OLR Bill Analysis

sSB 834

AN ACT CONCERNING THE AUTHORIZATION OF SPECIAL TAX OBLIGATION BONDS OF THE STATE FOR CERTAIN TRANSPORTATION PURPOSES.

SUMMARY:

The bill authorizes up to $ 277. 557 million in special tax obligation (STO) bonds in FY 10 and up to $ 174. 5 million in FY 11 to the Department of Transportation (DOT) for transportation-related capital projects. The specific purposes of the bill's bond authorizations are shown in Table 1 below.

The bill also authorizes up to $ 68. 9 million in special tax obligation bonds for use by the DOT's Bureau of Engineering and Highway Operations for capital resurfacing and related road reconstruction projects for FY 11.

The bonds are payable from the Special Transportation Fund and are subject to the regular issuance procedures for such bonds.

EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2009 for the FY 10 authorizations; July 1, 2010 for the FY 11 authorizations; and May 1, 2010 for the authorization for capital road resurfacing projects for FY 11.

BOND AUTHORIZATIONS FOR DOT PROJECTS

Table 1 lists the specific projects the bill authorizes.

TABLE 1: BOND AUTHORIZATIONS FOR DOT PROJECTS

 

FY 10

FY 11

Bureau of Engineering and Highway Operations

Interstate highway program

$ 13,000,000

$ 13,000,000

Urban systems

8,500,000

8,500,000

Interstate highway program

42,500,000

44,000,000

Soil, water supply, and groundwater remediation at or near DOT maintenance facilities and former disposal areas

6,000,000

6,000,000

State bridge improvement, rehabilitation, and replacement

32,300,000

33,300,000

Fix-It-First road repair program

30,000,000

0

Fix-It-First bridge repair program

45,000,000

0

Exit 16 of Interstate 84 in Southbury - reconstruction

1,000,000

0

Waterbury-Oxford Airport – access road reconstruction

420,000

0

Exit 14 on Route 8 in Shelton – redesign and reconstruction

10,000,000

0

Study construction of new entrance and exit lanes on the Merritt Parkway and Interstate 95

2,000,000

0

Comstock Bridge, East Hampton – repairs and renovation

1,000,000

0

Montowese Avenue, North Haven – repairs and reconstruction

192,000

0

Acquire land for the Route 11 Greenway Authority

1,500,000

0

Enfield Police Department truck enforcement unit-purchase scales, equipment, and a vehicle

70,000

0

Study on the Interstate 84-Interstate 91 interchange in Hartford and East Hartford

1,000,000

0

Bureau of Aviation and Ports

Reconstruction and improvements to the warehouse and State Pier in New London, including site and ferry slip improvements

200,000

300,000

Developing and improving general aviation airports, including grants to municipal airports excluding Bradley International Airport

2,000,000

2,000,000

Bureau of Public Transportation

Bus and rail facilities and equipment, including rights-of-way, other property acquisition, and related projects

40,000,000

40,000,000

Cannondale train station platform in Wilton - repairs

85,000

0

Bethel train station – improvements and parking expansion

2,000,000

0

East Haven train station – feasibility study

500,000

0

Berlin and Waterbury – commuter rail line study

250,000

0

Bus and Transportation Center in Bridgeport - improvements

200,000

0

Salem – construct multiuse pedestrian path

75,000

0

Wilton train station - repairs

65,000

0

Competitive matching grants for commercial rail freight lines operating in the state for improvements, repairs, and modernization of existing rail, rail beds, and related facilities

10,000,000

0

Bureau of Administration

DOT facilities

6,400,000

6,400,000

STO bonds, cost of issuance and debt service reserve

21,300,000

21,300,000

TOTAL

$ 277,557,000

$ 174,500,000

BACKGROUND

Related Bill

sSB 836, favorably reported by the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, cancels an existing GO bond authorization for DOT to provide competitive matching grants for commercial rail freight lines operating in the state for improvements, repairs, and modernization of existing rail, rail beds, and related facilities.

COMMITTEE ACTION

Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute

Yea

55

Nay

0

(04/16/2009)