Concerns Linger Over Gov. Malloy's $100B Transportation Bill

HARTFORD, Conn. (CBSNewYork)-- There's a growing sentiment in Connecticut that the governor's $100 billion plan to overhaul transportation needs to be first directed to mass transit, not highway widening.

A spokesman for Gov. Dannel Malloy says widening I-95 in Connecticut will not be done at the expense of rail and bridge repairs. The governor's plan is to do both.

Boosting bus service and fixing 100-year-old rail bridges in Connecticut should be the priority, State Representative Jonathan Steinberg of Westport told WCBS 880's Fran Schneidau.

Steinberg, a member of the transportation committee, says most of the governor's plan will be needed just to perform badly needed road and rail maintenance. He doesn't believe widening areas of I-95 is the solution.

"DOT's own studies indicate that all you do is attract more vehicles and it is short term relief. But it's not a solution to congestion," Steinberg said.

Steinberg says repairing ancient rail bridges is critical and he notes that mass transit is the emerging choice of the next generation.

A consumer group recently spoke out saying the plan to spend billions of dollars to widen I-95 will be  waste of money.

Malloy is hoping to invest $11 billion to widen the highway to address traffic concerns in Stamford, Norwalk, and New Haven. Opponents of the plan say adding lanes will only pave the way for more vehicles and more congestion.