Connecticut 2055’s vision is a forward-thinking statement of the ideal Connecticut transportation system that businesses, commuters, and residents desire. Our vision statement is: “We envision a safe and accessible transportation system that connects and enhances our communities. We strive for reliable and resilient multimodal transportation options for everyone. Our mission is to improve lives through transportation.”

The goals of Connecticut 2055 are:  

Safety for All Users
Provide a modern, reliable, and accessible transportation system where every person can travel safely, with the goal of eliminating serious injuries and fatalities.

Connected Communities
Connecticut residents and visitors will experience a multimodal transportation network that connects them to where they need and want to go, fostering prosperity and improving lives. 

Innovative Future
People in Connecticut will benefit from the adoption of emerging technology. 

Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure
People in Connecticut will benefit from a transportation network that is resilient and sustainable through planning, design, construction, and operations. 

Vibrant Economy
Connecticut communities will thrive with the seamless movement of people and goods, creating greater opportunities and fostering growth. 

Throughout the long-range transportation planning process, we conducted extensive public and stakeholder engagement gathering input on how people in Connecticut envision the future of the transportation system. We received over 750 comments through…

10 pop-up events | 5 stakeholder group meetings | 4 virtual public information meetings | 2 public comment periods | 1 online survey | Coordination with 9 MPO/COGs, 3 adjacent states, and 6 Tribal Nations.

Your feedback helped us: 

• Develop and align the vision and goals
• Identify and confirm transportation challenges and opportunities
• Inform strategic actions and funding priorities for plan implementation

Looking to learn more about our public and stakeholder outreach? Read Appendix A!

                

The following set of strategies highlights many of CTDOT’s priorities for implementing Connecticut 2055. These strategies provide the first steps to meeting Connecticut 2055’s goals and will lay the foundation for achieving CTDOT’s long-term objectives. By focusing on initial steps, CTDOT can prioritize initiatives, build momentum, and gain broader public support for its long-term vision. Further strategies are comprehensively listed in the Implementation Matrix in Appendix E.

Safety for All Users

• Prioritize implementation and updates of the Strategic Highway Safety Plan
• Increase work zone safety programs
• Expand successful programs: wrong way detection program and automated speed enforcement program
• Promote legislation and administrative reforms to improve safety

Connected Communities

• Invest in and expand bus routes, service frequency, and bus rapid transit to close service gaps
• Expand the statewide Complete Streets program and support mixed-used development to increase walking, biking, and transit use
• Invest in rail by modernizing the train fleet, adding new stations, and accessibility improvements 

Innovative Future

• Continue integrating connected and autonomous vehicles through pilot programs
• Embrace the use of drones in traffic monitoring, emergency management, and data collection
• Transition to electric buses and expand the state’s electric vehicle charging network
• Minimize cybersecurity risks and prepare for incidents through planning

Resilient and Sustainable Infrastructure

• Develop improved data collection and forecasting tools
• Improve emergency preparedness
• Incorporate resilient roadway design to minimize erosion and strengthen infrastructure

Connecticut’s transportation story is one of connection and change. With thousands of miles of roads, bridges, rail lines, bus routes, and other infrastructure, the state’s network helps support mobility wherever it is needed. CTDOT and its partners maintain this interconnected system to support driving, riding the bus or rail, bicycling, walking, and moving goods throughout the state.

In Connecticut, there are…

• 376 overall miles of state-maintained roads
• 17,480 overall miles of town-maintained roads
• 1 statewide transit system (CTtransit)
• 16 regional transit districts
• 4,002 state-maintained bridges
• 289 miles of multi-use trails
• 238 miles of state-maintained rail
• 20 public-use airports
• 3 deepwater ports
• 5 ferry services

Read Appendix B to learn more about Connecticut's transportation system.

Our capital projects and programs are based on a multifaceted set of priorities to enhance transportation infrastructure and services within the state. These priorities align with this Plan’s goals and objectives and are implemented through the projects developed and summarized in our Capital Plan and Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Our capital priorities are focused towards:

• Safety (Our #1 priority. We aim to reduce crash fatalities and serious injuries, create a safer environment for all users, and avoid long-term economic costs from crashes) 
• State of good repair
• Addressing congestion
• Addressing rail and bus travel times
• Active transportation considerations
• Major programs and initiatives

As Connecticut changes, the system must adapt to meet the evolving multimodal needs of its people. Transportation facilities need to be regularly maintained, updated, and expanded to help Connecticut’s residents and visitors today and in the future. Some of the key challenges and opportunities that need to be addressed in the coming years include:

Challenges: 
Enhancing safety | Congestion hotspots | Meeting public transportation demand | Aging infrastructure | Adapting to technological change

Opportunities: 
Enhancing and expanding safety programs | Expanding travel options | Improving reliability and closing service gap | Designing resilient infrastructure | Investing in innovative technology

We will address Connecticut’s transportation challenges through a comprehensive, multimodal strategy to strengthen the state’s transportation corridors. CTDOT’s major capital investments and ongoing operations and maintenance efforts are continually refined to address many of these challenges. Through Connecticut 2055, CTDOT is further prioritizing the investments needed to meet these opportunities and advance a safer, more integrated network to move its people.

Successfully implementing the strategies of Connecticut 2055 will require the dedication of our people, the formation and collaboration of key partnerships, and the active involvement of Connecticut’s residents. You can learn more about CTDOT's proposed implementation strategies in Appendix E.

Our people
Staff at CTDOT will carry out each step for implementing Connecticut 2055. This LRTP requires a dedicated workforce to meet the future transportation challenges of Connecticut.

So, what happens next? We are already hard at work to address the transportation needs of the state so that we can keep improving lives through transportation. We will continue working on numerous major projects, multimodal planning studies, policies, and programs that are needed to improve safety, reduce congestion, and modernize infrastructure through planning, engineering, and public feedback. These efforts require valuable input and coordination with federal and state agencies, metropolitan planning organizations, local governments, and the public at large. We will focus on our most critical and immediate transportation needs while also addressing our long-term strategic goals.