CT Ranks 10th in Percentage of Structurally Deficient, Functionally Obsolete Bridges

Of Connecticut’s 4,225 bridges, 357 are structurally deficient (8.4%) and another 1,087 are functionally obsolete.  That’s 34 percent of the state’s bridges deemed deficient by experts – and it ranks Connecticut as the 10^th worst state in the nation, by percentage. Worse than Connecticut?  Only Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Alaska, New York, West Virginia, New Jersey and Maine.  The data, compiled by the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation, reflects information and analysis through December 31, 2015. 

While the number of structurally deficient bridges in Connecticut is the lowest since 2006, the number of functionally obsolete structures has climbed in recent years, and is now the highest since 2010.  The total number of bridges in the two categories has dropped in each of the past three years, but remains at about one-third of the state’s bridges.  Connecticut ranks 26^th in the percentage of structurally deficient bridges.

According to the Nation Bridge Inventory Database website, Structurally Deficient is a status used to describe a bridge that has one or more structural defects that require attention. This status does not indicate the severity of the defect but rather that a defect is present. Conditions driving the designation could include the bridge deck, the superstructure or the substructure of the bridge.

The sufficiency rating is calculated per a formula defined by the Federal Highway Administration, which places 55 percent value on the structural condition of the bridge, 30 percent on its serviceability and obsolescence, and 15 percent on its essentiality to public use. According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, “a structurally deficient bridge, when left open to traffic, typically requires significant maintenance and repair to remain in service and eventual rehabilitation or replacement to address deficiencies.”

The category Functionally Obsolete is a status used to describe a bridge that is no longer by design functionally adequate for its task. Reasons for this status include that the bridge doesn't have enough lanes to accommodate the traffic flow, it may be a drawbridge on a congested highway, or it may not have space for emergency shoulders, according to the National Bridge Inventory Database. Functionally Obsolete does not communicate anything of a structural nature – it may be perfectly safe and structurally sound, but may be the source of traffic jams or may not have a high enough clearance to allow an oversized vehicle.

A year ago, Connecticut has 378 structurally deficient bridges and 1,079 considered functionally obsolete. Two years ago, 413 bridges were defined as structurally deficient and 1,059 were listed as functionally obsolete.

A January 2016 report by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association compiled the most traveled U.S. Structurally Deficient Bridges, and identified the West River Bridge in New Haven, built in 1957, ranked as the 98^th most travelled structurally deficient in the nation.  At number 110 on the list was the Yankee Doodle Bridge in Fairfield, also constructed in 1957. At number 148 was the I-95 bridge over the Wepawaug River, south of Route 121 in New Haven, built in 1958.

Also ranking in the nation’s top 200 most travelled structurally deficient bridges were the I-95 bridge in Fairfield over Route 33 at Exit 17 (ranked number 159), the I-91 Bridge over North Front Street and Quinn River in New Haven just north of I-95 (number 160), and the I-95 bridge over Byram River in Fairfield (number 161).  Those bridges were built in 1957, 1964 and 1958, respectively.

Most Expensive State for Car Insurance? Michigan Ranks First, CT is 17th

The most expensive car insurance rates in the nation are in Michigan.  Connecticut ranks 17^th.   It is the third consecutive year that Michigan has topped the list. Connecticut’s average of $1,367 is 3 percent above the national average of $1,325.  The average rate in Connecticut jumped by 24 percent from 2015 to 2016, according to the survey.  The Connecticut data was compiled in February.  Among the New England states, Rhode Island was ranked tenth, averaging $1,608, Massachusetts ranked 21^st at $1,325. Maine had the lowest rates, at $808 annually.

Insure.com’s 2016 state-by-state comparison of auto insurance premiums found that Montana captured the No. 2 spot for the second year in a row. New Jersey broke into the top five for the first time ever, Louisiana was No. 4, and Oklahoma rounded out the top five.

On the flipside of the cost coin, Maine led the way for the cheapest car insurance in the country. Maine has been in the top three for the least expensive car insurance for all six years of the study, according to insure.com. This year, Ohio came in No. 2, Wisconsin was three, Idaho took fourth, and New Hampshire earned No. 5.

The annual study compiles rates from six large insurance carriers in 10 ZIP codes in every state. Rates were for the same full-coverage policy for the same driver -- a 40-year-old man with a clean driving record and good credit. The rates are an average for the 20 best-selling vehicles in the U.S. in order to present more accurate rates for the average driver – without high-end sports or luxury cars skewing the data. Each model was rated on its cheapest-to-insure trim level.

The national average for a full-coverage policy as featured in the Insure.com report came in at $1,325 this year – a slight increase from last year’s average of $1,311. Rates varied from a low of $808 a year in Maine to a budget-busting $2,738 in Michigan. Insurance rates in Michigan are more than double (107 percent) the national average.

