Month: May 2024

PRESS RELEASE: Community Walk Audit to Be Held for Woodbury Route 6 Corridor Study

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 31, 2024

Contact:
Richard Donovan
Transportation Planning Director
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
203-757-0535
Rdonovan@nvcogct.gov

Community Walk Audit to Be Held for Woodbury Route 6 Corridor Study

(Waterbury, CT) – The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) will hold a community walk audit on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM as part of the Woodbury Route 6 Corridor Study. The 1-mile walk will begin at Woodbury Town Hall located at 281 Main Street South, Woodbury, CT 06798. The rain date is scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, 2024.

The NVCOG is currently working with the Town of Woodbury, Connecticut Department of Transportation, (CTDOT), and AECOM on the Woodbury Route 6 Corridor Study. The Project Team is focused on developing actionable concepts to improve safety, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists, while supporting economic development and preservation of the Town’s historic assets.

This event is open to all. Please bring comfortable shoes, water, and appropriate sun protection and clothing. This walk will provide an opportunity to identify the existing issues and the historic assets in Woodbury Center while sharing ideas on how to improve the area. The public is encouraged to provide feedback on enhancing Woodbury’s central corridor.

To stay engaged in the process, please visit the project page at nvcogct.gov/project/woodbury-route-6-corridor-study/.

Sustainability Spotlight: Backyard Farming

This article contains sustainability considerations as municipalities navigate regulation of backyard farms as an accessory residential use.

Small-scale, backyard farming can provide residents with fresh, healthy food, supplemental income, or an enriching hobby. Connecticut’s Right to Farm Law (CGS § 19a-341) has been in place since the 1980s, protecting farms from certain nuisance-based lawsuits and in some cases preempting local zoning. Municipalities may struggle with striking a balance between allowing small-scale livestock farming on residential properties and neighbor concerns related to odor, noise, and runoff. Below are some sustainability considerations as towns navigate regulation of backyard farms containing animals.

Space, Acreage, and Setbacks. It is not uncommon for zoning regulations to limit where livestock can be kept by imposing space limitations, such as a minimum lot size or liberal setbacks. While strict limitations make sense for multiacre farms, a one-size-fits-all approach may result in overly restrictive regulations that discourage backyard farming. Carefully crafted regulations for specific animals – like Ansonia’s regulations for fancy pigeons – prevent unintentional pigeonholing of all livestock into the same category.

Managing Nuisances. Animal husbandry may create nuisances that impact other property owners, such as noise, odors, or runoff. Some of these nuisances are beyond the reach of municipal land use – for instance, per CT’s Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Act (CGS § 22a-40), most farming activities are permitted as-of-right in wetlands (though this does not mean no restrictions apply – see this CT DEEP resource for more details). Municipalities should consider setting reasonable standards for storage of manure (x feet from property lines), provisions for drainage (maximum allowable grade), or requiring that animals be fenced.

Animal Welfare. Just as zoning provides for the public safety and wellbeing of humans, regulations should also maximize animal welfare. As an example, allowing multiple horses to live on a half-acre property could lead to inhumane conditions. A best practice to ensure adequate enclosure- and lot-sizes is to designate a number of square feet/acres per animal. For instance, Bristol’s regulations for 5.4.13 Keeping of Livestock state, “A minimum lot area of 2 acres shall be required for the first animal being kept and 1/3rd acre for each additional animal.” Plymouth also uses a very unique formula with “bird units” in Section K.1.iii that is worth emulating.

Farm Stands. Allowing the sale of agricultural products, like eggs or honey, by right on residential properties empowers small-scale farmers to earn income. If municipalities are concerned about the operation becoming too commercial for a residential area, a requirement that only products created on the property are allowed for sale can act as a reasonable limitation. Municipalities may consider providing a one-pager with regulations for farmstands to interested resident.

Outreach & Education. Unfortunately, many residents only find out about zoning restrictions after they have already erected a coop or welcomed animals into their family. Widely publicize your regulations and ordinances related to backyard farming or distribute the information to community groups such as 4H clubs or school districts.

Small-scale farming on residential lots makes our communities more vibrant and sustainable. We can minimize the negative consequences by crafting thoughtful regulations that fit the needs of each community.

