The Federal Highway Administration Connecticut Division Office is located in Glastonbury, Connecticut. The Division Office has 22 employees with a great diversity of disciplines. The Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) is co-located with the Division Office. FMCSA's State Director is Jeff Cimahosky. The Connecticut office of the FMCSA can be reached at (860) 659-6700. 

Read a brief summary of FHWA and Connecticut Division history.

FEDERAL-AID OFFICE

Under the Federal-aid highway program, we do not decide which roads will be improved or who will do the construction work. Instead, the Federal-aid highway program is a federally assisted, State-administered partnership. Each year, we make funds available to the States by legislative formulas to assist in their programs of highway construction and improvement. The States work with local officials, through the metropolitan and statewide planning processes, to establish priorities and to determine which projects will be developed within funding limits. Federal law reserves project selection solely for State and local officials, who are also responsible for project planning, design, and construction. If a State decides to develop a project using Federal funding, our Agency provides technical assistance and approvals at key stages to make sure the project satisfactorily meets applicable Federal requirements, such as the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and appropriate design standards. The Federal-aid staff's area of responsibilities include Planning, Research, Environment, Finance, Engineering, Bridge, Safety, Intelligent Transportation Systems, and Right-of-Way. A brief summary of each units functions are provided below.

PLANNING RESEARCH AND ENVIRONMENT

Planning, Research and Environment Program Manager
Eloise Powell
(860) 659-6703, Extension 3010

The Planning, Research and Environment Section of the Connecticut Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides advice, guidance and authorization on FHWA-State-local transportation planning, research, environment, congestion planning, management systems and program matters in Connecticut. We coordinate technical, administrative and authoritative guidance to State, Planning Organizations and local officials in the direction and execution of their transportation planning. Planning includes the integration of the transportation and air quality planning processes, and aiding metropolitan planning organizations in the development of both long and short range plans. These plans are coordinated with the development of the transportation control measures for the State Implementation Plan, the Statewide Long Range Plan and the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. Research activities include projects implemented by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (ConnDOT), the University of Connecticut and through Regional and National research pools. Environmental activities include the coordination and development of all FHWA Federal-aid projects and assure that Federal-aid projects comply with all applicable Federal and State requirements.

FINANCE

Financial Manager
Debra P. Ramirez
(860) 659-6703, Extension 3012

The Federal-aid Highway Program is a reimbursable program; that is, the Federal Government only reimburses States for costs actually incurred in contrast to a pre-paid grant program. Funding comes from the Highway Trust Fund which was created in 1956. Revenue for the Trust Fund is derived from dedicated highway user fees such as taxes on fuel, tires, and truck sales. Trust fund monies are distributed or "apportioned" to the states according to formulas written into "authorizing" legislation by Congress. These formulas are based on various factors such as lanes miles, vehicle miles of travel, population, historic levels of funding, and the state's share of receipts in the Highway Trust Fund. The current legislative authorization for the Federal-aid Highway Program is the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21).

The Highway Program is much more than highways. Funding is also provided for many local transportation related items through the State for bike and recreational trails, community walkways and gateways, ferry boat terminals and docks, rideshare and vanpool programs, air quality improvement programs, transit assistance, local bridge assistance, commuter parking, truck and buses safety, local pavement stripping and signing, police and traffic safety, buses and truck cargo regulations, motor fuel tax evasion, local planning and technology assistance, emergency disaster assistance and many other transportation related topics.

Federal Highway Administration's Connecticut Division Office provides reimbursement to the State for authorized transportation activities. In providing Federal funds, the most flexible and innovative financing techniques permissible under the law, and the most efficient administrative processes such as electronic signature are applied. The Administrative Section of the Connecticut Division Office provides the State with technical assistance on accounting and financial management systems, and through our Financial Management Improvement Program, works closely with the Connecticut Department of Transportation to streamline and improve the funding of all Federal-aid transportation programs.

ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS

Assistant Division Administrator
Ernie Blais
(860) 659-6703, Extension 3008

Project Management Team Leader - Design, Construction and Materials
John Formosa
(860) 659-6703, Extension 3033

FHWA's engineering staff is responsible for key areas involved in the development and construction of Federal-aid highway projects. Activities include participation in the design, construction, and maintenance of complex bridge and highway projects on the Interstate and on other National Highway System (NHS) roads (963 miles in Connecticut). Under the general direction of the Assistant Division Administrator, the staff consists of several engineers with different areas of expertise, such as bridge, ITS, construction, highway design, pavements and maintenance.