Insurance rates are influenced by a number of different factors. Everything from traffic, crime rates, state and local laws, the percentage of uninsured drivers, as well as the number of insurance companies competing in a market can all result in higher or lower insurance premiums in your state.

Insure.com commissioned Quadrant Information Services to calculate auto insurance rates from six large carriers (Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, Nationwide, Progressive and State Farm) in 10 ZIP codes per state. Insure.com averaged rates in each state for the cheapest-to-insure 2016 model-year versions of America’s 20 best-selling vehicles and ranked each state by that average. Rates are for comparative purposes only within the same model year.

Motor Vehicle Deaths Up 14 Percent in CT in 2015, Exceeding National Average

The death toll in Connecticut from motor vehicle accidents increased 14 percent in 2015 from the previous year, consistent with a nationwide increase but higher than the national average.  The increase in Connecticut ranked the state tied for 14^th in the percentage increase in motor vehicle deaths from 2014 to 2015. Nationally, 2015 saw the largest single-year percent increase in motor vehicle deaths since 1966. Estimates from the National Safety Council (NSC) show an 8 percent increase in 2015 compared with 2014 – with substantial changes in some states, including Connecticut.  There were 283 motor-vehicle related deaths in Connecticut last year, compared with 249 in 2014 and 276 in 2013.

While many factors likely contributed to the fatality increase, a stronger economy and lower unemployment rates are likely at the core of the trend.  The National Safety Council estimates 38,300 people were killed on U.S. roads, and 4.4 million were seriously injured, meaning 2015 likely was the deadliest driving year since 2008. The annual total of motor vehicle fatalities for 2014 was 35,398.

Over the last year at the state level, the National Safety Council estimates Vermont (30 percent), Oregon (27 percent), New Hampshire (24 percent), Georgia (22 percent), Washington (21 percent) and Florida (18 percent) experienced the largest percentage increase in fatalities, while only 13 states showed improvement. Among them were New Mexico (-20 percent), Kansas (-7 percent) and New Jersey (-2 percent).

Increases were also in Arizona (15%), Colorado (17%), Idaho (17%), Montana (17%), Maine (16%), Maryland (16%), and South Carolina (16%).  Also seeing 14 percent increases along with Connecticut were Arkansas, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nevada.  

“These numbers are serving notice: Americans take their safety on the roadways for granted,” said Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of the National Safety Council. “Driving a car is one of the riskiest activities any of us undertake in spite of decades of vehicle design improvements and traffic safety advancements. Engage your defensive driving skills and stay alert so we can reverse this trend in 2016.”

From 2013 and 2015, Connecticut had a 3 percent increase in traffic fatalities, according to the data.

The estimated cost of motor-vehicle deaths, injuries, and property damage in 2015 was $412.1 billion, according to NSC.  The costs include wage and productivity losses, medical expenses, administrative expenses, employer costs, and property damage.

The estimate is subject to slight increases or decreases as data mature, according to the National Safety Council. NSC has issued annual traffic fatality estimates since 1921. Over the last three years, preliminary estimates have fallen within 1 percent of final counts.

Average gas prices were 28 percent lower in 2015 than in 2014 and are projected to continue dropping this year, making driving more affordable for many Americans, NSC pointed out, noting that the U.S. Department of Transportation estimates a 3.5 percent increase in the number of miles driven in 2015 compared to 2014.

To help ensure safety, the National Safety Council recommends drivers:

• Make sure every passenger buckles up on every trip
• Designate an alcohol and drug-free driver or arrange alternate transportation
• Get plenty of sleep and take regular breaks to avoid fatigue
• Never use a cell phone behind the wheel, even hands-free
• Stay engaged in teens’ driving habits, as teens are three times as likely to crash as more experienced drivers
• Learn about vehicle safety systems and how to use them, including features such as adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning systems and backup cameras.

Founded in 1913 and chartered by Congress, the National Safety Council, nsc.org, is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to save lives by preventing injuries and deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education and advocacy.

Federal Transportation Funds to Increase As Connecticut Considers Long-Term Plan

As Connecticut policy makers consider a long-term infrastructure investment in Connecticut’s transportation system, they do so just months after the federal government, after years of inaction, adopted the FAST (Fixing America’s Surface Transportation) Act at year’s end.  It is the first comprehensive transportation law since 2005, according to Connecticut’s Office of Legislative Research (OLR). The act includes $225.2 billion for highway investment, $61 billion for federal transit programs, and $10 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak.  States will get about a 5.1 percent increase in funding in FFY 16 and annual increases ranging from 2.1 percent to 2.4 percent in subsequent years, according to OLR.

