The long game of infrastructure funding

By Avice Meehan

The nuts and bolts of how the federal government reimburses the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CT-DOT) for road and bridge projects around Litchfield might seem an arcane topic. It might interest a first selectman or the Northwest Hills Council of Governments, but that’s usually all.

Yet the flurry of executive orders from the White House and confusion over the future of many federal programs makes it worthwhile to understand how the pieces come together to pay for Norfolk projects like the replacement of the retaining walls on Route 44 or the washed-out bridges at Smith and Old Goshen Roads.

Most federal transportation funds come to states like Connecticut as reimbursement for work that has already been completed and are allocated based on a formula established by Congress. “We have not received all the federal funds for [the Norfolk] projects, which is typical. Congress approves the funds annually,” said Joe Cooper, a communications manager for CT-DOT.

Projects funded through that mechanism include the work on Route 44, the new bridge over Spaulding Brook at Mountain Road and the replacement of the washed-out bridge on Smith Road. All three of these projects are part of CT-DOT’s capital plan for 2025-2029. Connecticut’s share of the cost comes from annual appropriations by the legislature and state borrowing through the issuance of bonds.

The bridge at Old Goshen Road over Hall Meadow Brook—this is a different story. Cooper explained that it involved an emergency declaration, enabling CT-DOT to move more quickly to support project expenses while sorting out how to gain approval for the use of regular state or federal funding.

Connecticut received $1.4 billion in federal transportation funds in the last fiscal year, according to the Connecticut Mirror, and robust infrastructure spending is a key priority for Gov. Ned Lamont. The new leadership at the US-DOT, however, has issued statements that indicate significant changes in policy.

Riiska said he’s confident that work on Route 44 will proceed without any delays but admits there is some uncertainty about the others. “Even more reason,” he said, “to move forward with the temporary bridge at Smith Road.”

Cooper expressed optimism. “We look forward to continued federal investments in Connecticut focused on enhancing safety and rebuilding infrastructure,” he said.