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Connecticut

The Rural Context For Transportation Consultations

Connecticut is the 3rd smallest state in the U.S. in land area, 29th largest in population, and 4th most densely populated. However, approximately 20 percent of Connecticut's population and jobs, and 64 percent of the land, is non-urban. About 69 percent of Connecticut's roads are rural. Federally owned lands amount to less than one percent of the state's land area.

The population in Connecticut is stable, with a moderately growing rate of employment. The proportion of the state's jobs that are in the uniquely rural agriculture and mining sectors is small (2 and less than one percent, respectively). Most jobs in Connecticut's rural areas are in sectors also common in urban areas: construction, transportation & utilities (13 percent); manufacturing (21 percent); business & trade (27 percent); and services & government (36 percent).

Demographically, Connecticut's non-urban population is predominately white (97 percent). Compared to the other states, the proportion of Connecticut's non-urban adult population that did not graduate from high school is low (6th lowest) and the proportion that did graduate from college is high (3rd highest). The 4 percent of Connecticut's non-urban people who are poor is the lowest compared to the other states. About 37 percent of the state's non-urban population is in non-working age groups (26 percent 18 years or younger, and 12 percent 65 years or older).

Governmentally, Connecticut is one of two states that do not have counties. However, the state has 30 municipalities and 149 towns or townships for a total of 179 sub-county divisions. It has the 11th lowest number of sub-county governments. Connecticut also has two federally recognized Indian tribes.

In addition, the 1997 U.S. Census of Governments has identified 49 independent, special-purpose governments in Connecticut that have transportation responsibilities. This number is lower than in many other states. These special-purpose governments include 31 for highways and 8 for transit. Connecticut also has 5 other public transit providers serving rural areas and an additional 38 organizations that provide specialized transit services to elderly and disabled populations in those same areas.

Connecticut has 15 regional councils that cover approximately 95 percent of the state, and 9 MPOs. These regional units help to coordinate the other local governments and play a role in rural transportation programs as described below.

Of Connecticut's 20,280 miles of roads, approximately 20 percent are state-controlled, while less than one percent are federal. Of the total miles non-federal rural roads, 21 percent are state, none are county, 76 percent are township, and 3 percent are municipal and other.

Processes For Consultation And Cooperation With Local Officials In Non-Metropolitan Areas

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT) prepares a long-range plan (LRP) and three-year Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). For over 20 years ConnDOT has used Regional Planning Organizations (RPOs) to support the state transportation planning and programming process. There are five rural and ten urban RPOs, but no county governments in Connecticut. If an RPO is designated as a Council of Elected Officials or Council of Governments, in accordance with Connecticut General Statute, local elected officials are on the RPO's Board; if an RPO is a Regional Planning Agency, local elected officials may appoint town representatives to sit on the RPO Board. Rural elected officials, or appointed representatives, whose town is located in a metropolitan planning area sit on the MPO governing Board and act as a full voting member of the MPO.

ConnDOT's Office of Field Coordination serves as the liaison between ConnDOT and the RPOs, using a staff of full-time liaisons. The liaisons are assigned to deal with specific regions and can develop (1) mutually beneficial ongoing relationships with local elected officials, and (2) good working knowledge of the issues and concerns specific to each region. Planning liaison staff are in continual (day-to-day) contact with the RPOs.

The RPO Boards help ConnDOT coordinate all transportation planning, research, project selection and development, and also help to resolve inter-municipal transportation issues. Each fiscal year, ConnDOT makes state and federal funds available to the RPOs for highway and transit planning, and directs the five rural RPOs to develop Unified Planning Work Programs (UPWPs) that address the major transportation issues in their region and identify the planning tasks necessary to address them. The RPOs also conduct other transportation planning activities, such as transit and corridor studies, as well as technical assistance to local municipalities.

Connecticut's MPOs must update their LRPs every three years, and RPOs are encouraged to update the LRPs every three years, to ensure statewide planning coverage. As the MPOs and rural RPOs develop their LRPs, there is a continuous consultative review of the documents by ConnDOT prior to adoption.

ConnDOT drafts the STIP. Member towns may submit projects through their rural RPOs for inclusion in the STIP funded from several federal programs (STP-Other Urban, STP-Rural, STP-Enhancement, and the Scenic By-ways program). ConnDOT scopes out the proposed projects and, depending on complexity, need, and funding availability, includes them in the draft STIP. ConnDOT submits the draft STIP to the rural RPOs for review and comment on the projects listed for their area. The rural RPOs also make this document available to their member towns (elected officials and the public) for local review and discussion at public RPO meetings. Usually, there is also a review and comment period of 30 days for any Transportation Improvement Program amendments and/or administrative actions as they arise. Any comments forwarded to ConnDOT by the RPOs are addressed, and the rural portion of the STIP is incorporated into the final STIP.

TEA-21 allows 15 percent of required STP-Rural funding to be used on roads classified as rural minor collectors. ConnDOT has decided to fund this category and also set aside funding for roads classified as rural major collectors. ConnDOT met with rural RPOs to develop guidelines for use of these funds. Funding is provided to each rural RPO based on its share of local minor and major rural collector miles. It is the rural RPO's responsibility to solicit its member towns and develop projects while staying within the funding allotted to them.

ConnDOT uses other methods to consult with rural RPOs. It holds Coordination Meetings for all the fifteen RPOs three to four times a year. At these meetings, rural and urban RPOs discuss and find solutions to common problems.

In addition to federal funding, state funding for transportation is available on a project-by-project basis, usually to match federal funds. There is, however, a cooperative effort in the assignment of these funds. The state and the RPO must agree before a project can be funded. (This applies to both rural and urban regions.) Also, local funds are available, in varying degrees, from the individual towns and cities.

Connecticut uses these practices:

State Hearings: ConnDOT gives RPOs, and local officials through RPOs, formal opportunity for review and comment on the draft STIP.
State Process for Interactive Exchange of Views with Local Officials: ConnDOT holds coordination meetings for all fifteen RPOs three times a year.
Roles of RPOs: ConnDOT depends on RPOs for coordination of all their transportation planning activities, and local elected official involvement.
Allocation of Transportation Funds and Responsibilities: Rural RPOs develop projects using their share of the allocation allowed for rural collectors (minor and major).
Other Practices: ConnDOT has full-time staff members assigned to specific regions to serve as liaisons to the RPOs. The liaisons are in constant (day-to-day) contact with RPOs. RPOs may submit projects to ConnDOT for funding under the STP-Other Urban, STP-Rural, STP-Enhancement, and Scenic By-ways Programs.

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