CT: WRTD receives $35.7 million federal grant
The Windham Regional Transit District-UConn Bus Infrastructure has much to celebrate after they were awarded a $35.7 million Infrastructure Law Grant.
This grant was awarded to support the modernization and expansion of the Windham Region Transit District (WRTD) and the University of Connecticut Bus Facility in Mansfield.
The funding was made possible through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which Congressman Joe Courtney helped pass in 2021.
“This 2021 Infrastructure Law Grant award is great news for bus service in eastern Connecticut,” Courtney said.
According to Courtney, the project will double the size of the current WRTD-UConn bus facility in Mansfield. The facility currently supports both WRTD and UConn bus services, and the upgrade will support up to 50 zero-emission electric buses.
“In an area with so many college students at UConn and Eastern Connecticut State University who rely on public transportation, and with so much new housing along Route 195 in Mansfield, this project is really a perfect fit,” Courtney said. “It’s exactly the type of targeted investment in our communities that the Infrastructure Law was passed to make possible. Four years after Congress passed the bill, it continues to pay dividends for eastern Connecticut.”
Mansfield Town Manager Ryan Aylesworth said there is a real need for public transportation in the area right now.
“Expanded and strengthened public transportation is essential in Mansfield, given that we are experiencing significant growth, particularly in the Four Corners area, where new high-density housing is bringing more residents, students and employees into the neighborhood,” Aylesworth said.
According to Aylesworth, the WRTD and UConn play a critical role in providing mobility options for the community.
“This grant funding gives them the tools to enhance service capacity, improve reliability and better connect people to jobs, education, services and daily needs,” Aylesworth said. “As the Four Corners and northwest Mansfield more broadly continue to evolve into a vibrant, mixed-use center, strong public transit infrastructure will be key to ensuring this area remains safe and accessible.”
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