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“These new initiatives, implemented over the coming months, will continue to push us toward a more equitable statewide transportation infrastructure – one that reflects a growing sector of those walking and cycling on a regular basis,” the Governor said. “Many of the improvements we have made so far have come at the local and regional level. They have not been as coordinated statewide as they could be – or should be. And I always believe we can do better.”

Currently, for example, bicycle and pedestrian accommodations at rail stations vary from station to station and from transit operator to transit operator. The DOT’s initiative is intended to help address these and other impediments to bicycle and pedestrian options.

Governor Rell announced five immediate program changes at the DOT:

•      Quick Fix Program: This DOT program will quickly respond to relatively minor bicycle and pedestrian issues
•      DOT Sidewalk Policy: DOT policy will assure that sidewalks are considered as part of the normal roadway design process and that their funding is treated the same as any other element of a road construction project
•      Funding: DOT will reserve 50 percent ($4 million) of State Transportation Plan-Enhancement funding each year for bicycle and pedestrian projects and allow the use of STP-Urban funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects
•      Project Design Manual: DOT will enhance the existing project design manual so bicycle and pedestrians needs are fully considered as part of the project design process
•      Inter-agency Collaboration: DOT and the state Department of Environmental Protection will collaborate more closely on issues related to bike and pedestrian needs

The DOT has identified several other important actions it will take immediately. These steps are intended to demonstrate the agency’s commitment to implementing the new initiative and assuring it meets the goal of improving bicycle and pedestrian travel in Connecticut.

•     East Coast Greenway – East Hartford segment: Provide $300,000 to finalize the design of a 2-mile segment that will fill a major gap in the Greenway, which is part of a larger greenway planned to extend from Maine to Florida
•      East Coast Greenway – Manchester to Bolton: Provide funding to finish design plans through Manchester and Bolton Notch, which will advance plans to fill this second major gap in this statewide trail
•      Farmington Canal Trail – Cheshire: Provide funding to design a key segment of a trail that extends from New Haven to Northampton, Mass., eliminating one of the remaining large gaps in the Canal Trail
•      Bike Storage at Train Stations: Improve and expand bike storage facilities at the state’s three largest train stations – New Haven, Stamford and Bridgeport – which will later be extended to all stations
•      Small Safety Projects: Correcting small-scale pedestrian and bicycle safety problems such as the restriping of crosswalks and pavement markings at the intersection of Route 100 and Park Place in East Haven to allow safer crossings for pedestrians
•      Road Re-striping: Expand the program of restriping state roads to widen shoulders and narrow travel lines where feasible, which will have the dual benefit of reducing travel speeds and providing more shoulder space for cyclists

"We are casting a wide net to improve both short-term, simple deficiencies in our infrastructure and, at the same time, change the way we do business when it comes to non-motorized infrastructure,” said DOT Commissioner Jeffrey A. Parker. “This initiative won’t change the face of our state overnight, but it will help us be more responsive to our constituencies. Under this program, we will be securing nearly $4 million dollars a year to put directly toward non-motorized programs, projects and fixes.”