct asset mapping across all Connecticut communities, with the goal of helping each community understand its facilitators and barriers to developing livable communities;
• Continue to research models in other states, nationally and internationally;
• Work with the Connecticut General Assembly to identify and advance policy solutions that incentivize and inspire the creation of livable communities;
• Provide technical assistance to Connecticut communities seeking to enhance or promote livability; and
• Create town-specific data profiles to enable towns to enhance livability in a targeted and strategic fashion.

Among the communities listed on the new website as having best practices in place in parts of their towns or cities are Branford, Guilford, Madison, Bridgeport, Danbury, Darien, Enfield, Hartford, Middletown, New Haven, New Canaan, Norwalk, Seymour, and Torrington.  The Commission plans to proceed with "asset mapping across all Connecticut communities" and "continue to identify innovations, ideas, and best practices for implementing livability in the state. "

Simsbury, New Haven, New Britain Top Bike- and Walk-Friendly Towns in State

As part of a new "complete streets" initiative that began earlier this year, Bike Walk Connecticut has developed a first-of-its-kind ranking of the state's cities and towns on how bike- and walk-friendly they are. The results paint a varied picture of smaller communities and major cities taking effective steps to earn the designation bike- and walk- friendly. Connecticut’s top ten include: Simsbury (1), New Haven (2), New Britain (3), Glastonbury (4), Middletown (5), Canton (6), Weston (7), Hamden (8), Plainville (9) and South Windsor (10).

The scorecard and rankings of the most bike- and walk-friendly communities are based on an online, statewide public opinion survey that ran this spring and was open to anyone who lives or works in Connecticut.

The rankings are also based on municipal leadership and engagement efforts -- whether cities or towns have bicycle and pedestrian master plans; citizen task forces or advisory groups; complete streets policies; and whether they have conducted any public outreach efforts related to cycling, walking or complete streets.

Plans are for the surveys and scorecard to be conducted annually as part of Bike Walk Connecticut's new five-year initiative to make it safer and easier to walk and bike by implementing "complete streets" in cities and towns across Connecticut. Complete streets make it easier and safer for people to get around on foot or by bike, in order to become more physically active.

"We want this project to encourage cities and towns to take a really robust approach to complete streets and being bike- and walk-friendly,” said Kelly Kennedy, Executive Director of Bike Walk Connecticut. “Being able to get around safely by bike or on foot isn't just a fad or a health issue or environmental issue. It's an economic development issue.”

Rounding out the top 25 towns in Connecticut in the survey were 11. Coventry, 12. Torrington, 13. Meriden, Milford, 15. Hartford, Manchester, 17. Stonington, 18. Old Saybrook, 19. Southbury, 20. Colchester, Somers.

Bike Walk Connecticut has also started to develop an online repository for complete streets resources. The entire project is made possible through the financial support of the Connecticut Department of Public Health through Cooperative Agreement 1305 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the purpose of which is to promote statewide implementation of policies and actions to promote health and prevent and control chronic diseases.

Serious Health Issues Faced by State's Asian Pacific American Residents, New Study Reveals

Stereotypes about a thriving and problem-free Asian Pacific population in Connecticut are just plain wrong, according to a new statewide Needs Assessment Study which reveals “high rates of physical and mental health problems” and serious concerns about access to proper food and healthcare, often exacerbated by communication breakdowns  and language barriers." The 21-page study, by the Connecticut Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, is said to be the first of its kind in Connecticut.  The 2010 U.S. Census reported APA’s as one of the fastest growing minority populations, growing from 2.4 percent of Connecticut’s population in 2000 to 4.4 percent by 2010. The Census projects a steady increase of the APA population through 2050.

The Needs Assessment was developed in collaboration with three community-based organizations: the Khmer Health Advocates, Lao Association of Connecticut and Connecticut Coalition of Mutual Assistance Associations. The project was also supported by the Asian American Studies Institute at UConn, the UConn School of Pharmacy and the UConn School of Social Work. It focused on housing, education, language access, employment, access to public resources, and medical and mental health.

More than 300 Southeast Asian Connecticut residents – all over age 18 - participated in the study, include just over one hundred from each of three ethnic groups: Cambodian, Lao, and Vietnamese. The study found clear distinctions between the populations in Connecticut, and researchers stressed that viewing the Asian Pacific American (APA) population in the state as one block of people does a disservice to them, and does not adequately respond to their needs.

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity was a “prominent problem,” according to the report. “Close to half reported that they often or sometimes couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals and 43 percent indicated that their food supplies ran out The survey also reviewed “several measures of food insecurity” and found “significant association” between the ethnic groups and “finding it too expensive to have a balanced meal often or sometimes,” as well as “going hungry for lack of sufficient money for food.”

The report also indicated that “all of the ethnic groups reported concern that some members of their community were socially isolated. In particular, they reported that those age 50 and older were most at risk for isolation.”

Healthcare Concerns

Regarding healthcare, “nearly half experienced at least some difficulty in getting the healthcare they believed they needed,” the report indicated. In addition, “more than half of all participants reported experiencing a language barrier with their physician, and for those that needed an interpreter, 59 percent indicated that a professional interpreter was never or rarely available for healthcare visits.”

