CONGESTION PRICING... FOR CONNECTICUT?

 

Oh Happy Day!  Congestion pricing is finally happening in New York City’s CBD (Central Business District), i.e. midtown-Manhattan.

After decades of discussion, years of studies, dozens of court cases and numerous delays, motorists who chose to drive into midtown Manhattan (below 60^th Street) will now be charged a toll based on the size of their vehicle and the time of day.  Full details can be found here.

Finally, someone is doing something to deal with too many cars / trucks and not enough space.  Though it will be initially unpopular, precedent-setting cases in other major cities indicate that this tolling plan will limit unnecessary traffic and speed up the remaining cars while raising billions of dollars for mass transit.

According to the MTA, only 11% of CT residents who commute into midtown Manhattan chose to drive.  The vast majority of NYC-bound commuters from Connecticut take Metro-North, saving time and (now, even more) money.

Sure, driving to NYC makes sense if you’ve got a full car or are heading to some destinations.  Driving can be more convenient… if you don’t mind paying up to $50 for parking.  That’s your choice.

But that choice has huge implications on others when your car adds to the 700,000 vehicles in midtown Manhattan each weekday.  Now you will pay more for the privilege.  Yes, privilege, as you have no constitutional right to drive there.

Driving to Manhattan already costs you in terms of gasoline, wear and tear, tolls on bridges and, most of all, your time.  In weekday rush hours driving from Bridgeport to midtown takes about two hours, barring serious delays.  By train the same journey takes about an hour and a half.  But on the train you can work, read or take a nap.

Mind you, the train could be faster.

The railroad is still lumbering along under Federal “slow train” orders, years after it suffered twin derailments.  And despite rumors of revamping the timetables to allow “zoned express” trains, the service schedule has changed little in recent years: too many trains make too many stops, slowing trip times.

As commuters keep telling us, we need more and faster trains.

To their credit the railroad is complimenting congestion pricing with experiments on weekend discounts for monthly pass holders.  While Metro-North fares are among the highest in the US, they’re still a bargain compared to driving… especially with congestion pricing now layered on.

Here’s an idea that won’t win me many friends:  if this tolling plan proves successful in Manhattan, let’s try it on our interstates.  We all know that I-95 is at saturation and it’s time to reconsider “value pricing” our roads.

But such a move would require action of the Legislature and its doubtful they’d be bold enough to act, preferring to instead “study the problem”.

Well, let’s all study New York City and learn from their experience and, hopefully, their success with congestion pricing.

 

 

2024's TOP TRANSPORTATION STORIES

Looking back on the last year, there was good news and bad on the transportation front here in Connecticut.  Here’s my Top Five list:

DEATH ON THE HIGHWAYS:     This may prove to be the deadliest year ever on Connecticut highways.  Excessive speeding and, until recently, lax enforcement by State Troopers, is blamed for much of the carnage.  And wrong-way crashes on our parkways and interstates only accelerate the toll, many of those tied to impaired drivers.

Also heading for a new record, pedestrian deaths, also blamed on speeding, reckless driving and jay-walking.

NEW STAMFORD GARAGE:      Months late but on budget, the new rail station parking lot finally opened in February, bringing 900+ parking spaces to would-be commuters on Metro-North… and a few non-riding neighbors.

The new Stamford Garage

Initial estimates in 2006 pegged the cost of the garage at $35 million.  By 2012 the cost had jumped to $85 million.  Final cost (bonded by the state), was $100 million.  The parking lot has proven popular both with commuters and local workers who find it cheaper than nearby private lots.

Now that the old garage has been demolished it remains to be seen how CDOT will repurpose that land, just steps from the always-busy train station.

NEW LOCOMOTIVES FOR METRO-NORTH:  Good news is coming down the tracks for riders on the Danbury, Waterbury and Hartford lines:  shiny new, dual-mode (electric and diesel) locomotives are coming online in the next two years.  Faster and cleaner (even running on diesel), the new power units will cost $15 million each.

JUST ONE MORE LANE SHOULD FIX OUR TRAFFIC:       That’s a familiar comment by drivers, especially on the always-busy section of I-95 in Stamford, ranked as one of the worst traffic spots in the US.  And sure enough, CDOT is adding an additional “operational” lane for traffic getting on and off the highway downtown.  Cost of the project… $76 million and hundreds more hours of construction delays.

REBUILDING THE NORWALK BRIDGE:         When a fiery truck crash on I-95 last May almost melted the Fairfield Ave bridge in Norwalk, initial estimate were that demolishing and replacing it would take a year.  To their credit CDOT and the (no-bid) contractor demolished the old structure in just 80 hours and finished the new bridge in seven months and millions under budget.  Well done.  But none of this would have been necessary had the accident never happened.

