Federal Transportation Infrastructure Priorities Naugatuck Valley Planning Region – February 2019 Federal Transportation Infrastructure Priorities: Naugatuck Valley Planning Region – February 2019 National Policy Initiatives: • Continue to use performance-based criteria for discretionary grant program decisions. • Ensure Highway Trust Fund solvency. Near-term solvency can be achieved by increasing and indexing existing federal fuel taxes, but a • Directly allocate STBG Program funds to MPOs of all sizes. Enhance long term solution needs to be studied and implemented. authority of MPOs to set regional spending priorities. • Remove the federal tolling prohibition. Tolling can raise funds to improve • Directly allocate all STBGP set-aside funds (formerly the Transportation and rebuild the aging Interstate and non-interstate expressway system. Alternative Program) to MPOs of all sizes and end the ability of state States, in consultation with impacted metropolitan areas, should decide DOTs to transfer set-aside funds to other programs. whether tolling is appropriate, • Permit MPOs in Connecticut to be designated based on Council of • Increase funding for transportation planning. Effective planning crafts Government boundaries and be considered Urban Area equivalents for solutions that address a variety of needs within the transportation transportation funding and programs. This would not cause any increase system. MPOs need sufficient funding to assess an increasingly in funding, but it would generate greater efficiencies in the way that complex array of activities, including more planning based on funding is programmed and distributed in the state. performance-based criteria. State Policy Initiatives: • Increase funding for the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STBGP). • Maintain and provide full annual funding for the Local Transportation Capital Improvement Program (LOTCIP) • Increase funding for all forms of transportation. A multi-modal system is $74,000,000 / year more resilient and efficient and is essential for communities of all sizes. • Establish State Recreational Trails Program as an annual program and • Continue to distribute a significant portion of federal transportation provide full funding; solicit project applications through COGs dollars through a formula-based process and rely less on discretionary $5,000,000 / year programs. However, restoration of the High Priority Program should be considered as a viable mechanism for funding transportation improvements beyond formula funding. Page 1 Federal Transportation Infrastructure Priorities: Naugatuck Valley Planning Region – February 2019 Phase I Priority Projects: Waterbury Branch Line Expand Service Provide additional peak hour service Naugatuck River Greenway Trail – Derby to Torrington (30-minute headways) $2,100,000 / year Construct priority sections of NRG Trail $25,471,000 Waterbury Phase 2 / Phase 1 Extension $8,600,000 Waterbury Branch Line Infrastructure Improvement – Watertown: Branch Brook-Frost Bridge Rd $1,847,000 Needed to for Passenger Convenience Naugatuck: Maple St-Breen Field $3,236,000 Derby-Shelton Rail Station renovations & improvements $11,725,000 Naugatuck: Pulaski Bridge-Waterbury TL $3,000,000 Ansonia Rail Station improvements $8,225,000 Beacon Falls: Extend Road Diet on Route 42 $3,259,000 Seymour Rail Station relocation assessment $300,000 Thomaston: Old Wtby Rd to Thomaston Dam $5,529,000 Naugatuck Rail Station A&E $1,000,000 Waterbury Rail Station waiting area & parking lot renovations $10.000.000 Construct Tier II sections of NRG Trail $11,900,000 Ansonia to Seymour section $TBD Total Funding Need: $31,250,000 Waterbury to Watertown section: Phase 4/5 $11,900,000 Thomaston Dam, Vista Park to Torrington $TBD Naugatuck Inland Port $65.000.000 Environmental Mitigation & Remediation Extend Middlebury Greenway $2,557,000 Construct rail spur thru Chemtura Site Construct 10-foot Craneway Total Funding Need: $39,928,000 New Warehousing Buildings Construct Green Energy Project Waterbury Branch Line Infrastructure Improvement – Needed to Expand Service Highway Improvement Projects Construct & upgrade remaining passing sidings Route 8 – Phase 3 Project, Derby-Ansonia $135,000,000 (Devon & Waterbury) $18,700,000 Route 8 Interchange Improvements – Multiple Locations $139,000,000 Rolling Stock – Replace existing equipment: 4 sets Construct Huntingdon Avenue Project in Waterbury $18,100,000 (Train Set = 1 locomotive + 2 coaches + 1 push/pull cab) $80,000,000 (Provide 10% local share $1,810,000) Rolling Stock – New equipment to expand service: 3 sets Relocation of Route 334 in Ansonia $300,000 (Train Set = 1 locomotive + 2 coaches + 1 push/pull cab) $60,000,000 (Planning & Feasibility Study) Total Funding Need: $158,700,000 