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350 Church St., Hartford, CT 06103-1126 | 860.244.1900 | cbia.com
CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION2O13
SURVEY
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY 1
IntroductionA number of studies released this year, including reports
by CNBC and the national transportation research group
TRIP, point up serious deficiencies in Connecticut’s
transportation system and underscore the need to invest
in infrastructure improvements.
Connecticut’s Department of Transportation has
launched a strategic planning approach to its policies,
programs, and projects aimed at paving the way for
a more competitive economy and sustainable future.
And progress has been made toward enhancing public
transit, improving the I-95 corridor, restoring or replacing
bridges, upgrading rail systems and parking facilities,
and expanding Bradley International Airport.
Considering the measurable—and increasingly negative—
impact the state’s outdated transportation infrastructure
has had on businesses, residents, and economic vitality,
these are important first steps; however, considerable
work remains to be done.
In the face of limited resources, which transportation
projects take priority, and who pays for them?
The Connecticut Business & Industry Association,
together with the Stamford Chamber of Commerce,
Connecticut Construction Industries Association, and
Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, posed
these questions to business leaders throughout the
state in the first major survey focusing on Connecticut’s
transportation issues.
The 2013 Connecticut Transportation Survey, made
possible with the generous support and sponsorship
of UIL Holdings Corp., was emailed to top executives
throughout Connecticut in late September and early
October 2013, during the major service disruption to
Metro-North’s railway system. (Not surprisingly, one in five
survey respondents noted that in terms of transportation
projects, expanding our rail systems would provide the
greatest benefit to the state and its businesses, second
only to expanding highway capacity.)
Out of 6,000 business leaders surveyed, we received
responses from 651 individuals, for a response rate of
10.9% and a margin of error of +/-3.92 %.
CONTENTSIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Key Findings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
How Important Is Transportation? . . . . . . . . 3
Existing Challenges and Costs . . . . . . . . . . 4
Solutions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
How Do We Get There? Funding Issues . . . 7
Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
About the Survey
Methodology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Demographics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
About the Sponsor
UIL Holdings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
About CBIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY2
Key Findings The number-one transportation concern for Connecticut
business leaders is road congestion (45% of survey
respondents), followed by deteriorating roads/bridge
conditions (28%).
When asked what single transportation project would
provide the greatest benefit to Connecticut residents
and businesses, 55% of businesses identified highway
improvements and expansion.
Businesses overwhelmingly want to see operational
lanes added to I-95 (88% of respondents).
Adverse impacts
of Connecticut’s
congested
roadways on
businesses
include hindering
their ability
to meet with
customers (63% of
respondents) and
causing delivery
logjams (48%).
Forty-two percent
of respondents
say their market or territory
is limited by transportation
issues.
Nearly three-quarters of
businesses surveyed (74%)
would support legislation
prohibiting the use of
Connecticut’s Special Transportation Fund to cover
General Fund shortfalls.
Connecticut commuters’ high use of single-occupant
vehicles can best be reduced, business leaders say,
through tax incentives for car/vanpooling (27% of
respondents), expansion of rail and bus options (22%),
expanding train station parking (10%), and better
transit to and from train stations (9%). Fifteen percent
of Connecticut businesses surveyed have considered
relocating because of regional transportation concerns.
Respondents are split down the middle on preserving
the Merritt Parkway as a historic roadway (48%) or
upgrading it to increase capacity (50%). Of those
who favor increased capacity, more than one in 10
would like to see the parkway upgraded to handle
commercial traffic.
For business leaders, transportation ranks in the top
three—behind economic development and education—
in terms of state spending priorities and businesses’
willingness to pay for them. Only 14% of respondents
put transportation below the midpoint (on a scale of
1 to 5) in terms of their willingness to pay for it.
Does Connecticut’s road congestion restrict or limit the territory of
your market?
YES
42%
Provide tax incentives for car/vanpooling
Expand current rail and bus line
Improve train station parking and security
Provide better transit to and from stations
27%
22%
10%
9%
What’s the most effective strategy for promoting alternatives to single-occupant vehicles?