BUT STILL UNDELIVERED:        Amtrak’s long-promised new fleet of Acela “Avelia Liberty” trains were supposed to go into service in 2021.  Then they were promised to be in service this year.  Now the estimates are that they’ll be running in “early 2025”.

Acela's new Avelia Liberty

And we are still waiting for the $1 billion replacement of the 127 year old Walk bridge in Norwalk on the Metro-North / Amtrak line to really get going.  That contract was awarded in 2017 but work didn’t begin until 2023 and won’t be finished until 2029.

Meanwhile in downtown Hartford, replacement of the I-84 viaduct has been debated since 2010.  Whether the old highway will just be rebuilt, sunken or turned into a tunnel capped with a park has yet to be decided.  Once a plan is finalized the project will take 15 years and cost something like $17 billion.

So as they say… “stay tuned for further updates”.  And Happy “News” Year.

 

 

WASTING OTHER PEOPLES' MONEY

When we are spending our own hard-earned money, we are usually pretty cautious, especially in these tough times.  But when it comes to spending OPM (Other Peoples’ Money), who cares? 

A few examples from the news highlight government’s cavalier attitude in this regard:

THE $16 MILLION BRIDGE:       CDOT is justifiably proud that it could rebuild the Fairfield Avenue bridge on I-95 in Norwalk damaged in a fiery crash last May, finishing months earlier than predicted and under budget, at just $16 million (compared to the initial estimated $20 million).  Kudos to the (no bid contract) construction company… and to the fact that 80% of the cost will be paid by the Feds.  Yes, once again, it’s OPM to the rescue.

THE GOVERNOR’S STAFFER:   Why did Governor Lamont’s Chief of Staff Jonathan Dach drive his state-issued cars 12,000 miles in one year, often on weekends and for personal errands and sometimes, according to one press report, at speeds over 85 mph?  Why did Dach even need a state car when he was being paid $215,000+ in salary? 

Jonathan Dach - CTMirror

In calling for an independent investigation, Governor Lamont said such behavior was probably wrong and that Dach “should make amends”. 

THE CSCU CHANCELLOR:   The Governor seems even less upset by the lavish over-spending of the Chancellor of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities, Terrence Cheng.  Lamont described as “small ball” and “an error in judgment” Cheng’s and others’ $60 steak dinners, the $490 chauffeured rides and sloppy record-keeping.  The extravagant over-spending detailed in an audit by State Comptroller Sean Scanlon was not illegal because the Chancellor can “override the (CSCU spending) policy at his own discretion.”  And after all, it’s just OPM. 

By the way… Chancellor Cheng’s salary and benefits last year totaled $448,893.

All of this comes at a time when the State Colleges and Universities are facing serious problems: a financial deficit of $140 million, dwindling enrollment and increased costs for students to attend.

THE STATE PIER:            The State Pier in New London is crucial to the efforts to build a massive wind-farm offshore.  So a much needed $93 million rebuild was announced in 2019, but has since ballooned to a total cost of $311 million.  This week we learn there were construction mistakes and repairs may cost millions more.

The State Pier in New London  CTMirror

Why does this always happen on state projects?  Are the initial bids low-balled to make them seem more attractive?  Then reality sets in and, “Hey, we can’t stop now” is the clarion call to find more money to finish the job.  After all, it’s just OPM.

THE BOTTOM LINE:        What do all of these stories of profligate spending have in common?  Most of them were exposed not by financial watchdogs within the government, but by independent reporters culling through public documents.

This is why journalism matters and why publications like CT Mirror, Inside Investigator, CT Examiner, CT Insider and others are important to democracy and to your taxes.  After all, all of this “Other Peoples’ Money” stuff is really your money.

So as you wrap up this year’s charitable gift giving, give a thought to donating to the non-profit news publications that keep the government honest.

 

TAKE THE NIGHT TRAIN

When it comes to trains, everything old is new again:  the latest trend for rail travel is night trains.

A private California company, DreamStar Lines, is planning an overnight train between LA and San Francisco offering “luxurious accommodations” in modern sleeping cars designed by BMW.  Service could begin as early as next summer. 

The sleeping cars will range from a bedroom for two (with a shower and toilet) all the way up to a family / group room that sleeps up to six (four adults + two kids). 

There will also be a lounge car available to all guests, which will serve light food and a full bar featuring breweries, wineries, and distilleries from across California.  There may even be a bring-your-own automobile option akin to Amtrak’s AutoTrain.

Depending on accommodations, pricing would range from $300 to $1000 one way. But with hotels in both cities being so pricey, combining travel and a restful night sounds like a money and time saver.

DreamStar says its trains would leave each city at 10 pm and arrive at their destination by 8 the next morning.  It's been 40 years since Amtrak offered overnight trains on that 470 mile run, one of the busiest travel corridors in the US.  Amtrak’s famous “Coast Starlight” between LA and Seattle still operates on the same route but as a day-train to San Francisco.

