Jim Redeker has the best job
in transportation. And the
toughest.
As Commissioner of
Transportation for CT for the past six years, he’s guided the agency through
hundreds of millions of dollars in spending while managing three competing taskmasters: his boss, Governor Malloy… the legislature,
which controls his budget… and commuters / drivers who depend on his product.
Redeker has successfully managed
all three.
I’ve known the Commissioner
for all his years in Connecticut and always considered him the smartest guy in
the room. But last Monday I watched him in action in a venue he told me he actually
enjoys: a commuter forum sponsored by Danbury line politicians.
Organized by St Rep Gail
Lavielle (R-Wilton), the single best commuter advocate in the State House, it
was held on the first night of Passover in a week of school vacations, so the crowds
were thin. The 780 seat Clune auditorium
at Wilton HS was empty aside from the 30 or so commuters spread across the
room. On the dais, a long table filled
with area State Representatives and Senators looked like The Last Supper with
Commissioner Redeker as the main course.
“Why was there no publicity
for this event on the trains or at the stations?,” asked one commuter. No answer.
“Why was I stuck three times this winter on diesel trains with no
explanation from conductors?” No
answer. “Why do we pay all the taxes but
get nothing back from Hartford?” No
answer, even from the pols.
Redeker was pacing himself,
giving each complainer a chance to vent, then cherry-picking which issue to
address. When he didn’t have an answer
(which was rare), he said so. But when
he did have a response (most often), he nailed it.
“Why does the New Canaan
branch have more trains at lower fares?”
Easy one: the New Canaan branch
is electrified and has twice the ridership.
“The Danbury branch only has 1400 daily passengers,” said Redeker. “That works out to a per-trip subsidy of $17. Now if we had better service we’d probably
have more riders. I just don’t have the
money.”
Surprisingly, only a few of
the 11 Hartford lawmakers on the dais said anything all evening. Given their budget-juggling skills, they
offered no explanation or optimism for improved funding of mass transit.
But to the downtrodden
Dashing Dans and Danielle’s, the Commissioner offered some hope: new rail cars for the branch lines are coming
(in about 4 years) and old diesel locomotives are being rebuilt.
Less satisfied were
residents of semi-rural Georgetown and Redding who complained about the trains’
noise pollution: constant horn-blowing
and bell-ringing at crossing gates. Three
folks from Metro-North sitting in the auditorium were mute as neighbors said
they were afraid to complain ‘lest train engineers retaliate by leaning on the
horn.
“We want express trains,”
said several commuters. “We want you to
re-open the Wall Street station in downtown Norwalk,” said others. Well which do you want, asked Redeker… more
stations or fewer stops? “Both,” seemed
the reply.
The highlight of the evening
for me was when a woman from Norwalk said she actually supported highway
tolls. The table of lawmakers looked
like they’d found a turd in the punchbowl while Redeker suppressed a grin.
I’ve had my fights with
Commissioner Redeker over the years, but I’ve never envied his job. We are lucky to have him with us as CDOT
Commissioner.
Posted with permission of Hearst CT Media
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