In regards to Southeast Asian Refugees, the report noted "chronic mental and physical health conditions follwoing a history of severe trauma," adding that "it is vital that primary care physicians and others treating these individuals screen for a wide range of physical health conditions as well as PTSD and depression."  At a State Capitol news conference releasing the report, Dr. Megan Berthold, Assistant Professor in the UConn School of Social Work, said that there is an "urgent need" to address these concerns, adding that the lack of communication can be "dangerous" and could "lead to misdiagnosis."

Among those who received prescriptions, nearly one-third said they did not fill it due to the expense, and among all surveyed, 17 percent “did not see a doctor when they felt they need to” during the past year due to the high cost.

Among the ethnic differences, a greater number of Vietnamese are smokers, Cambodians were “significantly more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD and depression,” and the Lao community indicating the least frequency of language barriers with physicians. Overall, however, the report indicated that “these communities continue to be underserved due to the limited to no resources available to focus on the cultural and linguistic needs of their communities.”

Numerous Recommendations

Included in the recommendations, the study report states that “service providers, state agencies and stakeholders are encouraged to partner with APA communities” in multiple ways, and calls for additional research that “can advance the needs of the APA population.” The series of 14 recommendations include greater training and education, promoting preventative care, actively recruiting APA members in various professional fields, creating diversity in the workforce, translating materials into the most common APA languages, and raising awareness among the APA population regarding their rights.

It is hoped that Needs Assessment studies can focus on other APA ethnic groups, such as the Indian and Chinese communities, in future years. The APA population in Connecticut includes approximately 50 ethnic groups, sharing some similarities and having great diversity. As the initial study demonstrated, specific needs may vary – an important fact for policy makers and those working with this fast-growing aspect of the state’s population.

Among those commenting on the report during the news conference were Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, who was instrumental in the establishment of the Commission when she was House Majority Leader in the legislature, Marie Spivey, Chair of the State Commission on Health Equity, Tanya Hughes, Executive Director of the state's Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, and Dr. William Howe, Chair of the Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission (see photo, at left). Theanvy Kuoch, Executive Directo of Khmer Health Advocates, noted that "working together we can improve outcomes for our community members while engaging them in their own care.  We have evidence that this approach also saves health care dollars."

The Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission was created in 2008 by an act of the Connecticut legislature.  The 21 member bipartisan commission oversees matters concerning hte Asian Pacific American population in Connecticut, and makes recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on the health, safety, education ,economic self-sufficiency and efforts to remain free of discrimination within the APA population in the state.

Efforts to Connect Entrepreneurs Hit the Road Statewide

Some have suggested that the road back for Connecticut’s economy will be built one entrepreneur at a time. If that is the key to an economic rebound, an initiative by New Haven-based company Independent Software is looking to ramp up the process by gathering entrepreneurs in bunches. In fact, New Haven will be the next stop on eight-month Whiteboard Startup Roadshow tour across Connecticut, in the midst of the city’s celebrated International Festival of Arts and Ideas this week. Organizers indicate that cities like New Haven are “overflowing with impossible ideas and the people who make them happen. We believe connecting to all three -- the place, the thinking, and the people -- can increase the probability of success for others who have impossible ideas.”

On Thursday June 26, from 2-5pm, The Whiteboard is bringing together New Haven area innovators and entrepreneurs for “a little history and to talk about the future.” The “Roadshow” stopped in Hartford last month, with a well-attended program at the reSET co-working space downtown.

Following the Arts and Ideas' "Innovation in the Ninth Square" walking tour of The Grove, SeeClickFix, and MakeHaven, individuals are asked to gather at Luck and Levity for an Open House and Entrepreneur Showcase beginning at 2 PM, followed at 4 PM by perspectives offered by:

• Margaret Anne Tockarshewsky, New Haven Museum
• Elon Boms, Launch Capital
• Jim Gregory, Core Informatics

The Whiteboard - and the The Whiteboard Start-Up Roadshow – is operated by Independent Software, which runs from The Grove co-working space in New Haven, and is supported by CT Next.

Following a kickoff event in New Haven on April 1, the tour moved on to Stamford in April, then to Hartford in May, back to New Haven this week. In eight months’ time, organizers “expect to have a treasure trove of stories from each region and to see a larger, stronger, and more connected startup community state-wide.”  The list of cities to be visited for gatherings of local entrepreneurs is below. 

