Dodd, Lieberman Hail Conference Approval of Transportation, Housing Appropriations Bill
November 18, 2005
WASHINGTON - The Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Conference Committee today approved a measure that, thanks in part to the efforts of Senators Chris Dodd and Joe Lieberman, will provide funding to help improve surface transportation, rail transit and promote affordable housing and community development in Connecticut and across the country. Dodd and Lieberman worked with their Senate and House colleagues to ensure that funds for a number of Connecticut projects remained in the bill providing more than $55 million in new federal funds for transportation and housing initiatives statewide.
Included in the spending package is $4.22 billion for Community Development Block Grants to states. The CDBG program, which is administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, was created in 1974. CDBG provides resources for community development projects that benefit low- and moderate-income residents including support for local health and senior services, housing rehabilitation, and improvements to parks and public facilities. President Bush announced earlier this year that he had plans to eliminate funding for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program in his FY 06 budget. Senators Dodd and Lieberman, along with other congressional colleagues, successfully fought to keep the CDBG program alive.
The conference report also appropriates $1.3 billion for Amtrak despite the Administration's effort to eliminate all funding for the passenger railroad. Though Senators Dodd and Lieberman applaud this funding level, they expressed concern over a provision in the conference report allowing the Secretary of Transportation to determine user-fees for commuter railroads that operate along the Amtrak-owned Northeast Corridor.
"I'm proud to help secure more than $55 million for community redevelopment efforts and transportation improvements across Connecticut. Our communities are the best in the country and this funding will help them continue to thrive and live up to their full potential," said Dodd.
"This bill is good news for Connecticut," Lieberman said. "The funding approved today will make significant strides in improving Connecticut's commute on our highway, rail and transit systems. This bill also helps support redevelopment and modernization initiatives by restoring community development funds and funding other key state projects."
The funding was included as part of the annual appropriations bill that covers the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development for fiscal year 2006. Below are the Connecticut projects included in the bill, which now goes to the President for his signature. Non-transit highway and transportation projects will not be decided on until the final stage of conference committee:
Transportation:
Bridgeport Intermodal Transport Center, CT | $4,000,000 |
Bridgeport, CT Bridgeport High Speed Ferry | $2,750,000 |
Cromwell, CT -Cromwell Industrial Park road construction | $500,000 |
CT- Pearl Harbor Bridge Replacement Project | $1,250,000 |
Enfield, CT- Improvements to Raffia Road | $900,000 |
Enfield, CT -Creation of pedestrian/bike paths on Route 190 Bridge | $750,000 |
Hartford, CT Road/Overpass Improvements at Adriaen's Landing and CT Science Center | $4,000,000 |
Hartford, CT-Realignment, Widening and Reconstruction of Prospect St. | $2,000,000 |
Hartford-New Britain Busway, Connecticut | $6,000,000 |
Middletown, CT-Inter-Modal Center, | $300,000 |
Norwalk Pulse Point Joint Improvements, CT | $250,000 |
Norwich, CT -Widen Route 82 | $625,000 |
Prospect, CT- Austin Road Extension | $500,000 |
South Norwalk Intermodal Facility, Norwalk, CT | $1,000,000 |
Somers, CT -Improvement to Mill Bridge | $2,000,000 |
Stamford Urban Transitway Phase II, CT | $3,000,000 |
Stamford Urban Transitway, Connecticut | $10,000,000 |
Stamford, CT- Stamford High Speed Ferry, | $2,750,000 |
Stonington, CT - Traffic Study for Mystic Seaport, | $500,000 |
Suffield, CT -Safety Improvements to Third Street | $400,000 |
Thames Shipyard/Cross Sound Ferry Terminal, CT | $500,000 |
Thompson, CT -Creation of a pedestrian/bike path | $150,000 |
Tolland, CT -Route 195 Corridor Study, | $300,000 |
Windham, CT - Downtown Parking Garage | $500,000 |
Housing and Urban Development:
Ansonia, CT - Renovation of the Ansonia Armory | $300,000 |
Ansonia, CT- Construction of new Community Space | $150,000 |
Bridgeport, CT-Planning and Implementation of a Neighborhood Revitalization Zone | $100,000 |
Hartford, CT- Bridgeport, CT -Relocation of the Music and Arts Center for the Humanities to a now-vacant department store | $350,000 |
Bridgeport, CT- Completion of the renovation of the former CT State Armory Facility | $100,000 |
Ellington, CT- Construction of a new YMCA in an underserved area, | $100,000 |
Hartford Home Ownership Initiative | $450,000 |
Hartford, CT-University of Hartford in Hartford facilities construction and Renovation of the Hartt Performing Arts Theater | $300,000 |
Hartford, CT -Renovation of the Mark Twain House Building | $200,000 |
Hartford, CT - Neighborhood restoration activities undertaken by the Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance | $200,000 |
Naugatuck, CT- Upgrades and other facilities expansion for YMCA | $450,000 |
Farmington, CT -Hill-Stead Museum Renovation and Security Improvements | $250,000 |
New Britain, CT -Renovation of 85 Arch Street by the Friendship Service Center of New Britain | $100,000 |
Norwalk, CT- Human Services Council to redevelop facilities for affordable Housing | $100,000 |
Sherman, CT -Reconstruction of the Sherman Town Library | $100,000 |
Southbury, CT- Renovations to the Bent of the River Audubon Center | $250,000 |
Stamford, CT -Renovations to the Palace Theater | $250,000 |
Stonington, CT- Construction of south pier at Stonington Town Dock Complex | $350,000 |
West Haven, CT -Redevelopment of residential housing, | $250,000 |
Waterbury, CT- Renovations to the Mattatuck Museum to create an exhibit On the history of Brass Valley | $100,000 |
Willington, CT - Expansion of low-income senior housing | $350,000 |
Renovations to the Yerwood Community Center | $350,000 |
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