New transit service to create transportation jobs in Connecticut
Posted on April 2, 2015
A new transit service is expected to create more transportation jobs in Connecticut.
CTfastrak, Connecticut’s new bus rapid transit service in central Connecticut began on Saturday, March 28, 2015, starting with nine days of free service for riders.
Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) said, “CTfastrak began as a bipartisan concept that, under the leadership of Governor Malloy, has become a practical solution. CTfastrak will give commuters, students, families, and seniors increased access to jobs, local businesses, and healthcare services, all while avoiding heavy traffic from New Britain to Hartford. CTfastrak is just the beginning for new alternative transportation opportunities in our state. As a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee in Congress, I am committed to making sure that the federal government is a strong partner in all our transportation efforts.”
“With CTfastrak, Connecticut commuters will have another option to beat traffic as localities see new economic opportunities,” Governor Malloy said. “We are improving lives, easing congestion, and delivering growth in municipalities. From Waterbury through Hartford to Manchester, and to its connections to air and rail travel, CTfastrak will provide residents and business professionals with a new way to travel between our cities and towns. As we work to transform Connecticut’s transportation network with Let’s Go CT, today’s opening is a great start toward creating a 21st Century transportation system.”
“Bus rapid transit systems like CTfastrak bring fast, high-frequency service for riders and serve as a catalyst for economic development,” Federal Transit Acting Administrator Therese McMillan said. “We’re happy to help bring new transit options to central Connecticut’s growing population and the thousands of new bus riders who are expected to use the new service to connect to jobs, education, businesses and other destinations in New Britain, Newington and Hartford.”
Mayor Stewart said, “Today, we witness the culmination of more than a decade’s worth of collaboration, cooperation and execution at the federal, state and local levels. Not long ago, the area where we are standing was an abandoned warehouse. Today, it is the terminus of the nation’s newest – and New England’s first – bus rapid transit system, and the City of New Britain couldn’t be more proud. We also celebrate the perseverance of countless officials and government professionals – on every level – who absorbed tremendous criticism, but nevertheless kept the faith and kept moving the project forward.”