State lawmakers are considering Governor Malloy’s proposed $100 billion, 30-year Let's Go CT! program, unveiled earlier this month, which included a call to enact a constitutional amendment creating a financial lockbox to protect transportation funds. Officials have said that 47 percent of state-maintained roadways are in “less-than-good condition”, and 35 percent of Connecticut's bridges are functionally obsolete or structurally deficient.  The Connecticut Business and Industry Association has said that 42 percent of businesses think the state's road congestion hinders their opportunities and growth.

As a result of the FAST Act, Connecticut will receive about $3.5 billion over five years, or about $700 million annually, for highway and transit programs, which is about $62 million more per year than Connecticut received in 2015.  The state Department of Transportation says the act’s importance isn’t in the amount of money it provides, which does not change dramatically from previous levels, but in the predictability and assurance of funding it provides, OLR Principal Analyst Paul Frisman points out in a report to state legislators. 

The FAST Act’s transfer of the $70 billion into the federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF) was essential to keep the fund solvent. The federal government has not increased the federal 18.4 cent gas tax in more than 20 years, and this has reduced the HTF’s purchasing power and reduced its ability to keep pace with rising infrastructure costs and inflation. Decreased revenues because of more fuel efficient vehicles and the popularity of alternative fuel vehicles also cloud the HTF’s future, the report indicates.  There continue to be concerns that if revenues going into the fund are not increased, insolvency may await, as soon as 2020.

The FAST Act also includes two new freight initiatives, including a National Freight Program which authorizes $6.2 billion over five years for national and state projects to improve highway freight transportation. The OLR report indicates that to participate, a state must complete a State Freight Plan, which it must update every five years. The American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) has said that participating states will be able to obligate up to 10 percent of this funding to improve freight rail services or ports, which may be of particular interest to Connecticut.  The other new program is aimed at highway, bridge, rail-grade crossing, intermodal, and freight rail projects that cost at least $100 million, improve movement of both freight and people, reduce bottlenecks, and improve connectivity.

The FAST Act also makes changes to several highway funding programs, with a focus on surface transportation, local roads and bridges, transportation alternatives such as bicycling.  To increase efficiency and speed up the project review process, ARTBA reports that the FAST Act encourages the use of a single environmental review document throughout the entire review process, instead of the current practice of having each agency involved in a project conduct a separate review.

The OLR report also indicates that a Federal Highway Administration pilot program permits up to three states to toll existing Interstate highways that they could not otherwise adequately maintain or improve, and increase funding available for public transportation initiatives.  In addition, $2.6 billion is provided to Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (and $5.4 billion to other Amtrak lines) over five years. It separates the Northeast Corridor, from Boston to Washington, D.C, from other Amtrak accounts to ensure that the amounts assigned to that Corridor are used there, OLR reports.

Even with the additional funding nationwide, transportation officials in Connecticut and around the country continue to warn that “long-term, sustainable funding for transportation is yet to be achieved,” as described by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Safety Gap: Parents Impose Rules on Teen Drivers, Teens Don’t Think So

Teen drivers are at the highest risk for crashes and crash-related fatalities, and are particularly vulnerable to distractions while driving.  The results of a new nationwide survey of teens and their parents suggest a considerable disconnect between the limitations parents believe they are imposing on driving and the use of cell phones, and their teens’ view of limitations imposed by their parents. The gap in numerous instances is wide, and has raised concerns about the resulting risks to teen drivers.

In families where parents reported limitations on their teen drivers – such as restricting cell phone use, number of teen passengers and driving times and locations – teens themselves sometimes said they did not have those limitations, according to the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health, which indicated that parents play a key role in promoting the safety of their teens by setting expectations for driving.

“We found that the great majority of parents do have rules for their teen drivers; however, teens consistently perceive fewer limits on their driving than what their parents report. This signals an opportunity for parents and teens to have more conversations about safe driving habits,” says lead author Michelle L. Macy, M.D., M.S., an emergency medicine physician at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital.

Parents of teens 13-18 years old and teens themselves were asked about limits placed on driving circumstances that can increase a teen driver’s risk of a crash. About nine in 10 parents report they place at least one limit on their teen drivers while eight out of 10 teens report having at least one driving limit placed on them by their parents.

Among parents and teens who both responded, teens consistently say they have fewer limits on their driving than were reported by their parents.  Overall, 81 percent of teens report having at least one driving limit placed on them by their parents. In families where parents report limits on cell phone use, 13 percent of teens say they have no limits. In families where parents report limits on passengers or driving times/locations, 20 percent of teens say they have no such limits.