A Canadian non-profit is also proposing a night train from Montreal to Boston, but they’d need about $100 million for track work on the Canadian side, so “tant pis” (too bad).

Aside from that, there are no plans for new overnight sleeper trains here in the East… yet.  But Connecticut has certainly had its share of sleeper trains in decades past.

As recently as 2003 Amtrak’s “Night Owl” ran between Boston and Washington, leaving at 10 pm, passing thru New Haven at 12:30 am and arriving in DC at 7 AM. Hardly traveling at Acela-like speeds it made so many local stops it was nicknamed “The Nightcrawler”.

In the heyday of the New Haven Railroad there were through-sleepers to Boston, Portland ME, Cape Cod (in the summer) and even to Montreal, a service Amtrak continued (with stops in Stamford, New Haven and Hartford) as “The Montrealer” until 1995.

In the rest of the “civilized” world overnight trains are enjoying an amazing renaissance, especially in Europe.  Today you can travel between Scotland and London, Vienna to Venice, Munich to Budapest and Berlin to Brussels, among other city pairs.  Train operator NightJet (owned by the Austrian national railroad ÖBB) which runs many of the trains, has just launched a new fleet of ultra-modern sleeper cars, too.

In China there’s even a high-speed overnight train from Beijing to Guangzhou (very close to Hong Kong) that makes the 1000 mile trip in as little as 10 hours.

Clearly, with travel worldwide on the rise and flying becoming slower and less tolerable, there may be a real market for overnight train travel in comfort, even here in the US.  But notice that it’s entrepreneurs leading this effort, not Amtrak.

 

 

AIRLINE PASSENGERS AS PIGGYBANKS

Taken a flight lately?  If so, you’re not alone.  The Sunday after Thanksgiving saw 3.1 million passengers screened by TSA at US airports, a new record. 

For one airline, United, that Sunday was its most profitable day ever… 25% higher than any day in its history. Delays were few, but passengers were still not happy.  Not because of the cramped seating or lousy food, but because of “junk fees”.

“You treat your customers like walking piggy banks,” US Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) told airline CEOs in Senate hearings this past week. His biggest complaint, the opaque cost of flying:  You buy a ticket for a certain price and then come the add-ons. 

Need to change a reservation?  That will cost you up to $119 on now-bankrupt Spirit Airlines.

Seat selection, which costs up to $45, brought US airlines $3 billion in 2023. 

Checked baggage, up to $99 each.  Some even charge for carry-on bags… up to $99 if you wait ‘til the last minute before boarding, especially if you’re flying on a cheap ticket.  Frontier Airlines’ boss has called the carry-on crowd “shoplifters” for trying to evade his checked bag fees.

During the US Senate hearing it was also revealed that some airlines (Frontier and Spirit) actually give their gate agents bonuses ($10) for catching passengers with oversized carry-ons.

One airline (Ryanair) once proposed charging customers to use its bathrooms inflight hoping to eliminate bathrooms and add more seats.

Want to use a credit card to pay for your ticket? Some international carriers will hit you with a 3% fee.  US no-frills airline Allegiant calls that a “convenience fee”.

These airlines make Ticketmaster’s service fee, order processing fee and delivery fee look like a charity:  How can you plan a trip when you don’t know what it will really cost? 

US Senator Richard Hawley (R-MO) said: "Flying on your airlines is horrible. It’s a terrible experience. I mean, I say this as a father of three young children, but I can tell you, nobody enjoys flying on your airlines. You charge people fees that they know nothing about. You harass them to death."

This is what happens in an oligopoly.  While the US used to have scores of airlines competing against each other on schedules, deregulation’s mergers have left us today with just four major carriers representing 80% of all traffic:  American, Southwest, Delta and United.

These airlines dominate the major airports, stifling competition. For example, United controls 73% of all landing slots at Newark Liberty Airport and Delta accounts for 50% of all traffic at LaGuardia and 47% at JFK.

Starting a new carrier, especially at these major hubs, is nearly impossible.  That’s why Connecticut-based Avelo hubs at New Haven’s Tweed airport and Breeze Airlines calls Bradley Airport its home.

So if you have to fly Oligopoly Airlines, check the fine print before you book.  If in doubt about the all-in costs, call the airline to drill down.

HOW A.I. MAY CHANGE YOUR COMMUTE

 I love AI (artificial intelligence).  I rely on it daily to help with my research.

“How many bar cars did Metro-North operate in the 1990s?”  Answer: 10

“How many people died in auto accidents on CT highways in 2019?”  Answer: 254

“Create an image of a Metro-North club car”  And poof, it’s done!

