Connecticut plans to use the vast majority of flexible federal transportation funds at its disposal for highway projects, but the money is eligible for spending on the state’s mass transit needs.

An analysis prepared by the Tri-State Campaign looked at the state’s 2005-2009 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program, a draft document that illustrates how the state is using federal allocations. The CT STIP projects allocations federal, state and local funds to transportation construction projects over the next several years.

Between 2005 and 2009, 76% of transportation funds in CT will go to highway and bridge construction and repair. Only 20% will go to mass transit capital investment. Less than half of one percent will go to bike and pedestrian projects, and 3% to other categories. The total plan for the four years is about $3.6 billion.

Without raising another dime from new sources, CT could increase what is spends on mass transit. But Connecticut plans to spend most of its flexible federal transportation assistance (84%) on road and bridge projects, and only 7% on transit.

A hypothetical shift of 50% of the flexible funds would yield $525 million in additional mass transit funds over the 2005-2009 period. This would represent a 15% increase in transit spending for the total $3.6 billion, 5-year program. Flexible funds represent about 38% (about $1.2 billion) of the total transportation construction program.

The two big-ticket transit items listed are the New Haven Line catenary replacement for about $120 million and reconstruction of the Walk and Saga Bridges (also along the New Haven line) for about $150 million. The moveable bridges experience mechanical failures that affect transit service. There is only $20 million for the New Britain Hartford Busway and $15 million for a rail car over haul.

Not shown in the STIP is a deal approved by the CT Legislature in March 2004 that allocates $60 million in future funding for new rail cars.

Road projects are more numerous and expensive. The Q-Bridge project and other I-95 work total about $620 million. I-84 projects total about $200 million. The new "Brookfield Bypass" and Route 7 work totals about $100 million.