July 2024

Issue 122

• T2 Center No-Show Fee for Free Trainings Effective July 1, 2024
• Connecticut Public Works Promotions & Announcements
• Safety Matters: Move Over Connecticut!
• Innovation Station: East Lyme Testing AI to Track Residents' Recycling
• Town Crier: Ellington Unveils New Human Services Community Garden Stand
• UAS Pilot on the T2 Team!
• Governor Lamont Announces $10 Million in State Grants for Recreational Trails Across Connecticut
• CTI Research Corner: Enhancing Safety - Insights from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Crash Reconstruction Seminar at UConn
• CTDOT Celebrates Grant to Re-envision Future of Berlin Turnpike

T2 Center No-Show Fee for Free Trainings Effective July 1, 2024

The T2 Center team is dedicated to providing high-quality training for the Public Works community, often at no cost to participants. While there is no fee charged, there are expenses incurred by the T2 Center to offer these important training topics. Additionally, many sessions have reached full capacity, leaving interested individuals on waiting lists.

Despite a flexible cancellation policy that allows for last-minute notifications, the T2 Center has observed a concerning rise in no-show participants who fail to communicate their absence. In response, effective July 1, 2024, the T2 Center will implement a $25.00 no-show fee for our free trainings for participants who do not attend training sessions and do not notify the team via phone or email by the morning of the event.

The T2 Center understands that emergencies can arise, and busy workloads may prevent attendance. We encourage participants to either inform the team in advance or send a substitute from their agency.

All of us at the T2 Center appreciate the community's understanding and continued support as we implement this new policy.

City of Manchester

• The Town of Manchester's Engineering Inspection Unit received the Municipal Inspection Award for the West Gerald Drive paving project at the CAAPA Asphalt Pavement Conference held on April 19, 2024. Out of 36 nominations, this project was recognized for its excellence as part of the Town's Paving Program, completed by American Industries of Jewitt City, CT. In the 2023 construction season, the Inspection Unit successfully inspected 46 road paving segments, totaling 40,500 tons, demonstrating the Town’s commitment to high-quality infrastructure and paving excellence.

City of Torrington

• Michael Aeschlimann has been promoted to Public Works Foreman for the Street Department. Mike joined the City of Torrington as a Maintainer II in 2007.

Move Over Connecticut!

All who are working on our roadways deserve to be safe while performing their duties. Connecticut, like all other states, has enacted a “Move Over” law that was passed to help protect first responders and improve our overall traffic safety. Unfortunately, a large percentage of drivers across our country either don’t know about these laws or don’t know what these laws require of them. Given recent events here in Connecticut, including the tragic deaths of Trooper First Class Aaron Pelletier and CTDOT Maintainer Andrew DiDomenico, we need to get the word out now and help prevent these tragedies. The law in Connecticut, found under the Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-283b, states:

“Motor vehicle operator required to move over when approaching emergency vehicle that is stationary or traveling significantly below speed limit and nonemergency vehicle that is stationary and located on shoulder.”

This statute continues and defines each of these emergency vehicles which are being operated by our fire, police, ambulance, maintenance, and tow truck personnel. Connecticut sets stiff financial penalties for violations of this statute, but that shouldn’t be our focus when considering and following this law. We need to be mindful of the much more severe consequences if we fail to give these heroes the space they need to work safely. Every year our first responders put themselves in harm’s way and every year there are many that are killed or seriously injured helping us.

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East Lyme Testing AI to Track Residents' Recycling

In East Lyme, a new AI-powered initiative is revolutionizing recycling practices by monitoring residents' recycling bins with precision. Using cameras equipped with AI technology, the system identifies items that shouldn't be recycled, sending informative postcards to residents to educate them on proper recycling habits. This innovative approach aims to enhance public awareness and improve recycling efficiency without punitive measures, potentially setting a precedent for other communities interested in sustainable waste management solutions.

Ellington Unveils New Human Services Community Garden Stand

The Town of Ellington proudly announced the opening of its new Human Services Community Garden Stand, a project constructed by the Public Works Department. The grand opening was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by residents and local officials, celebrating the addition of this vital community resource.