Fasntasy Image of MNRR Club Car by Chapt GPT

But what exactly is AI?  Let’s ask ChatGPT:

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is like teaching computers to think, learn, and make decisions, similar to how humans do. It uses large amounts of data and clever math to recognize patterns, solve problems, and even predict outcomes.

AI gets its information from data—lots of it! This data can come from:

• Things people create, like books, articles, or videos.
• Sensors, cameras, or microphones that gather real-world information.
• Interactions, like how we use apps, websites, or devices.
• Databases or other stored information, like maps, medical records, or customer reviews.

The more data AI has, the better it can learn and perform, but it’s only as good as the data it’s trained on!

So AI is great for finding information and creating fantasy images.  But have you ever stopped to think about how it might affect your commute?  I have… and yes, I also used AI to help come up with some predictions.

THE GOOD NEWS:          On the plus side, AI could improve commuting by better handling rail scheduling, matching train capacity with demand.  Driverless buses and trains (using AI) will save money and avoid the “human error” factor tied to potential mistakes. 

Apps using AI will be able to personalize your travel planning, alerting you to delays and immediately offering suggested alternative routes.

Traffic signals and variable tolling could be modified to meet changing demands.  The NY-NJ Port Authority already uses AI to monitor traffic flow, adjusting their reversible traffic lanes to meet demand.

Sensors tied to AI and built into our roads and bridges can alert engineers to potential defects and schedule maintenance before critical systems might fail.

Soon you’ll be able to chat with your AI, even in your car.  Need a charging station for your EV?  Or looking for cheaper gas than at the service areas?  Just ask.

AI is already being used to keep you safe, detecting weapons that are being carried onto subways in NYC.  Maybe those TSA security lines at airports will move faster, too.

THE BAD NEWS?:          AI may be threatening your job.  If you’re an information worker, especially one working from home, your job may be in jeopardy.  AI is increasingly being integrated into business and is cheaper than paying humans.

We’ve already seen the impact of WFH (work from home) on our trains.  Fewer jobs will mean fewer commuters.  That could mean even bigger operating losses for transit operators, provoking service cuts and higher fares.

While AI can teach itself, it still needs some human supervision, so dozens of new job titles are being created from the engineering, design, training and yes, even ethics perspectives of working with AI.

How to adapt your career and survive?  Well, maybe you should ask AI.

THE GRANDMOTHER WHO SAVED OUR TRAINS

Jodi Rell saved our trains.  There is no Governor in recent decades who did more for rail commuters than she did. 

Governor Jodi Rell

Governor Rell, who died this past week at age 78, came to office (when she was Lt Governor) in the midst of a scandal as her predecessor, Governor Rowland, resigned when caught accepting illegal gifts and did ten months in a Federal prison.  Rowland, you should remember, was no fan of Connecticut’s railroads.  He actually proposed replacing the trains on Shore Line East with buses due to that line’s high subsidies.

Rell’s attitude toward mass transit was just the opposite.

In Governor Rell’s first budget address to lawmakers in February 2005 she told lawmakers they must order 300 new rail cars, and they did.  Mind you, she told us then the cars would be in service by 2008. That proved a bit optimistic.

I watched the Governor ride the first of the new M8 rail cars in March 2011, and was struck by it had taken her entire six and a half year tenure in office to order, design, build, test and finally deliver these new cars.

The Governor suggested that rail riders should pay a small part of their cost with a modest fare hike, and that too was passed by lawmakers.

But Governor Rell also said that commuters shouldn’t pay more until they were actually riding in the new cars… a promise she kept.  As manufacturing delays by Kawasaki slowed delivery of the M8’s, a planned 1.25% fare hike was deferred.   A politician who keeps a promise.  Imagine that.

Governor Rell also told the New York MTA, parent of Metro-North, there was no way she was going to raise fares in Connecticut to pay for the budget problems of New York’s own making.  

Governor Rell changed Commissioners in the Dept. of Transportation at a pace that left many people wondering who was in charge:  five Commissioners in six years.  One was a former State Trooper, another had run Bradley airport.  Two of them actually had experience in rail transportation.

Wracked by scandals, Governor Rell was embarrassed on several occasions by her DOT, eventually asking local businessman Michael Critelli to study the agency and issue recommendations for reform.  Sadly, few of the group’s suggestions were ever embraced.

Long promised repairs to our dilapidated train stations took four years to happen, thanks mainly to Federal stimulus money.  If that work wasn’t “shovel ready”, nothing was.

Still, Governor Rell was a big rail fan, realizing the importance not only of fixing Metro-North, but planning for the future.  Together with fellow lame-duck US Senator Chris Dodd, she secured a serious down-payment on “high-speed rail” between New Haven and Springfield.  Thus was born The Hartford Line, still CDOT’s favorite.

So the next time you’re on the train, pause to give thanks for Jodi Rell, the grandmother Governor who made your ride possible.