I feel incredibly compelled to write about traffic today. I wanted to come into the office by 9:30 this morning, after I drop off a friend at the Bridgeport Ferry. Driving from New Haven to Bridgeport is supposed to take around 30 minutes. Today, it took me well over an hour just to get there. Not only did I get in late, but my friend missed her ferry, pushing everyone's schedule back an hour.
Now, I have to say that I am extremely fortunate that I don’t need to take this route every day. The ones I truly feel sorry for are the Connecticut commuters who are required to sit in traffic every morning because I-95 is often seen as the only option to travel between New York and Connecticut. As a result, traffic congestion on I-95 gets worse by the year while no viable alternatives are being adopted by commuters.
We need to offer Connecticut commuters a better alternative. We need to increase the popularity of commuter rails by strengthening and adding commuter lines. For example, Mayor DeStefano has consistently called for strengthening our current commuter system while adding a line that spans from New Haven to Springfield, MA connecting New Haven and Hartford to Bradley International and offering drivers a more practical alternative to driving.
We also need to consider constructing ferry stations in cities such as New Haven and Stamford so we don't subjugate those who cross the Long Island Sound to New London and Bridgeport.
A problem on I-95 (or any Connecticut highway) is a problem for all of us. What do you guys think are the biggest transportation problems we face in Connecticut? How would you go about fixing them so that people don't sit miffed in their cars on our busiet highways?
