WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, applauded the passage of the FY2019 Department of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies bill, which includes critical investments to improve Connecticut’s transportation infrastructure. Murphy advocated for the investments as a member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee. The funding was included in the bipartisan agreement reached last week to prevent another government shutdown and fund nine federal agencies, including the Department of Transportation, for the reminder of the fiscal year. 

“I wanted a seat on the Appropriations Committee so I could advocate for Connecticut priorities in Washington. This bill makes a lot of important investments to our transportation infrastructure. I fought for these investments because people in Connecticut are fed up with the traffic on our roads and slow train service on our aging rail lines. There’s a lot more we need to do to bring our transportation into the 21st century, but this bill provides some important investments to help us get there,” said Murphy. 

Highlights of the legislation include the following: 

  • $1.94 billion for Amtrak, $650 million for the Northeast Corridor (NEC)
  • $400 million for the Federal-State Partnership for State of Good Repair Grant Program to repair the Northeast Corridor
  • $10 million for Amtrak Security Program
  • $34.9 million in additional funding above FAST Act authorized levels for highway projects in Connecticut 
  • $12.3 million in additional funding above FAST Act authorized levels for transit projects in Connecticut
  • $31.4 million in additional funding above FAST Act authorized levels for bridge funding for Connecticut
  • $2 million in additional funding above FAST Act authorized levels for Bus and Bus Facilities formula funding 

###