Nearly $17 million is coming to Connecticut for traffic safety projects aimed at ending fatalities on the state’s roads, according to Connecticut’s congressional delegation.
The money, from the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and awarded through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program, was announced Wednesday in a release from U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and U.S. Reps. John Larson, Joe Courtney, Rosa DeLauro and Jim Himes.
“This federal support will help stop catastrophic crashes on our roads and streets — one of the biggest, most preventable causes of death and injury,” Blumenthal said in a release. “Just last year, there were more than 300 deaths on Connecticut roadways, and many of these deaths could have been prevented with safer traffic measures and upgrades. I am proud that this federal funding will support five major projects that will transform road and pedestrian safety so our residents are protected.”
The funding will support the following regional and local projects:
- $200,000 to the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation for the Mashantucket Pequot Comprehensive Safety Action Plan Development Project
- $1,576,751 to UConn for the University of Connecticut Safe System for All Road Users
- $1,000,000 to Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments for the MetroCOG Regional Safety Action Plan – Phase II – Crash Hot Spot Countermeasure Suitability Analysis
- $3,178,100 to the Town of West Hartford for the Vulnerable User Safety Program
- $11,040,000 to the City of New Haven for the Chapel Street Safe Streets Implementation Project
“This $17 million will support major upgrades to roadways in New Haven and West Hartford with high crash rates, making some of our most dangerous roads much safer for pedestrians, bikers, and drivers,” Murphy said. “Funding will also lay the groundwork for better public transportation and help local, regional, and Tribal communities develop action plans to target crash hot spots and reduce preventable deaths. This is all thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and I look forward to seeing their impact on our state.”
Larson said that more than $3 million of the funding would reach West Hartford to implement safety measures like sidewalks, bike lanes, flashing beacons, and expanded school zone speed limits.
Courtney said it would also promote the health of the impacted communities.
“The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law doesn’t just promote economic opportunity; it also makes critical investments to ensure the well-being of communities throughout eastern Connecticut,” he said. “The need for pedestrian safeguards and an efficient traffic system has become more prevalent. This new round of federal infrastructure funding will support the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the University of Connecticut as they move to improve traffic and pedestrian safety, standing as another example of how the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant program is paying dividends for eastern Connecticut.”
Traffic accidents and deaths are at a high, officials have said. The Department of Transportation has reported 224 traffic fatalities this year.