The engineering staff makes reviews and field inspections of preliminary and final designs, and evaluates individual projects in terms of structural and geometric design standards and applications, economic factors, construction and maintenance costs, funding, traffic analysis and service, aesthetics, and appropriateness for NHS system. FHWA engineers coordinate with State and local officials, and consultants.

FHWA engineers visit projects during construction to observe progress, check project records, verify compliance with regulations and specifications, provide technical assistance, and assure construction schedules are met. They determine acceptability of construction procedures and materials, and documentation of construction items. They also evaluate and approve actions on construction problems, extra work and change orders. They make final inspections to assure that projects have been completed as planned, and that the quality and quantity of material and other construction items are properly documented. FHWA engineers also periodically sample completed Federal-aid projects for compliance with applicable maintenance requirements.

INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (ITS) AND TRAFFIC OPERATIONS

ITS and Traffic Operations Engineer
Robert Ramirez
(860 ) 659-6703, Extension 3004

The landmark Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 officially began the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS, then referred to as the IVHS) program. The program has migrated over the life of the legislation from a program focused on research and development and operational tests to one emphasizing the deployment of ITS.

The ITS and Traffic Operations Engineer is responsible for promoting, coordinating and deploying ITS and traffic operations programs and projects in Connecticut. These efforts are carried out internally among FHWA Division personnel and externally through active communication and liaison with appropriate personnel at ConnDOT and other Federal, State, and local organizations, industry, and the public. The ITS and Traffic Operations Engineer serves as a technical expert and maintains ITS and traffic management responsibility in the Division for the deployment, operation and maintenance of the State's ITS systems. The ITS Engineer serves as the focal point in the Division for the applications of traffic control systems and on matters relating to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) are the application of advanced and emerging technologies in such fields as information processing, communications, control, and electronics to support and enhance surface transportation needs. The goal of the Connecticut Division is to effectively deploy and integrate these technologies in a manner that is consistent with the national ITS architecture and standards. This will result in a number of benefits, including provisions for national and regional interoperability, better operation and management of our transportation systems, more efficient use of our infrastructure and energy resources, and significant improvements in safety, mobility, accessibility, and productivity.

SAFETY

Safety Engineer
Bonnie DuBose
(860) 659-6703, Extension 3002

The FHWA is responsible for carrying out several highway safety programs. These safety programs provide funding for projects which remove, relocate, or shield roadside obstacles, identify and correct hazardous locations, eliminate or reduce hazards at railroad crossings, and improve signing, pavement markings, and signalization.

The agency promulgates and administers highway-related safety guidelines providing for the identification and surveillance of accident locations; highway design, construction, and maintenance; traffic engineering services; and highway-related aspects of pedestrian safety. In Connecticut, we work closely with the Connecticut Department of Transportation ( ConnDOT), the Governor's Highway Safety Office, and city and town governments to improve the safety of the motoring public, pedestrians, and highway workers.

STRUCTURES

Bridge Engineer
Joseph Chilstrom
(860) 659-6703, Extension 3031

RIGHT-OF-WAY AND CIVIL RIGHTS 

Division Right-of-Way Officer
Lester Finkle
(860) 659-6703, Extension 3032

The Federal Highway Administration is responsible for the proper acquisition and relocation of families and businesses under the provisions of the Uniform Acquisition and Real Property Acquisition Policy Act of 1970, as amended. The basic provisions of this law require the fair and equitable treatment of those who are displaced by transportation projects. FHWA is the lead agency under the law and is available for advice and assistance to other Federal Agencies in the implementation of the law. Under special circumstances the FHWA working with its partner the state DOT provides direct relocation services for other Federal Agencies.

"The Federal Highway Administration is responsible for ensuring that all construction work for Federal-aid Highway projects is performed in a non-discriminatory manner (Contract Compliance). This includes the process whereby a certain percentage of disadvantaged businesses (DBE's) are awarded contracts as well as the manner in which supportive services (On-the-Job Training & DBE) are provided to individuals interested in pursuing a career in Heavy and Highway work. In addition, FHWA is concerned with the Connecticut Department of Transportation's Internal hiring/promotion processing which must be non-discriminatory in their application and should lead to a diverse public work-force (Affirmative Action) which is representative of the State's demographic."

Process reviews are conducted on a periodic basis to assure compliance with regulations and to develop Best Practices to apply to various project management activities.

Responsibility for Outdoor Advertising Signs is assigned to this section as well as the Native wildflowers portion of the beautification program.

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