Further reading:

“Zoning Regulations for Livestock: Best Practices,” by the CT Resource Conservation and Development Area
“Planning for Agriculture: A Guide for CT Municipalities” by the American Farmland Trust and the CT Department of Agriculture
“Connecticut’s Right to Farm Law” by the CT Farm Bureau
“Zoning for Urban Agriculture” by the Healthy Food Policy Project
“Forestry, Agriculture, and the CT Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act” by CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection

Contact Us

The “Sustainability Spotlight” provides readers with ideas on how to incorporate sustainability into your land use regulations. Questions? Contact Christine O’Neill.

community planning environmental

PRESS RELEASE: NVCOG To Receive $4.0 Million from EPA to Accelerate Brownfields Cleanup and Revitalization in Connecticut

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 29, 2024  

Contact:   
Ricardo Rodriguez
Brownfields Program Coordinator
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments   
203-982-0797 
Rrodriguez@nvcogct.gov

NVCOG To Receive $4.0 Million from EPA to Accelerate Brownfields Cleanup and Revitalization in Connecticut

(Waterbury, CT) – The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) will receive a total of $4.0 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields Program to expedite the assessment and cleanup of brownfield sites throughout the region and state. This significant boost will accelerate efforts to transform underutilized and contaminated properties into productive community assets.

EPA selected NVCOG to receive a grant totaling $500,000 in competitive EPA Brownfields funding through the Multipurpose, Assessment, and Cleanup (MAC) Grant program. The grant will be used to characterize contamination at five sites in Ansonia, Derby, and Waterbury. Assessment activities will guide necessary remedial actions to facilitate the creation of multiple planned mixed-use developments.

In addition, the EPA announced $3,500,000 in non-competitive supplemental funding for NVCOG’s successful Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) Program to offer additional sub grants and low-interest loans to members throughout the 25-municipality Regional Brownfields Partnership of West Central Connecticut (RBP). The RBP is geographically diverse, representing a collection of historic downtowns, neighborhood centers, and surrounding suburban and rural communities extending north to south from Winsted to Shelton and west to east from Newtown to Berlin.

“This funding from the EPA is a significant investment in the future of our region,” said Rick Dunne, Executive Director of NVCOG. “We are grateful for the support of the EPA and our Federal Delegation in our ongoing efforts to revitalize brownfield sites and transform them into vibrant, sustainable spaces for our communities.”

“We are thrilled to continue this important work. Through the cleanup and reimagining of brownfield sites, we can ignite opportunities for economic development, foster job creation, and enhance current environmental conditions,” said Ricardo Rodriguez, Brownfields Program Coordinator of NVCOG.

These investments will augment more than $13,000,000 in funds previously awarded to NVCOG, which have been disbursed as loans or sub grants among 27 completed or in-progress cleanup projects.

LINKS

People Behind the Plans: Teresa Gallagher, Shelton’s Natural Resource Manager

Teresa Gallagher, Shelton’s Natural Resource Manager, shares her journey into conservation and offers advice for municipalities aiming to deepen their conservation efforts. Read on to learn about her impactful work!

A Conversation with Teresa Gallagher

Q: How did you get into conservation work?

I was ‘born’ into the work. When I was a child, I had this plastic pool that I would make miniature ecosystems in there. I would have the water ecosystem, a desert right after, and then a forest on the other side. I remember calling them ‘ecosystems’ when I showed my parents. How many people can say they knew what an ‘ecosystem’ was when they were a child?

I later graduated with a bachelor’s in geology and geophysics and worked for an engineering firm. I then went for my master’s in environmental science and found a job in regulatory compliance for factories. While I learned a lot, I did not feel a sense of accomplishment from the work I was doing. I had previously been a member of the Shelton Conservation Commission, so when I heard they were looking to hire a staff person, I applied. While here, I have seen the impact of the work I am doing; I am outside and doing what I really want to do.

Q: What role do you play as the Natural Resource Manager in Shelton? How do you support the city, its Commission, and broader community?

My role as a manager is varied. I am a liaison for board and commission communications in Shelton. I organize and attend department commission and committee meetings and assist in creating events.

I use the broad knowledge I have built throughout my career to support the management of Shelton’s open space in its flora and fauna to fulfill the needs of the subcommittees. And conveying need-to-know information to the public for their safety around wildlife.

I also manage the social media pages on Facebook and the blogs for the committees. I update the blog posts with news, events, and important information regarding changes or to highlight a story about the work the committee is doing. The community is a large part of the volunteer work we have for our organizations.

Q: What commissions or committees does your department support?

For the Conservation Commission, I support them as a liaison with the other boards and commissions, like the Planning and Zoning Commission.

For the Trails Committee I help keep the trails clear for use for the season. I conduct trail routing for new recreation trails on newly acquired parcels. This work is incredibly involved especially when considering drainage, topography, landmarks, difficulty level, activity type, and if the land abuts another with an existing trail network.

