(Darien - 12 March 1997): The following are excerpts from testimony delivered on March 11th in Guilford at a hearing of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation by Metro-North / Shore Line East Rail Commuter Council member Joan Ventrilio. Ms. Ventrilio is a resident of Guilford who commutes by rail to her job in Darien.

"As a supporter of mass transit in a state with severely congested highways, particularly along the I-95 corridor, the Council is vehemently opposed to Governor Rowland’s plan to eliminate train service on Shore Line East and the MetroNorth Waterbury and Danbury lines as a means to reduce State gasoline taxes.

"Such a plan is ill-conceived. Replacing trains with buses will only worsen congestion on I-95 as well as state highways such as Routes 7 and 8. There will be environmental harm due to air pollution and economic harm by discouraging residency in areas without reliable mass transit.

"Just look at what happened last week along I-95 between New London and New Haven. On March 6th a disabled tractor trailer carrying hazardous chemicals closed southbound traffic to the Q bridge for five hours. That same day another truck spill on I-95 at East Lyme caused tie-ups along a 35 mile stretch of that highway. On Friday morning some 95 vehicles were involved several separate chain-reaction pile-ups. Over the weekend there were additional accidents and back-ups in the same area. And on Monday near Branford a four vehicle accident caused another hour-long delay. And to this traffic-saturated, dangerous highway Governor Rowland would have us add more traffic, including buses? I think not.

"Rail commuters also drive cars. They pay fares and gasoline taxes. Those fares have increased in recent years with no loss... in fact, an increase... in ridership. Rail commuters understand the need for mass transit and are willing to pay more than their fair share.

"The Rail Commuter Council urges members of this Subcommittee as well as other legislators to share our vision for the longer-term interests of the State, not just the politically expedient benefits of a few pennies in tax cuts. Help us to SAVE OUR TRAINS ! "

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