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY 3
is somewhat or very important to their company’s ability
to move goods and services. In addition:
57% are somewhat or very dependent on passenger
transportation for their business
64% say that better mobility and transportation
options would enhance their ability to attract and
maintain a quality workforce
54% say that customers consider access and
convenience when deciding whether to do business
with them
How Important Is Transportation?Businesses need to move goods and services with
the speed and efficiency that allows them to compete
in a global economy.
Well-maintained roads, safe bridges, and highways
with good peak-hour volume-to-capacity ratios not only
encourage economic development but also benefit
workers, enhance a state’s quality of life, attract new
businesses, and help
create and sustain
tens of thousands
of construction-
related jobs as well
as jobs for planners,
designers, and
materials suppliers.
Indeed, 78%
of executives
surveyed said
that Connecticut’s
transportation system
Would better mobility and transportation
options increase your ability to attract and
maintain a high-quality workforce?
YES
64%
Very important
Somewhat important
Neither important nor unimportant
Somewhat unimportant
Very unimportant
53%
25%
14%
4%
5%
How important are Connecticut’s transportation systems for the movement of goods and services for your business?
“Connecticut’s economy will
continue to stagnate unless we
invest in improving connectivity both
within the state and to the New York
City and Boston metropolitan areas.
More and better transit options will
support economic growth and
improve quality of life.”
James P. Torgerson | President & CEO UIL Holdings Corporation
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY4
29% chose their business site with transportation
issues in mind
For those businesses that rely on freight transportation,
the vast majority of cargo (87%) is handled by truck, as
opposed to air transport (8%), ship transport (3%), or rail
(2%). Eighty percent
of respondents
rate the quality and
dependability of
freight transportation
as good to excellent;
however, only 6%
believe roadway
capacity has kept
pace with truck traffic
(predicted to double
in volume by 2020,
over 1998 levels).
More than half
of Connecticut
businesses surveyed (56%) favor having more rest areas
for truckers.
Existing Challenges and CostsTexas A&M Transportation Institute analyzes trends
in traffic congestion and their associated costs. The
Institute’s 2012 Urban Mobility Report finds that
congestion wastes 5.5 billion hours of U.S. commuters’
time and 2.9 billion gallons of fuel. Since 1983, the
amount of time lost waiting in traffic surged from 16
to 38 hours annually per driver, and the related cost
per commuter went from $342 to $818. The total cost
of congestion nationwide is $121 billion, of which an
estimated $27 billion is wasted time and diesel fuel from
trucks moving goods.
When asked about their primary transportation concern,
45% of Connecticut business leaders cited traffic/road
congestion, and 28% cited deteriorating road/bridge
conditions. Other key concerns were Connecticut’s lack
of alternative transportation (11%) and high or rising
transportation costs (6%).
Half of our survey respondents say congestion plays a
role in planning work schedules for their businesses,
and 42% acknowledge that their market is limited by
congestion and travel delays. Other impacts include
delaying or preventing meetings with customers (63%),
holding up delivery times (48%), inhibiting access to
customers (41%) or customers’ access to their business
(37%), and disrupting logistics (36%).
In open-ended responses, respondents explained the
myriad ways in which road congestion alters the way they
do business or impacts their bottom line. Among their
comments:
We expanded our clients’ expectations for what
‘on-time’ means
From a business perspective, have roadway capacity
increases kept pace with increased
trucking traffic?
NO
94%
Quality and dependability of freight transportation in Connecticut
n Excellent n Fair
n Very good n Poor
n Good
32%43%
18%5%
2%
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY 5
Delays affect production schedules
Our product requires a lot of outside processes at other
companies in Connecticut. Our deliveries and pickups
must be planned around traffic.
Reduces number of clients to be seen
We provide on-site service for office equipment and
network services. Time is of the essence.
It impedes my visits to my warehouse and customers
Utilizing the option to work from home
Difficulty planning/conducting meetings
Increases costs due to lost time
Clients often reschedule or won’t come
Lose a huge amount of working time just trying to
get to meetings in the area
Arriving on time at a worksite is impossible for our
contractors
Some employees work a flexible schedule as a result.