Limits on cell phone use and texting while driving are most commonly reported by parents and their teens. Fewer limits are set on passengers and driving times/locations. As many as one-quarter of parents report placing no limits on teen passengers or nighttime or highway driving, suggesting opportunities to increase teen driver safety by encouraging parents to place limits on these high-risk driving conditions, officials indicated.  Among the key limitations parents impose, according to the survey:

Limits on cell phone use include:

• requiring teens to park to use their cell phones (86%)
• forbidding texting while driving (73%)
• having cell phone turned off or put away (62%)

Limits on passengers include:

• allowing only 1-2 friends in the car (59%)
• allowing only certain friends (54%)
• no teen passengers allowed (40%)

Limits on driving times/locations include:

• no driving after 10 p.m. (61%)
• driving only to/from school, work, or activities (57%)
• no highway driving (36%)

Parents who judge their teens’ driving ability as “above average” (32% of all parents) are less likely to place limits on passengers and driving times/locations. Sixty-seven percent of parents set limits on passengers for their “above-average” teen drivers, compared with 81percent of parents who perceive their teen drivers as “below average.” Similarly, 69 percent of parents set limits on driving times/locations for their above-average teen drivers, compared with 85 parents of parents who perceive their teen as below average. In contrast, parents do not adjust their restrictions on cell phone use in relation to their teens’ driving ability.

There was greater agreement between parents and teens on limits placed on cell phones than on passengers or driving times/locations, according to the national survey, conducted in September 2015 and released earlier this year.

“This may indicate that parents communicate to their teens more clearly their expectations around cell phone use while driving than for other driving situations. It is also possible that parents and teens have greater awareness of the risks of using cell phones while driving, due to media attention on cell phone distractions as a common cause of crashes,” the survey analysis points out.

The analysis also indicated that the higher degree of disagreement between teens and parents in relation to the limits set for passengers and driving times/locations suggests the need for more dialogue in families to ensure rules and expectations around driving are understood. Written parent-teen driving agreements are one way for parents to clearly communicate rules and expectations, officials indicated.

Connecticut’s Tim Hollister, author of two books about parenting and safe teen driving and the website From Reid’s Dad, recently developed a video for parents, with financial support from the Travelers, which underscores the influence of parents in teen driving.  Hollister will be speaking on the subject at the Easton Public Library on February 10 and the Newington Public Library on February 24.  Hollister, whose son Reid died as a result of a car accident at age 17, will share information parents should know regarding teen driving and discuss his most recent book, His Father Still.

https://youtu.be/QmCJKvyXhEQ

https://youtu.be/wccN8aqOWA4

Is TV Traffic Reporting in Connecticut For Women Only?

Three of the women who deliver traffic reports each weekday morning on Connecticut's four network-affiliated television stations have backgrounds in television news reporting, and the fourth has made traffic her specialty on local radio stations as well as television.   They are unquestionably hard-working professionals whose reporting is seen, and relied upon, by thousands of commuters each day.  They hold jobs, however, that appear to be reserved for women. Few recall the last time  that a man was the regular morning traffic reporter on a local television station in the sate, although men and women serve, or have served as anchors, reporters, sports reporters, and meteorologists.  At a time when more attention is being paid to the gender-centered nature of some positions in the workplace, televised traffic reporting in Connecticut remains squarely the domain of women.  

Heidi Voight, the traffic reporter for NBC Connecticut, is a Connecticut native, has television news experience in Springfield, Mass., and is a national spokesperson for the M.I.A. Veterans Recovery Project.  The station points out that Voight “has been exposed to nearly every position in the newsroom and has experience reporting, anchoring, shooting video, working on the assignment desk and producing newscasts.”  Voight succeeded Kayla James.

Nicole Nalepa came to WFSB from WWLP-TV/22News in Springfield, MA where she anchored the early morning weekday newscast. She also served as the senior weekday morning reporter and early morning show producer in Springfield, and was one of the first live, on-scene reporters from Western Massachusetts during the manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombing suspect.  Previously, Nalepa was selected for a post-grad summer internship at CBS News on the "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric." She also interned at WFXT-Fox 25 in Boston.  Nalepa succeeded Olessa Stepanova, who moved on to handle traffic chores for Boston's WCVB after three years in Hartford.   

Teresa DuFour has been working in the news and entertainment industry since 2003. The morning traffic reporter for  WTNH News 8’s Good Morning Connecticut started off behind the camera, and worked her way up from the assignment desk to the news desk.  After DuFour graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2001 with her bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, she worked at a number of radio stations across the state. She anchored and reported daily newscasts for KISS 95.7 and Westwood One Radio Network. Between 2004 and 2006, she was a reporter and anchor for KTVE and KARD in New Orleans, covering Hurricane Katrina, among other stories.  A native of Middlebury, she had her first child earlier this year, and serves as co-host of the WTNH program Connecticut Style.  She succeeded Desiree Fontaine in both roles.