For the Garden Committee, I assist with ensuring people are acclimated to care for their plot. With the Anti-Litter Committee, I assist with organizing the annual Shelton Clean Sweep by creating badges for participants and procuring the materials for registered clean-ups.

Q: What types of activities and events does your department support?

The department supports one commission and three committees. For example, the Trails Committee hosts a variety of hiking events like the annual Trails Hiking Challenge, volunteer-based work parties for trail maintenance, and guided hikes.

The Anti-litter Committee hosts their Shelton Clean Sweep that picks up litter across Shelton to raise awareness of keeping the outdoors clean. It gathers residents, corporations in town, and community groups. Providing as much information on the registration process and areas to clean is crucial to ensure there is not an overlap between groups.

There is a balance for open space for people of different interests and abilities. We have accessible recreation paths, mountain biking trails, hiking, walking, conservation, and preservation spaces. It is about, ‘How can we benefit the most amount of people and the wildlife?’

Q: What advice do you have for other municipalities looking to engage deeper with conservation work?

Make sure your Conservation Commission is administered separately from your Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission, so that projects not related to wetland regulatory issues can be prioritized. Create a working Trails Committee to construct and maintain hiking trails on municipal properties, and make sure they have the tools to do their work. It makes a significant difference in the quality of work they do when they have the municipality’s support behind their projects.

Volunteers must have a real sense of ownership in the work they do. Volunteers and staff in Shelton have a deep sense of pride in the town and the benefits they offer through their positions on the committees. It is important to foster and encourage the volunteer spirit to keep committees moving forward as models for residents to take pride in and care for the open space in Shelton.

Contact Us

The “People Behind the Plans” spotlight features dedicated planners, land use staff, and administrators shaping the region. Are you interested in being interviewed? Would you like to nominate a colleague? Contact Savannah-Nicole (SN) Villalba.

community planning

Municipal Land Use Best Practice: Shelton’s Community Engagement for Conservation

The City of Shelton effectively maintains its natural spaces and promotes resident participation through various community-driven events. Read on to learn more about their successful model!

Teresa Gallagher, Natural Resources Manager for the City of Shelton, shared how the drive for conservation, volunteerism, municipal support, and collaboration encourages members of the community to enrich Shelton’s natural landscape.

As the Natural Resources Manager, Teresa enhances Shelton’s open space program by supporting the Conservation Commission, Trails Committee, Community Garden Committee, and Anti-Litter Committee. On behalf of these committees, she coordinates a variety of activities, social media relations, committee updates, and annual events to engage the community in conservation work.

Some of these events include the annual Trails Hiking Challenge that encourages people to explore Shelton’s 26.2-miles of recreational trails. The Shelton Clean Sweep, hosted by the Anti-Litter Committee, spurs people to go out and pick up trash from public lands and road systems to raise awareness of littering and to encourage keeping the environment clean for everyone’s enjoyment. The Community Garden Committee gives residents the opportunity to grow their own vegetables in a community garden and to become part of a group of gardeners who maintain the garden’s plot.

Teresa noted that a vast network of municipal staff, committee and community members, and organizations, like the Shelton Land Trust and the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, all work together to create a space of collaboration and communication. She explained that in order to create a committed group of volunteers, it is important to foster, model, and support the volunteer spirit. This facilitates meaningful engagement with the public and shows appreciation for their hard work. Much of her day is hands-on field work on the trails and gardens, addressing gaps and issues that are beyond the scope of volunteers or that must be addressed urgently.

Shelton’s highly collaborative conservation approach, including the Natural Resources Manager role and committed commission and committees, supports a strong sense of ownership and value in the community. In this way, community members have many opportunities to enjoy conservation-oriented outdoor activities, events, and amenities in their municipality.

Stay Connected

Contact the City of Shelton, located at 54 Hill St, Shelton, CT 06484. Telephone:  (203) 924-1555

Teresa Gallagher, Natural Resource Manager, City of Shelton (Email)

Learn more about Shelton’s Conversation Commission.

Explore a range of valuable resources and NVCOG projects on the Shelton NVCOG web page.