Affects arrival of parts
Schedule our fleet away from Fairfield County
during peak hours
Hard to find staff
Alters delivery schedules
Delays deliveries to job sites
Travel delays cost us $1 million-plus a year
“I-95 was built more than a half-century
ago with a capacity of 50,000 vehicle
trips per day. Presently there are
164,000 trips per day, which is 312%
over capacity. It is no wonder that
this highway structure is among the
state’s—and even the country’s—worst
and most unsafe.”
Jack Condlin | President & CEO Stamford Chamber of Commerce
Scheduling meetings with customers
Delivery times
Access to customers
Customer access to business
Logistics
63%
48%
41%
37%
36%
Which aspects of your business are impacted by road congestion and other travel delays?
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY6
Eighty-three percent
of businesses say
they absorb these
ancillary costs rather
than pass them on
to customers. One
in four also report
paying a premium
to their employees
because of travel
expenses.
Adding to the
problem in
Connecticut are
long commutes and
driving preferences.
Sixty percent of top
executives surveyed and 63% of their non-management
employees travel at least 10 miles each way to work—
frequently 20 miles or more. The vast majority of
respondents (92%) report that their employees start work
between 6:01 a.m. and noon, and most report that this
window of time coincides with when they do most of their
shipping and receiving—resulting in peak hours with a
very high volume-to-road-capacity ratio.
Much of the state’s
workforce is scattered
in areas with limited
rail service or other
mass transit options,
and despite a decline
in driving over the
last five years,
automobiles are still
the preferred mode
of transportation here.
The employers we
surveyed reported
that 91% of their workers drive to work. Only 3% car/
vanpool, 4% walk, bike, or telecommute, and 2% take
the train or use other public transit. Eighty-two percent of
businesses surveyed are not satisfied with the availability
of parking at Connecticut train stations.
SolutionsSolving Connecticut’s transportation problems means
addressing several needs: repairing and maintaining
infrastructure, expanding highway capacity, increasing
transportation choices, and creating a well-connected
transportation system.
Historically, federal dollars have been the
major source of funding for transportation
system upgrades. Congress, however,
intends to reduce (or at least flat-fund)
federal transportation aid to states. Funding
could be cut by as much as $603 million
in 2014.
How are costs from traffic congestion and travel delays apportioned?
n The costs come out of the company’s bottom line
n The costs are passed on to customers
n Other
15%
83%
2%
Are you satisfied with the amount of parking
at Connecticut’s train stations?
NO
82%
What percentage of your workforce uses these methods of transportation to commute to work?
n Individual vehicle
n Car/vanpooling
n Public transit—bus
n Public transit—train
n Walking/biking
n Telecommuting
n Other
91%
3%2% 1%
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY 7
Like many other states, Connecticut faces a serious
transportation funding shortfall. Our bridges, highways,
rail lines, and port facilities require extensive restoration
and enhancement at the same time revenues from the
federal gas tax are falling.
How do we reconcile the gap
between projected revenues
and infrastructure improvement
needs? Which strategic
transportation investments
should take priority?
By and large, business leaders
desire greater road capacity.
Expanding highway capacity was identified as the single
most beneficial transportation project for Connecticut’s
residents and businesses by more than 55% of executives
surveyed. Expanding commuter rail systems was a distant
second (17%), followed by replacement or repair of
bridges (9%) and increasing the number of direct flights
from Bradley International Airport (4%).
A very small minority of businesses (1%) consider
busways to be the most impactful project. Many, on the
other hand, believe these are speculative investments
that take away from higher-priority maintenance and
upgrades to high-usage areas of transportation.
Overwhelmingly, businesses want to see operational
lanes added to I-95 (88% of respondents).
How Do We Get There? Funding IssuesWhen business leaders were asked about areas of
state spending “in terms of your willingness to pay for
them,” transportation ranked in the top three (23% of
respondents), behind economic development (37%)
“This survey proves that Connecticut’s
future economic health is highly
dependent upon an upgraded
transportation system. For too long,
the highways and bridges of this
state have been allowed to slip into
disrepair. And, congestion now daily
chokes the circulatory system which
the business community needs for the
safe and efficient movement of goods
and people. This is a wakeup call to
Connecticut’s political leadership. It’s
time to stop postponing expansions
and improvements and get this state
moving again.”