While DuFour was on maternity leave, traffic was reported by Marysol Castro.  A New York City native and Wesleyan University graduate, Castro previously was an anchor at WPIX-TV in New York City and  weather anchor for the CBS News morning program 'The Early Show.'

Fox CT’s traffic reporter Rachel Lutzker gave birth to her third child earlier this year, is a native New Yorker who first came to Connecticut to attend the University of Hartford. While there she began interning at KISS 95.7 and decided to make a career in media. She is also heard each morning on iHeartMedia Connecticut stations providing up-to-date traffic reports, and doing the same on the drive home each workday on The River 105.9.  Rachel’s career has included stops at WCBS New York as traffic reporter, WFSB-TV and now WTIC-TV.

The website payscale.com reports that 59 percent of traffic reporters nationwide are women.   When the CBS affiliate in Chicago was seeking a new traffic reporter a few years ago, they held open tryouts among viewers.  The winner of the  CBS 2 Chicago Traffic Tryouts competition, Derrick Young, was awarded a contract and continues to report the traffic alongside the station's morning news team.

PHOTOS:  Nicole Nalepa,  Teresa Dufour, Heidi Voight, Rachel Lutzker (credits: station websites)

NOTE:  This story will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Despite Drop in Summer Passengers, Bradley Continues Year-Over-Year Growth

For the month of October, there was a 3.6 percent year-over-year increase in passengers at Bradley International Airport, the strongest month thi syear, resulting in an overall 1.1 percent increase over the first ten months of the year, compared with 2014.   Save for a slight dip in July and August (and a minimal drop in February) – compared to record numbers in the  summer months a year ago – Bradley continues to see steady year-over-year increases in passenger traffic. The October uptick follows September’s 1.2 percent a percent increase, reflecting increases in passenger traffic in and out of Bradley during seven of the first ten months of the year, compared with a year ago. 

Bradley saw 17,000 fewer passengers in August 2015 compared with the previous August, after a drop of 5,142 passengers in July as compared with July a year ago.  The numbers are included in the minutes of the Connecticut Airport Authority, which oversees Connecticut’s airports including Bradley, the region’s second largest airport after Boston’s Logan Airport.

Since then however, the steady growth has resumed. From January through March, the passenger numbers at Bradley reflected a slight increase of 1.4 percent over the same period in 2014.  If the September and October growth continues in November and December, the airport’s passenger traffic is expected to once again exceed the previous year.

At New England’s other major airports, Logan Airport in Boston showed a passenger increase of 3.8 percent in the first quarter of 2015 above the same period the previous year.  At T.F. Green Airport in Providence, RI, passenger traffic declined by 2.3 percent in the year-over-year comparison.

In April, passenger traffic was up 1.3 percent above 2014 levels.  In May, Bradley again saw a slight uptick from May 2014, with passenger numbers increasing by 3.3 percent to 542,888.  Boston’s Logan Airport was up 4.9 percent from the previous May, and Providence’s T.F. Green Airport was virtually unchanged, up by 63 passengers.

Another increase in June, 1.5 percent above the previous June, continued Bradley’s strong performance.  The same was true of Logan Airport, where passenger numbers were up 5.7 percent in June 2015 as compared with the previous June.

Overall, from January to June, as compared with 2014, passenger numbers at Bradley were up 1.5 percent.  Logan Airport passenger numbers were up 4.4 percent from the previous year, while T.F. Green saw a decline of 1.3 percent.

July saw a decline in passengers at Bradley in the year-over-year comparison.  Bradley’s passenger numbers were down 1 percent for the month – 534,071 in July 2015 versus 539,213 the previous year.  T.F. Green Airport was also down, by 1.7 percent, while Logan saw its passenger numbers higher this year than last, by a considerable 6.8 percent.

In August, passenger numbers at Bradley were down again in 2015 as compared with 2014.  The decline was 3.2 percent, dropping by more than 17,000 passengers, from 538,442 to 521,000.  Logan was up again, by 6 percent, while T.F. Green’s numbers were virtually identical.

Even with the decline in slight declines in February, August and July, however, Bradley still showed a narrow net gain in passengers this year when compared with the first ten months of 2014, just over one percent.  Through September, the calendar year total was 4,435,206.  Among the carriers at Bradley, Southwest (621.027), Delta (489,853), the merged US Air/American (356,209) and JetBlue (310,432) saw the largest number of passengers boarding flights.

