MEDIA ADVISORY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT

June 3, 2014 Judd Everhart, CTDOT 860 594-3062


Groundbreaking Dialogue Easing Traffic Congestion in Connecticut
Connecticut Department of Transportation to Host Community Forums in Bridgeport, Hartford


Who/What: The Connecticut Department of Transportation is hosting two forums that bring
together national and local experts with local community and business leaders to
discuss Traffic Congestion Relief: What We Can Learn from Other States and
How We Can Apply It in Connecticut. Speakers include:

National Experts
Mayor Oliver Gilbert, III, Miami Gardens, FL
Samuel Johnson, Director of Operations, San Diego Association of Governments
Debora Rivera, District 6 Director of Transportation Operations, Florida
Department of Transportation
Craig Stone, Assistant Secretary, Toll Division, Washington State Department of
Transportation
Stephanie Wiggins, Executive Director, Vendor/Contract Management, LA
Metro, Los Angeles

Local Panelists for I-95 Corridor Forum in Bridgeport
Woody Bliss, Former First Selectman, Town of Weston
David Kooris, Director of Planning and Economic Development, City of
Bridgeport
James Lash, Former First Selectman, Town of Greenwich
Matthew Nemerson, Director of Economic Development, City of New Haven
Local Panelists for Capitol Region Forum in Hartford
Jonathan Colman, President and CEO, the Rideshare Company
Tom Condon, Hartford Courant
Dr. Robert Painter, Chair of the HUB of Hartford Task Force, Former Hartford
City Councilman
Robert Santy, Executive Director, Connecticut Economic Resource Center
Where/When:

Wednesday, June 4, 2014, 1 - 4 p.m.
Housatonic Community College
Beacon Hall Events Center
700 Lafayette Street
Bridgeport, CT 06604

Thursday, June 5, 2014, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Mark Twain House & Museum Auditorium
351 Farmington Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105

Why: Traffic congestion affects everyone - undermining the economy and detracting from
citizens quality of life. Traditional methods of addressing congestion (widening highways with
more general travel lanes) can no longer be considered a solution for the future. The Connecticut
Department of Transportation is exploring a variety of comprehensive, multi-modal strategies to
reduce traffic congestion including congestion pricing using all-electronic tolling. The goal of
this meeting is to understand the successes, challenges, strengths, and drawbacks of congestion
relief programs implemented in other states, and to use this knowledge to help identify effective
strategies for Connecticut.
Details: The forums will feature information exchange and discussion between two panels, as
well as an opportunity for the audience to pose questions to panelists.
Panel 1 will consist of out-of-state experts with first-hand experience implementing and
operating innovative congestion relief policies and projects in their states including:
managed lanes, congestion pricing, and all-electronic tolling systems as well as
combinations of multimodal measures to alleviate traffic congestion, give commuters
more travel choices, and bring economic benefit to their region.
Panel 2 will consist of local community and business leaders who will engage in dialogue
with the out-of-state panelists to explore measures implemented in other states and their
potential for application to Connecticut.
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