Press Releases
GOV. MALLOY APPLAUDS FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION GRANT AWARDS FOR IMPORTANT RAIL AND TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
State Has Received Five TIGER Grants Totaling More Than $53 Million Since 2011
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy, joined by members of Connecticut's Congressional delegation, today announced that the state has been awarded two federal TIGER VI (Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery) Grants - totaling $22.6 million - for projects that will support Waterbury's Active Transportation and Economic Resurgence (WATER) program and modernize Connecticut's freight rail infrastructure in eastern Connecticut. This grant award marks the first time since 2010 that Connecticut has received two TIGER grants in one year.
"These projects reinforce our commitment to modernizing Connecticut's transportation infrastructure by investing in rail and finding smart, practical ways to connect housing and employment centers to intermodal transit hubs," said Governor Malloy. "We know strengthening all aspects of our transportation network is critical to increasing our economic competitiveness, creating jobs for residents and making Connecticut a more attractive place to work, live and do business. I thank Secretary Foxx and our state's entire Congressional delegation for their support of these important projects."
The TIGER Discretionary Grant program allows the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to invest in road, rail, transit and port projects that promise to achieve critical national objectives and fund projects that have a significant impact on the nation, a region or a metropolitan area. For this round of TIGER grants, U.S. DOT received 797 eligible applications totaling $9.5 billion, which is 15 times the $600 million set aside for the program. Since 2011, Connecticut has received five TIGER grants totaling $53.1 million, including:
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2014 - City of Waterbury "WATER" project : $14.4 million to build upon investments the state and federal governments have already made in transportation infrastructure to stimulate economic redevelopment and improve the livability and vitality of the city, while complementing several state DOT (ConnDOT) initiatives related to the Waterbury Train Station.
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2014 - ConnDOT/New England Central Railroad Project : $8.2 million to finally link Connecticut to the modern national freight rail network, amplify state and private investments already being made in freight rail network, accelerate economic development in eastern Connecticut and fully develop state-owned deep water port in New London.
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2013 - ConnDOT State Street Station Expansion : $10 million to construct a second platform and make other improvements to New Haven's downtown State Street rail station to accommodate an expansion of the rail line from 12 to 34 weekday trips.
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2012 - Hartford's Intermodal Transportation Triangle : $10 million to help the City of Hartford improve connectivity between its Main Street and Camden Union Station, the regional transportation hub for intercity rail and bus.
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2011 - Stamford Intermodal Access : $10.5 million to increase capacity and improve accessibility of the Stamford Transit Center, a major hub between New York and New England, which serves 1,000 buses and 225 commuter trains daily.
"These federal grants are game changers for the Waterbury area and Eastern Connecticut, revolutionizing rail transportation, reconnecting and revitalizing underused industrial sites and neighborhoods, and providing unparalleled opportunities for economic development," said U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal. "The Waterbury grant is a powerful recognition of the vital role of natural, open space, as well as safe and reliable transportation-including rail, bus, bicycle and pedestrian access-in the success of our cities. The New England Central Railroad Line creates the first and only north-south heavy freight rail corridor in the state, linking New London's successful deep water port with key economic development opportunities and destinations in eastern Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and Quebec. Waterbury will reclaim 60 acres of land near its train station, reconnecting downtown, nearby neighborhoods and the Naugatuck River Greenway, uniquely advancing regional environmental and economic development opportunities. As chair of the Senate Surface Transportation subcommittee, I will continue to champion safe, reliable and modern transportation infrastructure for both passenger and freight as one of the most important investments we can make to grow jobs and strengthen our communities."
"This is a historic day for Waterbury and Eastern Connecticut. These two enormous grants will inject a shot of life into the economies of the Naugatuck Valley and Eastern Connecticut," said U.S. Senator Chris Murphy. "In Waterbury, this money will revolutionize the West Side of downtown, making sense of a dizzying network of roads, mass transit routes, and waterways. Downtown Waterbury will be infinitely more attractive to businesses after this work is done. In Eastern Connecticut, this grant will make major, badly needed improvements to Eastern Connecticut's freight rail system, connecting businesses to opportunities to sell to customers out of state and overseas. Ultimately, and most importantly, these projects translate into jobs for people in Connecticut. That's our number one priority, and I could not be more excited to see these projects completed."
"This is a big win for eastern Connecticut. Expanding freight rail capacity will help grow the Port of New London, which is underutilized as a commercial shipping hub, and connect towns and businesses through Norwich, Franklin, Willimantic and north to Stafford," said U.S. Representative Joe Courtney (CT-2). "The broad base of community support and advocacy for this project set it above other applications in this extremely competitive grant round. I was very glad to advocate for such a strong application that will make a tremendous impact on the eastern Connecticut economy. The ardent support of local officials and business leaders, as well as Governor Malloy, helped to produce this excellent outcome. I look forward to seeing this project move forward in the near future."
"TIGER grants are smart investments into Connecticut's road, rail, transit and port projects," said U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro (CT-3). "The projects chosen undergo a rigorous and well-defined process that includes ensuring they will move fast and save as much as possible on construction costs. And, like the projects here in Connecticut, they are often much-needed and challenging to fund through other existing programs. South-central Connecticut will benefit from the economic value of these projects, as well as the job creation that comes along with them. Lots of hard work from national, state and local officials went in to making the case for Connecticut's applicants and I thank Secretary Foxx for recognizing their importance."
"These two new grants represent the type of smart investments we should be making in our transportation infrastructure and in our communities," said U.S. Representative Jim Himes (CT-4). "TIGER grants, including those currently supporting development at Steel Point in Bridgeport and renovations at the Stamford Transit Center, are helping to revitalize neighborhoods in our towns and cities and strengthen the foundation of our economy. I thank all of the federal, state, and local officials that have worked together to secure funding for these projects, and I will continue to advocate for much-needed investments across the state of Connecticut."
"As a Member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I am proud to have helped Waterbury secure our district's first ever TIGER grant to support their WATER Project," said U.S. Representative Elizabeth Esty (CT-5). "This grant will assist Waterbury in a major redevelopment project, connecting downtown with the waterfront, create jobs, and facilitate economic activity. I wish to thank all of local leaders and community organizations that helped develop this important community-wide initiative. It's important to improve our quality of life."
The ConnDOT/New England Central Railroad Project will finally link Connecticut to the modern national freight rail network and upgrade rail infrastructure that serves businesses and communities to accommodate new North American freight standards, including increased weight capacity. The New England Central Railroad in Connecticut currently does not meet this standard and customers are forced to partially load railcars or ship via other means. By upgrading 19 miles of outdated jointed rail now in service through Franklin, Norwich, Stafford, and Willimantic, Connecticut's section of the line will be brought up to the national standard. This project will create the first north-south heavy rail capacity corridor in Connecticut and also provides direct on dock rail to water access at the deep water port of New London. Although no match is required for an application under the rural category of TIGER, the New England Central Railroad provided additional private matching funds of $2,095,890, about 20 percent of the project cost, to make the application even more competitive.
The City of Waterbury will match its TIGER grant with $10 million to complete Phases II of the WATER program which consists of a 7.4 mile riverfront, multi-use paved trail that serves as the major urban link in a larger, 44-mile long regional greenway system along the Naugatuck River. The first phase of the Greenway is funded and currently under design by Waterbury and funding for Phase II will focus heavily on developing industrial riverfront areas of the City, including construction of multi-use trails, reconstruction and extension of several streets, and pedestrian improvements. The WATER project also complements several ConnDOT initiatives currently underway related to the Waterbury Train Station and further supports access to jobs by currently underserved Title VI populations.
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For Immediate Release: September 9, 2014
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