“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 21^st Century transportation system.”

      In addition to Governor Malloy, officials participating in the today’s opening ceremony at the downtown New Britain station included Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman, CTDOT Commissioner James P. Redeker, New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, Acting Federal Transit Administrator Therese McMillan, U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty and the New Britain High School Golden Hurricanes marching band.  The officials rode CTfastrak buses from downtown Hartford to the ceremony in New Britain.

      “Modernizing Connecticut’s transportation system impacts every resident that commutes to work or school, the functioning of business and industry, and the quality of our environment,” Lt. Governor Wyman said.  “CTfastrak marks our commitment to a more connected, more efficient transit system that attracts riders, drives economic growth, and protects our environment.”

      Ten new CTfastrak transit stations were built along the 9.4 mile bus-only roadway in Hartford, West Hartford, Newington and New Britain, partly along abandoned rail line and existing Amtrak rail line.

      “The CTfastrak team built 17 new bridges, over 60 new retaining walls and completed the project on time and on budget,” Commissioner Redeker said.  “We now would like to invite everyone to enjoy a free ride on CTfastrak for the first nine days of service.”

      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.”

      “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.”

      “This is a great day for Hartford, for New Britain and all the communities that are a part of CTfastrak,” Mayor Segarra said.  “This will not only improve the lives of Hartford residents who use public transit regularly, it provides options for students at colleges and universities in Hartford and for employees who commute to work here every day.  I want to thank Commissioner Redeker, Governor Malloy, Mayor Stewart and everyone else involved in making CTfastrak a reality.”

      The nine days of free service includes transit on all new CTfastrak green-branded buses and on buses that use the bus-only roadway, as well as the new CTfastrak circulator routes and the four new or expanded CTtransit express routes from Bristol, Cheshire, Southington and Waterbury.  Free transfers from CTfastrak to CTtransit routes are available upon request, but any travel beginning on an existing CTtransit route will require fare payment.

      The CTfastrak system provides direct service to and from Waterbury, Cheshire, Southington, Bristol, Plainville, New Britain, Newington, West Hartford, Hartford, East Hartford and Manchester with routes that take advantage of the bus-only CTfastrak roadway.  The CTfastrak system will provide a one-seat, no-transfer ride to many major regional employment, shopping and healthcare destinations as well as connections to the New Haven Line-Waterbury branch rail in Waterbury and Amtrak service in Hartford.  A new 4.5 multi-use trail was built paralleling the CTfastrak bus-only roadway from New Britain to Newington Junction.

For information about CTfastrak, visit www.ctfastrak.com, connect via Facebook at www.facebook.com/ctfastrak or Twitter at @ctfastrak.  Route timetables are available at www.cttransit.com under the "Schedules/CTfastrak" tab.