Independent Software works with early-stage entrepreneurs “to develop the products, talent, and community they need to thrive.” The company also provides access to Connecticut’s vast startup community through The Whiteboard, which includes a diverse network of entrepreneurs, investors, and supporters.  The Whiteboard website outlines the Roadshow cities on the calendar:

• July: Bridgeport-Fairfield: In the context of the city’s own summer arts festival, we’ll shine a light on the amazing progress Bridgeport’s entrepreneurial scene has made in recent years, working closely with the B:Hive, the Business Council of Fairfield County and others.
• August: New London-Norwich: SECT Tech Center at Avery Point for bioscience startups and a robust arts scene makes the shoreline a unique place to start a business. Along with the New London-Groton area, Norwich is new territory for us so this area will be true exploration.
• September: Storrs-Windham: From incubators to partnerships with UTC and others, UConn Storrs is a hub of activity for a myriad of innovation startups. Windham’s history, arts and social entrepreneurship adds to the mix for this not-so-quiet corner of the state.
• October: Danbury-Waterbury: The Danbury Hacker Space is launching this year, and it’s just the beginning of activity for their entrepreneurs. As one of Connecticut’s many factory towns, Waterbury is looking to leverage its buildings to help launch small businesses.
• November: Middletown-Meriden: As a connection point between the shore and Hartford, this area has pockets of innovation that you wouldn’t suspect. We hear rumblings of a startup culture and look forward to unearthing what’s here.
• December: Torrington: Litchfield County is known for its organic farming and getaways. Yet, Torrington’s Warner Theater and energetic young politicians are fighting hard to be heard. We look forward to bringing these hidden gems to you.

Aging Bridges, Considerable Disrepair Are Significant Challenge in CT, Nationwide

It was in 1983 that three people died in Connecticut when a section of the Mianus River Bridge on Interstate-95 collapsed into the water below, and unsuspecting drivers drove off the end of the road in the middle of the Greenwich night. That tragedy launched a multi-million dollar infrastructure investment program in Connecticut, but now, three decades later, the age and condition of the state’s bridges is front and center again, as a poorly functioning, 118-year-old railroad bridge has disrupted commuter service on the nation’s busiest rail corridor by repeatedly refusing to close.

The extent of the nation’s bridge-related challenge is daunting, and yet represents only a portion of the overall infrastructure needs. Less than a year ago, a study released by the American Society of Civil Engineers determined that:

• over two hundred million trips are taken daily across deficient bridges in the nation’s 102 largest metropolitan regions
• one in nine of the nation’s bridges are rated as structurally deficient,
• the average age of the nation’s 607,380 bridges is currently 42 years.

The report also pointed out that “it is of growing concern that the bridges in our nation’s metropolitan areas, which are an indispensable link for both millions of commuters and freight on a daily basis, are decaying more rapidly than our rural bridges.”

Once every four years, America’s civil engineers provide a comprehensive assessment of the nation’s major infrastructure categories in ASCE’s Report Card for America’s Infrastructure (Report Card). The most recent report was issued in 2013.

Connecticut, according to the data, has 406 of the state’s 4,208 bridges classified as structurally deficient and another 1,070 are considered to be functionally obsolete. The report also noted that Connecticut has 21,407 public road miles, and 73 percent of the state’s major roads are considered to be in poor or mediocre condition.

By county, the 406 structurally deficient bridges were: 106 in Fairfield County, 71 in Hartford County, 58 in New Haven County, 45 in New London County and Litchfield County, 27 in Middlesex County, 24 in Windham County and 14 in Tolland County. In addition, the report indicated that Connecticut had 1,023 functionally obsolete bridges in the state.

Structurally deficient bridges “require significant maintenance, rehabilitation, or replacement. These bridges, according to the report, “must be inspected at least every year since critical load-carrying elements were found to be in poor condition due to deterioration or damage.” Functionally obsolete bridges are those that “no longer meet the current standards that are used today. Examples are narrow lanes or low load-carrying capacity.”

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) estimates that to eliminate the nation’s bridge deficient backlog by 2028, an investment of $20.5 billion annually would be needed, according to the report, while only $12.8 billion is being spent currently. The report stated that “the challenge for federal, state, and local governments is to increase bridge investments by $8 billion annually to address the identified $76 billion in needs for deficient bridges across the United States.”

The report indicated that 22 states have a higher percentage of structurally deficient bridges than the national average, while five states have more than 20% of their bridges defined as structurally deficient. Pennsylvania tops the list with 24.4%, while Iowa and Oklahoma are not far behind, each having just over 21% of their bridges classified as structurally deficient.

Overall, the nation’s grade for the condition of its bridges was C+, which was described as “mediocre” and in need of attention. “Some elements exhibit significant deficiencies in conditions and functionality, with increasing vulnerability to risk.” The 32-member Advisory Committee did not include any engineers from Connecticut, but did include two from Massachusetts and one from Maine, among the New England states.

Time magazine reported this week that the I-95 bridge over Delaware’s Christina River was quickly closed to all traffic on May 29, after “an engineer who happened to be working nearby noticed two of the span’s support pillars tilting.“ Officials hope to have the structure stabilized and reopened by Labor Day. The bridge had routinely handled about 90,000 vehicles per day.

The I-35W bridge over the Mississippi in Minneapolis collapsed during rush hour on August 1, 2007, plunging dozens of cars and their occupants into the river, killing 13 people and injuring 145. The bridge was Minnesota's fifth busiest, carrying 140,000 vehicles daily.

The American Society of Civil Engineers, founded in 1852, is the country’s oldest national civil engineering organization. It represents more than 140,000 civil engineers in private practice, government, industry, and academia who are dedicated to advancing the science and profession of civil engineering. The first Report Card for America’s Infrastructure was issued in 1988.