CT Transport Infrastructure Needs Upgrades

This week, Transportation for America released a report that highlights the growing dangers and opportunities associated with Connecticut’s aging transportation infrastructure. The report found that over one million cars pass over defunct bridges in Southwest Connecticut every day. Rebuilding these bridges would make automobile traffic safer and create jobs.

According to the report, over 107 bridges in the Norwalk-Bridgeport-Stamford area are structurally deficient; this is nearly 13 percent of the bridges in our district. These bridges carry a total of 1,381,796 vehicles every day, making it the fourth busiest metro area of its size in the country. Click here to see if there are any deficient bridges near you.

The report is a stark reminder that we urgently need to invest in refurbishing our crumbling national infrastructure. We have been presented with an opportunity to fix our over-used and unsafe bridges and roadways while simultaneously creating jobs right here in Southwest Connecticut, and this is an opportunity we cannot pass up.

These are difficult economic times. There is no doubt that we need to rein in spending and make smart cuts to our national budget to get our fiscal house back in order. But these cuts should not come at the expense of targeted infrastructure investments, which would make our roadways safer and create jobs.

Since coming to Congress, I have fought to bring millions in transportation investment to Connecticut. This includes over $70 million for safety improvements, resurfacing, and bridge improvements to the Merritt Parkway; over $11 million for infrastructure improvements at the Steel Point project in Bridgeport; and $30 million for upgrades to Metro North’s Danbury Branch line. This crucial funding is helping revitalize deteriorating infrastructure in the district while creating hundreds of new jobs.

I am also proud to be an original co-sponsor of the National Infrastructure Development Bank Act of 2011 (H.R. 402). This bill would establish the National Infrastructure Bank, which would help fund critical infrastructure projects and attract private investment in public works projects. Smart legislation like this would put Americans back to work while making our country ready for a 21st century economy.

As Congress continues to work on fostering job creation in the private sector, I will continue advocating for increased investment in revitalizing our national transportation infrastructure – investments that will make our roads safer and create jobs.