Transportation in Connecticut

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) overviews the entire transportation network of the state to ensure safe and easy commuting of people and goods. ConnDOT owns, manages and maintains numerous lane-miles of roadways, bridges, tunnels, rails and also responsible for air and water quality, communities and roadsides maintenance and cleanliness. ConnDOT maintains and functions to ensure a safe, efficient and convenient multimodal transportation network and provide easy connectivity of people and goods to many destinations and markets across the state and worldwide. The Transportation system of the state is formed of many vast elaborate systems of infrastructure.

Many programs have been initiated and implemented by the department, including-

• Adopt A Highway Program
• Scenic Roads
• Local Bridge Program
• Transportation & Civil Engineering Program (TRAC)
• Highway Safety Programs
• Work Zone Safety Awareness
• Safe Routes to School Program
• Connecticut Operation Lifesaver Program
• Motorcycle Rider Safety Training Courses
• Transportation Enhancement Program
  
  

Road Transportation in Connecticut

The road transportation in Connecticut comprises of several interstate highways, state routes, bridges and tunnels. ConnDOT is determined to ensure safe, convenient and excellent transportation and also to provide easy connectivity to various cities and states.

The important Interstate Highways in Connecticut are-

• Interstate 95 - Linking southwestern parts to northeastern parts along the coast
  
  
• Interstate 84 - Linking southwest to northeast in the center of the state
  
  
• Interstate 91 - Linking south to north in the center of the state

• Interstate 395 - Linking south to north near the eastern edge of the state.

There are many other major highways in the state, of which one notable one is the Merritt Parkway and Wilbur Cross Parkway, both combined to form Route 15 and connecting New York's Hutchinson River Parkway along I-95 before changing direction to northern region of New Haven and also extending along I-91 and later emerge as a surface road in Berlin.

Adopt-A-Highway-Program

The Adopt-A-Highway-Program provides a great opportunity for individuals, organizations, or businesses to help maintain roadsides cleanliness of all roads within Connecticut’s State Highway System and also plant trees or wildflowers, and help remove graffiti, to make roads more appealing. Various schools, social groups, business entities and religious groups actively adopt and participate in the program. For any queries or information about Adopt-A-Highway Program, please contact the regional coordinators listed below.

Contact Details:
Adopt A Highway Maintenance Corporation
Bill Elliott
National Sales Director
Phone: 800.200.0003 ext. 302
Email: BElliott@adoptahighway.com
Website: www.adoptahighway.com

Adopt-A-Highway Litter Removal Service of America, Inc.
Michele Waldron
Territory Manager
Phone: 800.390.2420
Fax: 800.791.1765
Email: michele@adoptahighway.net
Website: www.adoptahighway.net

Scenic Highway Program

The main mission and goal of the scenic highway program is to safeguard and improve the natural scenic beauty of the highways of Connecticut including its adjacent corridors. The program adopts a special conservation treatment to protect the roads and all the corridors from encroachment such as dumps, junkyards, gravel pits and concrete plants; proper landscaping or screening; prohibit billboards and graffiti , environmental friendly developments, regulate grading to prevent erosion alteration in contours, preserve important vegetative, hillsides, provide a local transportation vehicle to promote local tourism.

Also read: List of Scenic Roads in Connecticut

Local Bridge Program

There are over 3400 bridges and culverts in Connecticut. ConnDOT manages and maintains the construction of these huge and costly projects structures.

Contact Details on Local Bridge Program

State Local Bridge Program:
Francisco T. Fadul
Project Engineer
Phone: (860) 594-2078
Email: Francisco.Fadul@ct.gov

Federal Local Bridge Program:
Marc P. ByrnesProject Engineer
Phone: (860) 594-3489
Email: Marc.Byrnes@ct.gov

Program Mailing address:
2800 Berlin Turnpike
P.O. Box 317546
Newington, CT 06131-7546

Bus Network

The Connecticut Transit provides state-wide bus services. The Connecticut Department of Transportation owns the Connecticut transit. Bus networks play a very important commuting mode for the people of the state to provide major connectivity to workplace and cheaper mode for running daily errands. The bus services are especially vital in urban areas such as Stamford, Hartford, Norwalk, New Haven and Bridgeport.

Bicycle and Pedestrian

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Program has its mission to protect and improve safety and comfort of the bicyclists and pedestrians through the department’s practical policy, funding, and technical resources in bicycle transportation.

Also see: Bike Map

For further information on Bicycle and Pedestrian please:
E-Mail to: Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator
or write to:
Connecticut Department of Transportation
Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator
P.O. Box 317546
Newington, CT 06131-7546

Air Transportation in Connecticut

Air transport is an essential gateway of Connecticut that serves the locals and tourists from all over the world. It is the major mode that offers all round efficient and easy connectivity. The Federal Aviation Administration authorizes and oversees all flight operations in Connecticut. The two primary commercial airports of Connecticut are Bradley International Airport and Tweed New Haven Regional Airport.