Michael J. Riley | President, Motor Transport Association of Connecticut
Most beneficial transportation project for the state and its businesses
n Expand highway capac-ity/improve highways
n Expand commuter rail systems
n Replace/repair deteriorating bridges
n Other
n Increase the number of direct flights from Brad-ley International Airport
n Improve secondary roads
n Provide tax incentives for telecommuting and carpooling
n Expand port capacity
n Expand rail freight systems
n CTfastrak busway
55%17%
9%
2%2%
1%4%3%
2%
6%
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY8
and education
(36%). Only 14%
of respondents
put transportation
below the midpoint,
on a scale of 1 to
5, in terms of their
willingness to pay
for it.
Connecticut’s
2014–2015 biennial
budget includes $2.6
billion in operating
funds and $1.3
billion in bonding
approved in the
Special Transportation Fund. (The STF was established
after the collapse of the Mianus River Bridge in 1983,
in response to concerns about adequate transportation
funding. Money is collected from the petroleum products
gross receipts tax and the gas tax charged to consumers
at the pump. This latter tax, which was increased this year,
had a negative impact on 72% of Connecticut businesses
surveyed.)
Though the state has collected over $2.6 billion from
these taxes since 2005, and while STF funds are set aside,
ostensibly, to maintain and repair the state's bridges, only
about half of that money went to its intended use. The rest
was raided to plug holes in the budget and pay for non-
transportation projects. Considering that DOT estimates
at least $12.5 billion is needed to pay for what it deems
“unfundable highway and bridge projects,” diverting
transportation funds to cover other shortfalls in the
General Fund is a serious concern.
Transportation funding is simply not the relatively big piece
of the pie that it was 20 or 30 years ago. For the biennium,
the STF is only about 3% of the operating budget and no
more than 20% of the capital authorization.
In addition, within Connecticut’s General Assembly there
is disagreement about whether state and federal funds
should be directed to ‘Fix It First’ projects (repairs to
existing interstates, overpasses, and bridges) or used
partly to fund road expansions.
A new law that goes into effect in 2015 will prevent
transportation dollars from being appropriated to other
projects. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of businesses
surveyed support legislation prohibiting the use of STF
money to cover General Fund shortfalls; 15% are unsure
about the issue.
Even after the new law takes effect and the fund is
preserved, however, there are other concerns. The number
of bridges in need of repair is growing at a rate that will
“With transportation needs far
outpacing available funding,
Connecticut must put every dollar to
good use. Turning available funding
into designed and constructed
projects as quickly as possible will
have a positive and lasting effect on
Connecticut’s workforce, infrastructure,
and economy. In today’s transportation
marketplace, every penny counts.”
Donald J. Shubert | President Connecticut Construction Industries Association
Has the recent increase in Connecti-cut’s gas and diesel taxes had an impact on your business?
n Yes—a large impact
n Yes—some impact
n No impact
29%29%
43%
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY 9
render the state’s gas and petroleum products gross
receipts taxes insufficient to cover the costs. Furthermore,
tax revenue for transportation maintenance and repairs is
expected to plummet with the introduction of new federal
mileage standards that push automakers to produce more
fuel-efficient vehicles.
The reinstitution of tolls on state roads also was the subject
of considerable debate in the General Assembly. Prior
surveys showed substantial business support for tolls
coupled with dedicated funding for transportation, but
that support has waned to some extent. Today, fewer
than a third (32%) of businesses surveyed favor tolls on
Connecticut’s major highways; 36% would approve only
if funds were strictly applied to transportation needs.
ConclusionIn 1999 Michael Gallis, one of the nation’s leading
authorities on large-scale regional development strategies,
produced a report for the Connecticut Institute for the
21st Century. In it, he warned that without an adequate
transportation infrastructure and a strategic policy linking
its different transit assets, Connecticut would become
an economic cul-de-sac.
Fourteen years later, we have yet to develop a regional
strategy, and Gallis’s advice is more relevant than ever.
In an effort to boost Connecticut’s economic
competitiveness and growth potential, Governor Malloy
earlier this year launched an 18-month strategic initiative
called TransformCT, aimed at developing a blueprint
for a world-class transportation system. To that end, the
state Department of Transportation has solicited input
from residents and businesses through a series of public
meetings, focus groups, and surveys. The DOT will
consider public input in shaping that plan.
