At the First Selectman debate in Woodbridge this evening, First Selectman Ed Sheehy and challenger Ken Colabella spoke about traffic in the in town and how it affects economic development. Mr. Sheehy noted a Department of Transportation study that is currently underway to address traffic problems. Mr. Colabella countered that nothing ever really gets done.

Upon arriving back home, I found that I had received a press release from the State Senate Democrats announcing that pothole patrol will start early this year.

Senate Bill 835 authorizes the state to designate $64.1 million in special bonds for use by the Department of Transportation for resurfacing and related road construction projects. The bonds are payable from the Special Transportation Fund, which is funded through the gasoline excise tax and a portion of the gross receipts tax. The state will also receive $67.1 million in federal highway funding for the repaving projects.
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The bill is done annually but this year the legislature moved up the effective date by about two weeks in order to get the projects started earlier and take full advantage of the construction season. After passage by both the Senate and House yesterday, Gov. Rell signed the bill into law. The bonds are expected to be approved by the State Bond Commission at tomorrow’s meeting.

The attached repaving and resurfacing program for 2009 listed Route 114 from Timber Lane to Route 63 in Woodbridge as a section of road to be repaved.

While road construction can be frustrating at times and the speed at which the Department of Transportation moves on analyzing new projects can be even more frustrating, the State Senate under the leadership of Senate President Donald Williams and Transportation Committee co-chair Senator Donald DeFronzo are to be commended in expediting the schedule and illustrating that under Democratic Leadership we can get things done on a reasonable schedule.