Connecticut Governor Rell: Budget to Emphasize Traffic Enforcement, Add Troopers

February 3, 2008 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that her revised budget will include several measures that will beef up traffic enforcement across the state.

In the budget she will present on February 6th, the Governor will propose to add 100 state troopers over the next five years for traffic enforcement, starting with 20 new troopers in the fiscal year 2008-09 midterm budget.

“We must make Connecticut highways safer and these new troopers will help us do exactly that,” Governor Rell said. “Keeping our highways safe is a quality of life issue. Many of the major accidents and tragedies we have seen in recent months have been caused by aggressive drivers, distracted drivers and impaired drivers. Those who choose to break the rules of the road need to learn the hard way. That requires more manpower and a larger State Police presence on our roadways.

“I want our troopers to be visible on the side of the highways in high accident areas across Connecticut. The goal is to get it ingrained into motorists’ heads that they should not even consider breaking the law because there may be a state police car right around the corner waiting to pull them over. To put it simply: slow down out there.”

Additionally, the Governor is proposing a pilot program that will place electronic camera radars in the Old Lyme/Lyme area of Interstate 95 aimed at catching and ticketing speeders. A horrific incident involving a tanker truck, a tractor-trailer and four cars occurred in this area on November 2 in which three people died. The Governor noted that the pilot could be expanded to other areas of the state in the future.

“These speed detection cameras will ticket motorists by mail,” Governor Rell said. “We possess the technology to prevent injuries and save lives. It is high time we put that technology to good use.”

Following the November accident, Governor Rell announced a $150,000 grant to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for “aggressive driving enforcement” along the I-95 Corridor. Governor Rell also directed the installation of Jersey barriers along that stretch of I-95 as quickly as possible. The barriers will be in place by the Spring of 2008.

“We will use technology, manpower and infrastructure improvements to make our highways as safe as they can possibly be,” Governor Rell said. “Traffic volumes are increasing on virtually all of Connecticut’s roads, as are incidents of unsafe and aggressive driving. We need to bolster all of our resources and we need to send a strong message that lawbreakers will be targeted and arrested.”

Source: Connecticut Governor

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