Results of our 2013 Connecticut Transportation Survey
also will be shared with elected officials and government
agencies to ensure that business perspectives and
priorities are integral to the plan; that appropriate weight
is given to capital improvements with the greatest
potential to advance economic development; and that
sustainable sources of funding are identified, leveraged,
and preserved. Unless the state better manages its
budget and improves its economic competitiveness,
however, finding and maintaining the appropriate funding
for any new ideas that TransformCT identifies will be
challenging.
“Funding to make necessary
transportation infrastructure
improvements and expand capacity to
meet our needs is in short supply. We
need to wisely invest whatever amount
of federal funding we receive and
use the money in the state’s Special
Transportation Fund exclusively for
transportation projects. A broken
transportation system should not be
a barrier to economic activity.”
Eric Gjede | Assistant Counsel, CBIA
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY10
MethodologyThis survey was emailed to top executives at about
6,000 firms statewide in late September and early
October 2013. We received 651 responses, for a return
rate of 10.9% and a margin of error of +/-3.92 %.
All figures are rounded to the nearest whole number
and may not total 100%.
DemographicsIndustries represented in the survey:
Professional services (26%)
Manufacturing (23%)
Construction (14%)
Wholesale distribution (10%)
Finance, insurance & real estate (8%)
Retail (7%)
Social services, nonprofit (5%)
Medical (4%)
Hospitality & tourism (3%)
ABOUT THE SURVEY
26%PROFESSIONAL
SERVICES
23%MANUFACTURING
14%CONSTRUCTION
10%WHOLESALE
DISTRIBUTION
8%FINANCE,
INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE
7%RETAIL
MEDICAL (4%)
HOSPITALITY & TOURISM
(3%)SOCIAL SERVICES,
NONPROFIT (5%)
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY 11
UIL Holdings CorporationHeadquartered in New Haven, Connecticut, UIL Holdings
Corporation (NYSE:UIL) is a diversified energy delivery
company serving more than 700,000 electric and natural
gas utility customers in 66 communities across two
states, with combined total assets of over $4 billion.
UIL is the parent company of The United Illuminating
Company (UI), The Southern Connecticut Gas
Company (SCG), Connecticut Natural Gas
Corporation (CNG), and The Berkshire Gas Company
(Berkshire), each more than 100 years old. UI provides
for the transmission and delivery of electricity and other
energy-related services for Connecticut’s Greater New
Haven and Bridgeport areas. SCG and CNG are natural
gas distribution companies that serve customers in
Connecticut, while Berkshire Gas serves natural gas
customers in western Massachusetts. UIL employs
more than 1,850 people in the New England region.
Edison Electric Institute Winner
Emergency Response Award for Restoration, 2011 & 2012
Emergency Response Award for Assistance, 2012
Visit uil.com.
ABOUT THE SPONSOR
2013 CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION SURVEY12
Connecticut Business & Industry AssociationCBIA is Connecticut’s leading business organization,
with 10,000 member companies. Our public policy staff
works with state government to help shape specific
laws and regulations to support job creation and make
Connecticut’s business climate competitive. Our councils,
committees, and roundtables give our members forums for
influencing the legislative and regulatory processes.
One of CBIA’s most important functions is to provide our
members with information to help them better manage
their businesses. We conduct training seminars and
workshops; arrange for consulting services; and hold
conferences on environmental regulations, health and
safety, human resources, compensation and benefits,
taxes, energy, economic conditions, and healthcare.
Our free telephone consulting service gives members
access to our experienced staff of professionals on
a wide range of business topics.
Many CBIA members take advantage of our employee
benefits plans, discount programs, and group purchasing
opportunities. These include innovative health and dental
insurance programs through CBIA Health Connections—
CBIA’s private-sector health insurance exchange—as
well as other insurance lines, retirement plans, a COBRA
continuation program, group energy purchasing, and
member discounts on everything from packaging
materials to background checks.
Learn more at cbia.com.
ABOUT CBIA
350 Church St., Hartford, CT 06103-1126 | 860.244.1900 | cbia.com
CONNECTICUT TRANSPORTATION2O13
SURVEY