Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is putting off until next week a decision he had promised today on whether to give his blessing to the Hartford-to-New Britain busway.
Depending on whom you believe, the busway either is a potential white elephant with uncertain ridership or a boon to the hurting construction industry and the future of rapid transit.
According to sources who met with Malloy on the project, the governor expressed skepticism about whether the state could go ahead with the $570 million, 9.4-mile busway without diverting funds from other transportation projects.
Malloy now hopes to give his answer on the project as early as Monday.
Opponents urged Malloy to review the project in the context of how it complements or conflicts with the rehabilitation of the I-84 viaduct, a 4,000-feet-long raised section of highway near Aetna in Hartford that needs to be rebuilt. It is adjacent to the busway route.