Earlier this fall, CAA officials announced the return of trans-Atlantic flights from Bradley, beginning in September 2016.  Bradley will be one of three new locations in the United States to offer Aer Lingus flights to Ireland.  The daily service will include one evening departure from Bradley and one afternoon departure from Dublin.  Published reports indicate that the State offered a $4.5 million guarantee against losses in each of the first two years, plus $5 million in other inducements to establish the Bradley-Dublin route. The financial inducements to Aer Lingus could reach $14 million: up to $9 million in loss protection from the state Department of Economic and Community Development and $5 million from the CAA, including $3.8 million in marketing over three years and about $1.2 million in waivers of various fees at the airport over two years, reports have indicated.

The demolition of the half-century old Terminal B is underway at Bradley, with plans for a transportation center, additional parking (for cars and planes), and free shuttle service from the airport to the train station in Windsor Locks in the planning stages.

The CAA also governs airports in Groton/New London, Danielson, Windham, Waterbury/Oxford, and Hartford/Brainard.  The Authority’s November meeting was cancelled.  It is next scheduled to meet on December 14. The CAA is led by a volunteer Board comprised of regional leaders in transportation, aviation, business, law, politics, economic development, and other areas of industry.  The chair is Mary Ellen Jones of Glastonbury; the vice-chair is Michael T. Long of Simsbury.

Hartford, Stamford Among Nation's Most Congested Highways

A new study by the American Highway Users Alliance identifies America’s 50 worst bottlenecks and finds that the very worst bottleneck, as measured by hours of delay, is in Chicago, IL. Los Angeles, CA owns the next six of the top 10.  While Connecticut’s highways did not reach the top 50, two bottlenecks did receive honorable – or dishonorable – mention. The I-84 section in Hartford between Trumbull Street and Park Street, and the I-95 section in Stamford between Fairfield Avenue and Elm Street, both made the list of 43 “Other Zones of Congestion” in the U.S. -thereby earning status as among the nation's 100 most congested traffic tie-ups.  According to the data, the average length of the back-up in Hartford is 1.4 miles; in Stamford 1.3 miles.  The average total annual delay at the Hartford bottleneck is 705,000 hours; in Stamford 494,000 hours of lost productivity.

Speaking at the American Highway Users Alliance press conference where the report was released, U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said, “This report furthers the unassailable truth that America is stuck in traffic. The good news is that this problem is solvable, and Congress can be part of the solution. As a long-term surface transportation bill moves through conference, I urge our elected leaders to provide the funding growth and policies that are necessary to improve commutes, to raise the bar for safety, and to keep the country moving in the 21st century.”

Hartford and Stamford were among 43 “zones of congestion” around the country that were noted in the report in addition to the top 50.  The report indicated that “although congested, the worst segments of highway do not have the same severe delays/mile as the nationally ranked bottlenecks.”  They are, the report points out, in many cases “the most congested in their states.”

I-84 in Hartford may be receiving a re-make over the next decade.  The Department of Transportation is in the midst of determining the preferred option among three possibilities - to replace the I-84 raised viaduct or replace it with a ground-level highway or dig a tunnel.  The various options have been presented in a series of public meetings in recent months, and a decision is anticipated early next year.

The work, which has yet to be funded, is likely to include moving or eliminating some exits and entrances – and possibly adding others in new locations - to improve traffic flow.  Cost estimates range from $4 billion to $12 billion, depending on the option selected. Upcoming public meetings are to be held in East Hartford on Dec. 2 and Hartford on Dec. 10.

In the top-ranked Chicago traffic bottleneck highlighted in the report, the Kennedy Expressway (I-90) between the Circle Interchange (I-290) and Edens junction (I-94), was found to extend 12 miles, costing motorists 16.9 million hours’ worth of time, equivalent to $418 million in 2014. More than 6.3 million gallons of fuel is wasted on I-90 while cars idle or crawl in traffic.

Besides identifying and ranking the nation’s 50 worst traffic bottlenecks, the study, Unclogging America’s Arteries 2015, examines the top 30 chokepoints closely and details many of the major benefits that will accrue to society by fixing them. In addition to improving mobility and quality of life for motorists, the report indicated that fixing the top 30 bottlenecks alone would, over 20 years:

• Save $39 billion due to lost time,
• Save 830 million gallons of fuel,
• Reduce over 17 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2), and
• Prevent 211,000 vehicle crashes

“These findings are critically important and mean that our nation will derive huge benefits from fixing the worst gridlock in our nation’s highway system: benefits that go way beyond improving mobility for highway users,” states Greg Cohen, President and CEO of the American Highway Users Alliance.

Amongst the top 10 was New York City with the 8th and 9th worst bottleneck at the notorious Lincoln Tunnel and on I-95 from Manhattan across the Bronx. Metropolitan New York also had the 18th, 19th, 21st, 31st, 33rd, 37th, and 42nd – ranked chokepoints.