Located centrally for easy access, the garden stand welcomes donations and provids fresh, locally grown vegetables to residents. This initiative aims to promote healthy eating habits while fostering unity and sustainability within Ellington. It was part of ongoing efforts by Ellington to support its residents with essential resources and promote a healthier lifestyle through community engagement.

Wonderful idea, Ellington!

UAS Pilot on the T2 Team!

Jason Hughes from the T2 Center has recently obtained his FAA Part 107 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Pilot License and will be piloting the T2 Center drones. He will be hosting a roundtable discussion on September 17th in Storrs, CT, focusing on how municipalities can utilize drones for safety, followed by a "show and tell" session at the end. Details and registration information for the roundtable will be announced soon.

Governor Lamont Announces $10 Million in State Grants for Recreational Trails Across Connecticut

Forty-Five Projects Selected to Receive Grants to Plan, Build, Expand, and Improve Multi-Use Trails.

On June 3, 2024, Governor Ned Lamont and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Commissioner Katie Dykes announced the release of a series of grants totaling $10 million that will support the planning, building, expansion, and improvement of 45 multi-use trails located in towns and cities throughout Connecticut.

The grants are being awarded through Connecticut Recreational Trails Grant Program, which is administered by DEEP. Funds to support the grants were approved by the State Bond Commission at its October 2023 meeting. Governor Lamont serves as chair of the commission.

“The Connecticut Recreational Trails Program and Connecticut Greenways Council are continuing to serve a vital role in providing funding for the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of trails across Connecticut,” Governor Lamont said. “The funding for these 45 projects represents a significant investment in our state’s outdoor economy, and our trails and proximity to nature are a big part of why Connecticut is an attractive place to live and work. I am thrilled to announce funding for these projects, which will improve and expand recreational trail opportunities around our state.”

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Enhancing Safety - Insights from the Bicycle and Pedestrian Crash Reconstruction Seminar at UConn

The Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center (CTSRC), a program in the Connecticut Transportation Institute (CTI) at the University of Connecticut, hosted a Bicycle and Pedestrian Crash Reconstruction Seminar on May 17 - 20, 2024 through UConn’s College of Engineering. During this three-day program, law enforcement personnel from Connecticut learned how to properly reconstruct an accident scene following a pedestrian or bicycle crash that resulted in serious injuries or a fatality. The areas of concentration were how to investigate, document, and interpret physical evidence.

As part of this seminar, a series of live crashes of a vehicle into a test dummy (bicyclist and pedestrian) at 35 - 50 mph were presented. The field tests were conducted at the former Bergin Correctional Institution property at 251 Middle Turnpike in Storrs, near the UConn Depot Campus. Approximately 50 police officers and Traffic Safety Engineers attended the crash events. Pedestrian crashes have been on the rise nationwide and Connecticut follows this trend. “Crash reconstruction is vital to determining how and why a crash has occurred,” said Sergeant Charles Grasso III (Ret.), fatal crash data liaison and accident reconstructionist at the CTSRC. “Information gathered during these investigations will assist highway safety professionals in examining ways to prevent these crashes from occurring.” 

CTDOT Celebrates Grant to Re-envision Future of Berlin Turnpike

On June 26, 2024, Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto issued the following statement after Connecticut was awarded $2 million in federal funds to study, re-envision, and plan for a multi-modal future for one of its busiest central corridors along Route 5, known as the Berlin Turnpike.

The Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Grant—which was awarded to The Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) in collaboration with CTDOT, CTtransit, and the towns of Berlin, Newington, and Wethersfield—will lay the foundation to improve safety for all roadway users, including pedestrians, customers of public transportation, and bicyclists.

Commissioner Eucalitto said: “The 11-mile Berlin Turnpike is a critical corridor connecting New Haven and Hartford Counties ripe with commerce and economic development opportunities. This grant award will help lay the foundation to create a future Route 5 with safety at the forefront. It will allow for the study and design of pedestrian and bicycle friendly infrastructure, such as sidewalks and trails, and look to develop a public transportation hub and land development opportunities in Newington, Wethersfield, and Berlin.

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