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A Crucial Component

As the Killingworth representative to the 9-Town Transit Board of Directors, I am writing to support Christine Cohen as the next state senator for Connecticut’s 12th District. I am confident that she will energetically carry on Senator Ted Kennedy, Jr.’s legacy of supporting public transportation on the shoreline.

The 9-Town Transit organization provides bus service that connects cities and towns in Connecticut from Middletown and Hartford to New Haven. As anyone who experiences traffic on I-95 knows congestion is stressful, and unnecessary time spent in traffic is a drain on our local economy. Public transportation provides an important alternative, alleviating congestion as well as stress on the environment: At current rates, taking public transportation saves 855 million gallons of fuel per year, or roughly one quarter of the energy need to power all American homes annually. Each day, 14 million Americans take public transportation, and with the support of our local legislators, there could be more.

Senator Kennedy was instrumental in supporting 9-Town Transit in budget legislation and working with the Connecticut Department of Transportation to receive a 20 percent match in funds, with the other 80 percent provided by the Federal Transportation Administration. In Christine Cohen, the shoreline has a candidate who will work with colleagues in Hartford to build on Senator Kennedy’s accomplishments, and ensure the future public transportation in the area, a crucial component to our economic growth.

Joan Gay

Killingworth