R. Nelson “Oz” Griebel, longtime chief executive officer of the MetroHartford Alliance, has been active in state, regional and city public policy for nearly two decades. He chaired the state Transportation Strategy Board and ran, unsuccessfully, for governor in 2010. Now, as the governor and General Assembly resume debate on the state budget and massively under-funded retirement benefit programs that threaten Connecticut’s fiscal future, Griebel sat down to talk with The Mirror.
Transportation
Stories about traveling into, out of, or around Connecticut via Metro North and other trains, Tweed and Bradley airports, state highways and more.
Posted inTransportation
Feeling heat from CT, feds say they may alter high-speed rail plan
WASHINGTON — In the staredown between the Federal Railroad Administration and opponents of a part of its plan in Connecticut to bring high-speed rail to the Northeast Corridor, the federal government has blinked. It has agreed to consider additional input from those concerned about the route the plan would take in Connecticut, and more importantly, the FRA is willing to modify that plan.
Posted inEducation, Money, Politics, Transportation
Legislators begin to push back on Malloy’s new budget
The General Assembly began its review of Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s new two-year budget Friday with a strong, bipartisan pushback from the Appropriations Committee.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Politics, Transportation
Malloy budget hinges on big labor savings, new revenues
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy unveiled a $40.6 billion two-year budget Wednesday that seeks $1.5 billion in labor concessions, imposes $400 million on annual pension costs on municipalities and reorganizes the financial relationship between the state, communities and hospitals.
Posted inMoney, Politics, Transportation
Transportation funding debate still centered on ‘lockbox’
While Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has released no transportation-related details from his next two-year budget plan, he also hasn’t backed away from his demand that legislators first back a constitutional ‘lockbox’ amendment to safeguard transportation revenues.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Transportation
A legacy of debt: Squeeze on state’s priorities only getting tighter
State government’s surging retirement benefit costs are likely to have a big impact on programs and taxes over the next two decades. But they already have sapped significant funding from key priorities, including transportation, higher education, health care and social services. Second in a series.
Posted inCities & Towns, Energy & Environment, Transportation
Movement to complete state’s trails gaining momentum
For more than two decades, most of the new multi-use trails built in the state were almost entirely the work of local volunteers. In the past five years, however, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and his transportation commissioner, James Redeker, have turned that narrative on its head. The state is now including non-motorized trails in its planning efforts and making major investments in them.
Posted inTransportation
Malloy goes to DMV for some good news, seriously
He doesn’t deliver his State of the State address until next week, but Gov. Dannel P. Malloy proclaimed Wednesday that the state of the much-maligned Department of Motor Vehicles is, well, better. In fact, it’s 55 percent better, as measured by average wait times.
Posted inPolitics, Transportation
Fed plan for Northeast Corridor rail includes new shoreline route
Updated at 5:20 p.m.
WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration on Friday released its ambitious vision for an overhaul of Northeast Corridor railroads, a plan that would create a new route through Old Lyme and other shoreline towns and upgrade the rail line from New Haven to Hartford and Springfield, Mass. Connecticut officials immediately vowed to fight realignment of the shoreline route.
Posted inEducation, Health, Money, Politics, Transportation
Walker: ‘Devastating’ cuts cannot solve CT’s budget woes
As analysts outlined a grim picture Wednesday that could include further cuts to state social services and reversing recent enhancements in local aid and transportation, one key lawmaker insisted officials must discuss raising revenue in 2017.
Posted inHealth, Transportation
Malloy praises Trump’s choice for transportation chief
Though Gov. Dannel P. Malloy panned President-elect Trump’s choice of Congressman Tom Price for secretary of health and human services Tuesday, he praised his selection Elaine L. Chao as transportation secretary – an official the Democratic governor is likely to lobby.
Posted inPolitics, Transportation
CT senators blast Trump’s infrastructure plan, but hope for compromise
WASHINGTON — Connecticut’s senators on Monday joined a growing Democratic chorus of criticism for President-elect Donald Trump’s infrastructure plan, saying it is unrealistic and unworkable and would result in the building and repair of very few roads and bridges.
Posted inTransportation
Larson’s tunnels: Big plan, even bigger challenge
Congressman John Larson’s proposal to build massive highway tunnels under Hartford is breathtaking in scope. It has stirred the blood of some public officials and business leaders. But the concept is so vast, complex and potentially expensive that many doubt it can be realized.
Posted inEducation, Money, Politics, Transportation
Municipal, business and labor leaders plan summit on economy
Connecticut’s municipal, business and labor leaders will convene their second annual fall summit next month to develop strategies to bolster the state’s economic future.
Posted inTransportation
ConnDOT offers a plan, and a mea culpa, for I-84 in Hartford
Can the same state agency that bulldozed vibrant neighborhoods and bisected Hartford with the construction of I-84 a half-century ago knit the city back together? As it designs a replacement for an aging section of elevated highway, ConnDOT insists the answer is yes.