I recently joined Lucy Nalpathanchil, the host of WNPR’s Where We Live, to talk about the Hartford 400 Plan which will revitalize Connecticut’s infrastructure.  

Sixty years ago, Hartford’s landscape was dramatically altered by the Eisenhower Administration’s National Highway System and the construction of Interstates 84 and 91 – in particular. These highways not only transformed the city but they cut it off from the Connecticut River, and isolated the North End from Downtown.  

The Hartford 400 Plan will reconnect these parts of the city, and consequently reconnect Hartford, increase opportunity, advance racial equity and environmental justice, and promote affordable access. We are long overdue to solve this problem, fix the #2 chokehold in New England, and repair the levees that protect Hartford and East Hartford from flooding. Here is a short clip of my interview with Lucy:  

I am determined to work with our community’s leaders and in Washington, D.C. to get this project done. My office submitted an earmark for the Connecticut Department of Transportation to conduct the Greater Hartford mobility study, the first step in the plan. We are striving to make Hartford 400 a reality by 2035.  

This project is exactly what President Biden had in mind when he introduced the American Jobs Plan. His proposal includes billions of dollars to reconnect communities divided by highways like I-84 and I-91 and funding for housing, transit, and economic development. This legislation will create millions of new, fair paying jobs. 

You can listen to the full interview here. To follow what I’m working on both in Washington and in Connecticut, visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or follow me on Instagram. 

Regards,

John B. Larson
Member of Congress