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Prestigious_Bobcat29 t1_ixlt17r wrote

Reply to comment by LizzieBordensPetRock in 71-year-old man cited for driving the wrong way on Route 8 by Usedtoknowsomeone46

Absolutely agreed. It’s a really tough fight too because there’s a lot of self perpetuation. I work in CT in transportation planning, and for example right now we’re working on a lot of studies for southeastern CT. DOT really wants to spend 4.5B to widen 95. If you suggest that similar resources are invested in transit you’re called some combination of insane, naive, and delusional. “Everybody drives, so that’s where the money goes” as if we don’t get what we build for.

4.5 B could get us an electrified shore line east with much more frequent service and extensions to to both Westerly and Norwich via the casino, plus a massive increase in SEAT and Estuary Transit (the regional bus services) routes and frequencies.

For the same price we can widen 95, the extra capacity of which will be filled by 2040 - “loosening our belt to cure our obesity”

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daybeers t1_ixmjnph wrote

SLE was electrified using Metro-North M8s this past May. Still needs improvements, though. Track 6 in New London still isn't wired even though that was on tap to be done this year.

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Prestigious_Bobcat29 t1_ixmjuj6 wrote

Yes track 6 is what I was referring too, not the rolling stock, sorry

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daybeers t1_ixmk86r wrote

Ya there's still one run each direction on weekdays that's bustituted.

The I-95 expansion is bullshit; I hope residents stand up for that because they already destroyed enough wetlands when it was originally built.

Do you work for the DOT/a COG or in the private sector?

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Prestigious_Bobcat29 t1_ixmldj7 wrote

A cog, thankfully not working directly on the 95 study so I’m free to engage with it on a personal level

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awebr t1_ixmlv31 wrote

The worst part is, although they're doing some new studies now, an older study from a few years ago regarding 95 from New Haven to the RI line explicity referenced induced demand and how a third lane in each direction would attract more drivers. But then the consultant said that they still recommend adding that lane anyways because it could handle the increased traffic demand. Gotta love traffic engineers!

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