State Role in Transportation

Who is responsible for a Safe and Efficient transportation system?


This is an important question.

In the current showdown over Sikorsky Airport, the state of Connecticut wants to ensure that Sikorsky Airport is safe and can meet the transportation needs of the state. The airport, however, is owned by the city of Bridgeport. In order to make the improvements, the state is making the necessary motions to purchase the airport from Bridgeport. The town cries that this "does an end-run around home rule." Home rule is a fine policy when dealing with things that all towns have to deal with, but airports are a regional issue, and elements in a national transportation system. Home Rule control of airports violates the Interstate Commerce Clause of the US Constitution.

Interstate Commerce:
The town politicians have very little responsibility for transportation. They have no interest in state or national transportation planning. In fact, the town or city has significant responsibility for compatible land uses around airports, and they don't even do that well.

In the effort to make Aviation safer and more efficient, airports and runways need to be safer. These decisions should not be compromised by hand-wringing, favoritism, and the political ambitions of the local mayor or dog-catcher.

In comparison, cities have very little control over other transportation. Congress understands that if a railway had to negotiate and compromise with every local town, it would be impossible to have a national standard of safety or a cost-effective system.

First the Mayor argues that the State purchase would hurt the "economic and tax income" to the town, but it is obvious the town has prevented improvements to the airport that serves over 270 based aircraft.

"Sen. Bill Finch, D-Bridgeport, one of the sponsors of the measure to sell the airport to the state, insisted that it has been "Stratford's policy to limit development at the airport.""

I find it very hard to understand the Republicans who normally favor business interests but don't support the economic value of airports or public safety. In many towns Republicans are voted out of office for opposing airport use and improvement, sometimes replaced by Democrats!