As for the bottlenecks themselves, the study’s top 50 list includes trouble spots in the following Metropolitan Areas: 12 in Los Angeles, 9 in and around New York City, 3 in Chicago, 3 near Washington DC, 3 in Houston, 3 in Boston, 3 in Dallas, 3 in Miami, 2 in Atlanta, 2 in Philadelphia, and 2 in San Francisco/Oakland.

The report notes that bottlenecks can be fixed and points to specific chokepoints that have been addressed and, as a result, were not included in the rankings. Projects cited include the Woodrow Wilson Bridge replacement on I-495 in the Washington, DC area, the Marquette Interchange in Milwaukee, and the Katy Freeway reconstruction in Houston.

Safety in Sharing the Road Urged for Drivers, Cyclists, Pedestrians

Bike Walk Connecticut, the statewide organization that works for active transportation and making Connecticut a better place to bike and walk, has released a new brochure to remind drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians on the rules for sharing the road, as the organization prepares for its annual fundraising dinner and awards ceremony. Entitled Give Respect, Get Respect:  Share the Road, Connecticut, the brochure is available for download at www.bikewalkct.org. Connecticut's roads are traveled by walkers, runners, and cyclists who are welcome and expected to use the roads for transportation, fitness, and recreation, the organization emphasizes.

Marking the launch of the new Share the Road campaign, this year's featured speaker is Colleen Kelly Alexander.  Bike Walk Connecticut officials describe her remarkable story:  After undergoing brain surgery in 2007 for a chiari malformation, Colleen overcame a lupus and cryoglobulinemia diagnosis in 2009, pushing forward to become a successful, competitive triathlete. In 2011, while on a routine bike ride, she was run over by a freight truck. Crushed, ripped apart and bleeding out, she flatlined twice, spent five weeks in a coma and has since endured over twenty surgeries. Defying diagnoses, dire predictions and death, Colleen stunned doctors by bucking the odds and coming back to run more than 50 races and complete 15 triathlons, including 4 half Ironman events since her trauma. Colleen and husband Sean Alexander were elected to the Bike Walk Connecticut board of directors in 2015.  

The annual event will be held November 20 at Central Connecticut State University.  Proceeds fund Bike Walk Connecticut's work to make Connecticut "a great place to bike and walk."  Regarding the Share the Road initiative, Bike Walk Connecticut officials point out that "with common courtesy, common sense, and respect for the rules to share the road, Connecticut's roads can be safer for everyone."  The brochure urges state residents to “please do your part whether you're driving, cycling, walking, or running.”  The brochure includes the following guidelines:

For Drivers:

• Please slow down.  Obey speed limits.  A pedestrian hit by a car going 40 mph has an 85% chance of being killed.  At 20 mph the risk is 5%.  Drive at a speed that's safe for all.
• Expect cyclists, walkers, runners and others on the road.
• Yield to pedestrians at or in any crosswalk.  It's been the law since 1978, but it's not widely observed in Connecticut.  Every intersection is a crosswalk, even if it's not marked.  "Yield" means slow down or stop.
• Come to a complete stop at stop signs and red lights.  Be vigilant at intersections.
• Signal your turns and look both ways before changing lanes, turning, and at driveways.
• Expect the unexpected around curves and over hills, where visibility is limited.
• Let cyclists ride as far to the right as is safe.  Cyclists should ride as far to the right as they judge to be safe.  Give them space to avoid hazards like potholes, debris and drain grates.
• Expect cyclists in the travel lane.  Cyclists may ride in or near the middle of the travel lane when it's not safe to ride on the far right side of the road.  Cyclists should ride in the travel lane to avoid hazards and when the road is too narrow for cars and bikes to proceed safely side by side.
• Pass with care.  Give cyclists at least 3 feet.  It's the law since 2008.  Keep at least 3 feet of space between your vehicle and a cyclist.  You may cross the center line to pass a cyclist if it's safe.
• Mind the door zone.  Check for approaching cyclists before opening your car door so you don't hit them.
• Avoid distracted driving, aggressive driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• 2014 Vulnerable User Law Mandates $1000 Fine.  Connecticut requires a fine of up to $1000 on drivers who cause the death or serious injury of a pedestrian, cyclist or other vulnerable road user who used reasonable care.

For Cyclists:

Bike Walk Connecticut urges all cyclists to be good ambassadors for cycling and always follow these rules to share the road in Connecticut. Cyclists who follow the rules of the road are visible, predictable, safer, and earn respect from other road users.

