CTfastrak Will Expand East of the Connecticut River

CTfastrak will expand to East Hartford and Manchester by the summer of 2016. The bus rapid transit system currently runs along a 9.4-mile bus only route between New Britain and Hartford, and Governor Dannel Malloy announced Monday that the state's new two-year budget includes funding to expand CTfastrak east of the Connecticut River.

Speaking at the Downtown New Britain CTfastrak station, Malloy said the early success of Connecticut's bus rapid transit system shows that residents are looking for new ways to travel. "CTfastrak is averaging 14,500 trips daily, in the central corridor, compared to 8,000 trips pre-CTfastrak," he said. "In the coming weeks, CTfastrak will celebrate 500,000 riders."

CTfastrak East will use existing High Occupancy Vehicle lanes on 1-84 to connect the expansion.

East Hartford Mayor Marcia Leclerc said the new branch will provide reliable transportation to Pratt and Whitney and other major employers in her town. "It means 150,000 jobs within a mile each way of that corridor, fastrak East, it means expedient, alternative means of transportation to and from employment centers," she said.

Malloy said CTfastrak is an important component of his 30-year plan to improve Connecticut's transportation infrastructure. Watch the press conference below, courtesy of CT-N:

Issues such as where stations and commuter parking parking lots will be established have yet to be hammered out, but Malloy expects the new branch to be ready for passengers within 12 months.