Criticism for Connecticut's $21 Billion Transportation Spending Plan

Transit advocates don't see much to like in the state of Connecticut's big transportation spending plan—just more of the same.

1 minute read

November 29, 2019, 11:00 AM PST

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Connecticut Turnpike

Peter Titmuss / Shutterstock

Aaron Short's assessment of the state of Connecticut's new transportation spending plan is less than favorable:

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s new transportation plan plows twice as much money into highways as it does transit, potentially keeping the economically sluggish state stuck in doldrums for another decade.

Short's opinion on the subject stands in slight contrast to an opinion offered earlier this month by Melissa Kaplan-Macey, vice president of state programs and Connecticut director at the Regional Plan Association, who called the plan a step in the right direction while also calling for more investments in public transit. Short only lists deficiencies, however, without any praise for incrementalism.

Another criticism, among many others by Short, focuses on the plan's funding for new projects, and dearth of funding for the maintenance of existing roads and highways.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019 in Streetsblog USA

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20 - Streetsblog USA

Close-up on BLM sign on Continental Divide Trail in Rawlins, Wyoming.

BLM To Rescind Public Lands Rule

The change will downgrade conservation, once again putting federal land at risk for mining and other extractive uses.

April 20 - Public Domain

Calvary Street bridge over freeway in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Indy Neighborhood Group Builds Temporary Multi-Use Path

Community members, aided in part by funding from the city, repurposed a vehicle lane to create a protected bike and pedestrian path for the summer season.

April 20 - Smart Cities Dive