Page 2 Federal Transportation Infrastructure Priorities: Naugatuck Valley Planning Region – February 2019 Realign Route 72 in Bristol $5,500,000 Bus Rapid Transit System Route 42-to-Route 67 Connector Rd, Beacon Falls-Seymour $50,000 Median Running BRT along Route 8 Corridor +/-$175,000,000 (Prepare BUILD Grant Application & B/C Analysis) Separated facility within center right-of-way; 11.5 miles Between Derby-Shelton rail station & Bridgeport Total Funding Need: $297,950,000 Transportation Center Construct BRT hub along Bridgeport Avenue in Shelton Local Bus Service Purchase high-quality BRT vehicles Additional State Funds to Expand Local Bus Service $1,500,000 / year Off board fare collection ITS elements – signal pre-emption, driver assist/automation Phase II Priority Projects: High capital costs -- TBD Waterbury Branch Line Infrastructure Improvement BRT along Central CT Rail Corridor +/-$10,000,000 Construct New Station Buildings along the WBL On-road facility along rail corridor Derby-Shelton Rail Station $80,000,000 On-road facility along rail corridor 24 miles – BRT Light New Ansonia Rail Station $25,000,000 Extend CTfastrak to Bristol, Plymouth & Thomaston to Route 8 Relocated Seymour Rail Station $25,000,000 Brand service to differentiate it as a “BRT” New Beacon Falls Rail Station $25,000,000 Purchase high-quality BRT vehicles Relocate Naugatuck Rail Station $25,000,000 Off board fare collection Renovated Waterbury Rail Station $12.000.000 ITS elements Total Funding Need: $192,000,000 Central CT Freight Rail Line ±$170,000,000 Upgrade Line to Class III (40 mph) -- SGR Install Passenger Amenities along Entire Line $18,700,000 Replace ties, rail & resurface Develop a Permanent Transfer Station at Devon Wye $80,000,000 Flatten curves Waterbury Branch Line Maintenance & Storage Yard $55,000,000 Support implementation of Naugatuck Inland Port Total Funding Need: $158,700,000 Highway Improvement Projects Route 42-to-Route 67 Connector Road, Beacon Falls-Seymour $39,600,000 Construct Connector Road Parallel NRG Trail Relocate Seymour Train Station Page 3 Incentivize TOD Naugatuck River Greenway (NRG) Trail Project Naugatuck River Greenway Trail • Existing conditions: • Designated by CT Greenways Council & CT DEEP • 44 miles long – passes through 11 communities • Identified as a trail of “statewide significance” in the CT Recreational Trails Plan • Designated as one of 101 America’s Great Outdoors projects by US Department of the Interior • ≈5 miles open + 3 miles to be built in 2019/2020 • Actions: • Construct priority sections of the NRG Trail • Waterbury Phase 2 / Phase 1 extension • Watertown: Branch Brk-Frost Bridge Rd • Naugatuck: Maple St-Breen Field • Naugatuck: Pulaski Bridge-Waterbury TL • Beacon Falls: Extend Road Diet • Thomaston: Old Wtrby Rd-Thomaston Dam • Work with USACE to allow NRG Trail through Thomaston Dam recreation / impoundment area & resolve use conflicts Page 4 Naugatuck River Greenway (NRG) Trail Project • Construct Tier II Sections of NRG Trail • Ansonia-to-Seymour Section (TBD) • Waterbury-to-Watertown: Phases 4/5 • Thomaston Dam to Torrington (TBD) • Extend Middlebury Greenway • Work with USACE to allow NRG Trail through Thomaston Dam recreation / impoundment area & resolve use conflicts • $25.5 million (NRG Trail Priority Sections) • ±$11.9 million (NRG Trail – Tier II Sections) • $2.6 million (Middlebury Greenway) Benefits of NRG Trail Project • Improve health & quality of life of residents • Provide a viable transportation option; active transportation connection between urban centers • Restore river access • Provide economic opportunities – stimulate local, regional & state economies; create jobs • Generate substantial economic benefits: Neighborhood Transit • Direct user spending Hub Concept – Bridgeport • Consumer surplus Avenue, Shelton • Health benefits – lower incidences of obesity, diabetes & cardio-vascular disease Page 5 Waterbury Branch Rail Line Infrastructure Improvements Waterbury Branch Rail Line • Existing conditions: • 27 miles long; joins main line at Devon Wye • Riders transfer mainly at Bridgeport • 2½ hour headways • Poor connections to main line service • Insufficient peak hour trains • Actions: • Provide 30-minute headways during peak hours • $2.1 million / year Construct Passing Sidings • WBL Single-Track: • Need passing sidings to allow bi-directional service • Sidings were included as part of signalization project • Derby & Beacon Falls sidings constructed • 2 remaining sidings – Devon & Waterbury • $18.7 million Page 6 Waterbury Branch Rail Line Infrastructure Improvements Rolling Stock – Replace existing equipment • Existing equipment: • Old & in poor condition • Subject to frequent breakdowns / unreliable • Lack amenities – WiFi, charging ports, outlets