Contact Connecticut Airport Authority:

Bradley International Airport General Information Number: (860) 292-2000
Connecticut Airport Authority General Information Number: (860) 386-6000

Bradley International Airport

Bradley International Airport (BDL) is owned and operated by the Connecticut Airport Authority and serves as both civil and military airport. BDL is located in Windsor Locks, in Hartford County.

The major airlines that operate to and from Bradley International Airport, include-

• Air Canada Express
• American Airlines
• American Eagle
• Delta Air Lines
• Delta Connection
• JetBlue Airways
• Southwest Airlines
• United Airlines
• United Express
• US Airways
• US Airways Express

The top domestic destinations BDL serve are-

• Atlanta, Georgia
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Orlando, Florida
• Chicago (O'Hare), Illinois
• Detroit, Michigan
• Fort Lauderdale, Florida
• Tampa, Florida
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Washington (Reagan), D.C

The cargo airlines served by BDL are-

• ABX Air
• FedEx Express
• FedEx Feeder
• Southern Air
• UPS Airlines
• Flight Express, Inc.

Contact Details:
Bradley International Airport
Terminal A
Windsor Locks
CT 06096
Website: http://www.bradleyairport.com/

Tweed New Haven Airport

Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) is a public airport that is located in New Haven County, Connecticut. The airport was formerly known as Tweed New Haven Regional Airport. There are two major airlines that operate to and from HVN, namely Buzz Airways and US Airways Express. Washington-Dulles and Philadelphia are the two important domestic destinations served by HVN.

Contact Details:
Tweed New Haven Airport
155 Burr Street
New Haven, CT 06512
Website: http://www.flytweed.com

Airport Administration:
Tel: (203) 466-8833
Fax: (203) 466-1199
tweedinfo@flytweed.com

The other General Aviation Airports in Connecticut are-

Hartford Brainard Airport (HFD)
251 Maxim Rd.
Hartford, CT 06114

Danielson Airport
70 Airport Rd.
Danielson, CT 06239

Groton / New London Airport
155 Tower St.
Groton, CT 06340

Meriden Markham Municipal Airport
213 Evansville Ave
Meriden, CT 06451

Waterbury–Oxford Airport
300 Christian St
Oxford, CT 06483

Simsbury Airport (Simsbury Tri-Town Airport)
94 Wolcott Road
Simsbury, CT 06070

Windham Airport
PO Box 136
Willimantic, CT 06226

Rail Transportation in Connecticut

The railways are also one of the main transportation modes in Connecticut that serve people from all walks of life and also important for cargo transfer.

Metro-North Commuter Railroad

The Metro-North Commuter Railroad is a suburban commuter rail service operated by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), New York's public authority.

The Lines of Metro-North Commuter Railroad are-

East of Hudson

There are 3 lines serving as passenger rail on the eastern region of the Hudson River to Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal. The lines are-

• Hudson Line
• Harlem Line
• New Haven Line - It has 3 branches, namely the Danbury Branch, New Canaan Branch and Waterbury Branch

West of Hudson

The two branches serving the eastern region of Hudson are-

• The Port Jervis Line
  
• The Pascack Valley Line

Amtrak

Amtrak's Northeast Corridor serve the state of Connecticut. Amtrak provides intercity train connectivity along the Hudson and New Haven Lines. Amtrak's Northeast Corridor includes the New Haven lines. The two main Amtrak services that serve Connecticut are Northeast Regional and Acela Express service. The Acela Express trains connect New Haven Union Station and New Rochelle. The Shore Line East commuter line serves towns of New London and New Haven.

Learn more: Amtrak

Freight trains on Metro-North

• Oak Point Link - It is a vital route for freight movement to and from the Bronx and Long Island.
  
  
• Freight railroads - CSX, CP Rail, P & W, and Housatonic Railroad
  
  

Water Transportation in Connecticut

Connecticut waterways play a vital role in the economic development of the state. The sea ports in the state serve as the major export and import hub for good movement and distribution across the state, the United States and also around the entire world.



There are two seasonal ferries that are operated by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) across the Connecticut River, namely –

• Rocky Hill - Glastonbury Ferry
• Chester - Hadlyme Ferry

The other 2 important ferries in Connecticut are Bridgeport-Port Jefferson Ferry and Cross Sound Ferry.

The various ports in Connecticut are-

Port of Bridgeport

Contact Cilco Terminal
Logistec Connecticut, Inc.
P.O. Box 510
Bridgeport, CT 06601
Tel: (203)336-3841 Fax: (203)335-9719

The various cargo handled currently by the port, include -

Port of New Haven

Contact Logistec Connecticut, Inc.
100 Waterfront Street
New Haven, CT 06512
Tel: (203) 469-1391 Fax: (203) 469-0905

The various cargo currently handled by the port, include -


Contact Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT):
2800 Berlin Turnpike
Newington
CT 06111
Phone: 860-594-2000
Website: http://www.ct.gov/dot/site/default.asp