Applauds Overwhelming
Show Of Local Support For Proposed Legislation
Senator Toni Boucher (R-26) expressed her appreciation
for the testimony submitted in support of her proposal
to permit the state to sell or transfer land acquired
for the long dormant Super 7 highway project.
The General Assembly’s Transportation Committee
recently conducted a public hearing on SB 434, An
Act Concerning The Disposition By The Department Of
Transportation Of Land Originally Acquired For The "Super
7" Highway. Senator Boucher is the leading
Republican Senator, or Ranking Member, on the Transportation
Committee.
“As so many of those who testified pointed out,
necessary upgrades to the existing Route 7 is underway
and so it is unlikely that we will ever need the land
acquired so long ago to build the Super 7 highway. For
one thing, priorities have changed. Building Super 7
highway now would require the state to acquire a great
deal more land, much of it environmentally fragile and
unaffordable. Permitting the state Department of Transportation
(DOT) to sell or transfer the land it has acquired for
this long defunct project makes sense. Our resources
must be directed to feasible projects that the public
supports, notably our mass transit and smart growth
initiatives,” said Senator Boucher.
Those expressing agreement with Senator Boucher include
Representative John Frey (R-111). In his testimony,
Representative Frey wrote: “Since the language
includes “may sell or transfer” it is not
the intention of this bill to mandate what the State
of Connecticut should do, but to allow for greater flexibility.
It makes sense in these troubled times for the State
of Connecticut and the Department of Transportation
to have as much leeway as possible.”
Others who submitted testimony or travelled to Hartford
to address the Transportation Committee in person had
the following to say about the proposed legislation:
“Towns in the Route 7 corridor are in need of
land for community recreational purposes – playing
fields, hiking and bike trails, gardens and nature preserves
– in brief, “green ways” that will
expand recreational and quality of life activity. I
urge the Transportation Committee and the Legislature
to allow the Commission of Transportation the option
to sell of transfer the title of the existing right-of-way
acquired for the potential use as a Route 7 highway
to local communities for recreational and passive conservational
purposes,” said Wilton First Selectman
William F. Brennan.
“The Town of Redding has long opposed the construction
of the proposed Super 7 Highway because of its significant
and detrimental impact on one of the largest wetlands
in our state. We believe that the project would never
receive the required affirmative federal environmental
impact statement . . . Therefore, particularly in these
troubled economic times, it makes perfect sense to untie
the DOT’s hands with respect to the property it
acquired for Super 7. If it is not going to be used
for the project, the DOT should have the ability to
sell the land for some productive purpose. It is not
in the state’s best interest to have the unusable
land on its books, nor is it in any municipality’s
best interest to keep it there,” said
Redding First Selectman Natalie Ketcham.
“There is only one shovel that is ready for use
in connection with the Route 7 limited access highway,
a.k.a. “Super 7”, and that is the shovel
that should finally be used to dig a deep grave for
this ill-begotten project so as to put it to rest permanently,”
said Michael J. Autuori of Ridgefield,
adding that he favors transferring property acquired
for Super 7 for the Sugar Hollow Greenway.
“Such legislation appears to be a better option
and gives our state Department of Transportation (DOT)
more flexibility in the use and disposition of this
land which has been restricted so many years ago. Accordingly,
DOT may or may not sell or use this land according to
the times or needs of the state at some future date.
Let’s move on with resolving this long-standing
irritant,” said Joseph A. Equale of Wilton.
“When one considers that there is an existing
underutilized railroad line that parallels the existing
Route 7, that there are prudent and feasible alternatives
to building the new highway, and the huge price for
Super 7, one can only conclude that supporting this
bill is the only way to proceed,” said
James P. Snedeker of Wilton.
“The construction of this highway would require
building across one of the largest wetlands in our state.
This will not only have huge financial implications,
but it id truly an environmental risk I am unwilling
to take with my downstate neighbors . . . It would therefore
make sense to give our state DOT more flexibility in
the use or disposition of this land . . . ,” said
John T. Markey IV of Wilton.
“As a Wilton resident for 33 years, an elected
official there for nine, and a realtor for 14, I can
attest to the upset that the uncertainty of the Super
7 issue has caused this town . . . and I’m confident
that I speak for the vast majority of Wiltonians. The
project is neither politically viable nor financially
feasible. The concept for all practical purposes is
“dead,” said Howard A. Sherman of
Wilton.
“Providing the DOT with options as to the use
of this land will liberate the state. In fact, with
the present economic situation, if the land were to
be sold, the monies generated could be applied to assist
funding in appropriate needed areas. As a concerned
citizen, I urge the committee to lift the restriction
and possible raise funds for well needed state financing,”
said Michael Perrella of Wilton.
“The cost of building a 20 mile long and 100
foot high fly over highway would be unaffordable given
the new national roadway engineering requirements. Environment
group and local town opposition, including Ridgefield,
Redding, Wilton and parts of many surrounding towns
would keep in the courts for decades,” said
Dianne and Tom Gorman of Wilton.
“There are some who have proposed that any land
or buildings that the state has held for over 20 or
30 years should be sold, transferred or disposed of
for the public good – and reinvestments made in
present urgent needs,” said Senator Boucher.
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