• Follow the rules of the road.  Obey stop signs and traffic signals.  Ride on the right in the direction of traffic.  Riding on sidewalks is prohibited in many Connecticut towns.
• Ride as far to the right as is safe.  If there's no bike lane, ride in the travel lane when necessary for your safety.  The extreme right edge of the road isn't always the safest place to ride.  Riding in the travel lane makes it easier for drivers to see you and reduces the chance that a driver may pass too close.
• Be visible.  Always ride with lights at night.  Wear bright clothes during the day and reflective materials at night.  For night riding, Connecticut requires a headlight visible from at least 500 feet and a red tail light visible from 600 feet.
• Be predictable.  Ride in a straight, predictable manner.  Don't weave, swerve, or stop suddenly.
• Signal all turns.  Use proper hand signals in advance to tell others where you are going.
• Ride single file in traffic.  You may ride two abreast if traffic can pass you safely.  Common courtesy usually requires riding single file in traffic, except when passing others.
• Stay out of the "door zone."  Ride 3-4 feet away from parked cars so you don't get hit by an opening car door.
• Alert others that you're approaching or passing.  Allow plenty of space when passing others.  Cyclists must yield to pedestrians in or at crosswalks.
• Don't ride distracted.  Distracted riding is dangerous riding.  Wait to use your cellphone until you're off the road.  Riding with headphones is unsafe if you're distracted and can't hear other road users.
• Wear a helmet correctly on every ride.

For Pedestrians:

• Be aware.  Watch for cars that are turning, at driveways, or backing up.  Never assume a driver sees you or will stop or slow down at an intersection.
• Use sidewalks.  No sidewalk?  Walk facing traffic.
• Use crosswalks and obey crosswalk signals.  No Crosswalk?  Yield to Traffic.
• Be Alert.  Don't be distracted by devices that take your eyes and ears off the road, especially at intersections.  Distracted walking is dangerous walking.
• Be Visible.
• Wear Bright, Reflective Clothing. 
• Runners are Pedestrians Too.  Like walkers, runners should run against traffic, cross at crosswalks whenever available, and obey crosswalk signals.

Front Seat Passengers Could Be Killed; Repairs for CT Cars May Take Until 2019

Connecticut drivers – likely numbering in the thousands - have been advised not to allow anyone to ride in the front passenger seat of their car, due to the risk of an airbag explosion that could be deadly. A nationwide recall of cars with airbags supplied to automakers by Takata Corp. is being handled differently in different parts of the United States, and it appears that Connecticut and the Northeast have the longest waits – already more than six months in some cases.

And the wait may not nearly be over.  Deadlines for repairs to the 19 million vehicles under recall nationwide will run through 2019, according to federal officials.  The NHTSA website indicates that “completion deadlines for fixing the 19 million vehicles under recall will begin in 2017 and end in 2019.”

An April letter sent by Toyota to owners of its affected vehicles in Connecticut read in part “we will send you another notification once sufficient parts have been produced and the remedy can be performed. Until the remedy becomes available in your location, we recommend that you do not operate the vehicle with an occupant in the front passenger seat.”

The potentially fatal malfunction, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), is that the inflator can causes its air bag to explode. The letter indicated that “in the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the air bag cushion material, striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.”

Last week, U.S. auto safety regulators fined Takata Corp. of Japan $70 million for lapses in the way it handled recalls of millions of explosion-prone air bags that are responsible for eight deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide.  It is the largest civil fine in NHTSA history and marked the first time the agency used its authority to accelerate recall repairs. Regulators also ordered Takata to stop making the air bag inflators unless the company can prove they are safe, NBC News reported.

So far, about 23.4 million driver and passenger inflators have been recalled on 19.2 million U.S. vehicles sold by 12 automakers, the network reported. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal responded that the $70 million fine seems like a slap on the wrist and should be larger.  The penalty “provide(s) no meaningful deterrence for continuing reprehensible and irresponsible behavior that costs countless preventable injuries and lives,” Blumenthal said.

The company, and impacted automakers, are making parts necessary to accomplish repairs available in regions of the country with humid climates first, because humidity has been said to increase the risk of air bag rupture.  Connecticut residents, living in a region not known for its humidity, are not a priority for the repair, and continue to wait for word when repairs for their recalled vehicles can be made.

NBC Connecticut reports that one local Toyota dealer indicates that “If it’s not available we go in and check every week to 10 days with that VIN (vehicle identification number) to see if parts are available,” he said. “We’re kind of at the mercy of not only the supplier but also the manufacturer.”

In the meantime, car companies are left to “apologize for any inconvenience” and affected car owners need to remember that front seat passengers could be in serious danger. The situation may not change for some time, especially for parts of the country including New England. 

Blumenthal has also urged Takata to commit to compensation for victims, but the company has thus far refused to do so.  There have also been calls for compensation for the millions of car owners unable to have someone ride in the front passenger seat.

The website safercar.gov has additional information about vehicles subject to the recall, and those that can now be repaired. Individuals can enter their vehicle’s VIN number to learn if they are eligible for a repair under the recall.