Contact Us

The “Municipal Land Use Best Practice” spotlight features an exemplary initiative from a municipality in the region. Do you have a tool or practice that you would like to share that works for your municipality? Contact Emely Ricci.

community planning environmental

PRESS RELEASE: NVCOG Awarded $1.2 Million from PROTECT Program to Advance Transportation Resilience

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 9, 2024

Contact:
Richard Donovan
Transportation Planning Director
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
203-489-0361
Rdonovan@nvcogct.gov

NVCOG Awarded $1.2 Million from PROTECT Program to Advance Transportation Resilience

(Waterbury, CT) – The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, in collaboration with the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG), Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NECCOG) and Northwest Hills Council of Governments (NHCOG), will receive $1.2 million under the USDOT Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program to enhance transportation resilience across their respective regions in Connecticut. The funding will be used to assess and determine the vulnerability and risks to locally owned transportation infrastructure and services from current and future major natural events.

NVCOG and partnering Councils of Governments will use the funding to assess vulnerabilities of the local transportation infrastructure to the effects of changing climate and develop a Resilience Improvement Plan for the four northern, non-coastal regions of Connecticut, encompassing 94 cities and towns and 1.6 million people. In recent years there has been a noticeable increase in the frequency and intensity of rainfall events in Connecticut, with further increases predicted by the 2019 Connecticut Physical Climate Science Assessment Report (PCSAR) and the National Climate Assessment estimates. The NVCOG Hazard Mitigation Plan Update indicates that the concentration of development next to bodies of water introduces increased risk of flooding and erosion. Flooding from rivers already has dramatic impacts on the region’s municipalities, rendering roads impassable and flooding homes and businesses. Catastrophic flood events punctuate the region’s historical record and have left indelible marks on the natural and built environment. The Resilience Improvement Plan will evaluate the risk and impacts of extreme weather events and examine how climate stressors will affect transportation systems and the communities that rely on them.

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) established the PROTECT Program to help make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters through support of planning activities, resilience improvements, community resilience and evacuation routes, and at-risk costal infrastructure. Development of a Resilience Improvement Plan will give the included communities the ability to apply for future rounds of implementation funding.

“We are thrilled to receive the award as it empowers NVCOG to advance critical transportation resilience efforts and complement the concurrent Resilience Improvement Plan being completed by the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT). The project will focus on roads, bridges and culverts located on local roads which are not included in the plan being developed by CTDOT,” stated Mark Nielsen, Assistant Director of NVCOG.

“The Capitol Region Council of Governments is pleased to partner with NVCOG, NWHills COG, and NECCOG on the development of a Regional Resilience Improvement Plan. Identifying priority roadways and other transportation assets that are impacted from natural hazards, like flooding, is a critical step towards solving the problem,” says Matt Hart, Executive Director of CRCOG. “We are grateful for the funding offered through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that recognizes the importance of acting now to protect future generations from worsening natural hazards.”

“The Northeastern Connecticut Council of Governments (NECCOG) is excited about the awarding of this grant addressing climate resilience,” said John Filchak, NECCOG Executive Director. “We look forward to working with NVCOG, NWHills COG and CRCOG to set forward strategies to protect our transportation infrastructure from the realities of climate change,” he added.

“The NHCOG expresses its gratitude to the NVCOG for being the lead agency on this award, and we’re excited to partner with our fellow northern tier COGs to develop a Resilience Improvement Plan to evaluate the risks and impacts of our transportation infrastructure, and develop a plan to better prepare communities to be more resilient to the impacts of the growing number of extreme weather events,” stated Kathryn Faraci, Transportation Planning Director at the NHCOG.

The project team will work closely with all municipalities located in the project area and intends to engage the public and those most affected by the effects of climate change throughout the project.

PRESS RELEASE: DataHaven and Partners Urge Residents to Participate in Landmark Wellbeing Survey of Connecticut

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

“Answer the Call to Improve Your Community”: DataHaven and Partners Urge Residents to Participate in Landmark Wellbeing Survey of Connecticut

Thousands of randomly-selected residents from all 169 Connecticut towns will participate in the 2024 DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey, the seventh wave of a large survey on happiness and quality of life that has been fielded since 2012

HARTFORD, CT, May 7, 2024 – How happy are you? Are the public parks in your area in excellent, good, fair, or poor condition? When was the last time you saw a dentist?

These are just a few of the types of questions included in interviews by friendly survey-takers helping DataHaven and dozens of leading community, health care, and charitable groups across Connecticut complete what is believed to be the nation’s largest neighborhood-level well-being survey.

“We include well-established questions that people like to answer,” says Mark Abraham, Executive Director of DataHaven. “They are answering questions about their own happiness and well-being, their experiences and relationships within their community, and how their neighborhoods are doing. These questions show that we care deeply about the aspects of life that are most important to everyone’s day-to-day happiness and quality of life.”

DataHaven, the nonprofit group that leads the collection and sharing of public data about Connecticut, said that the 2024 program will track trends on key issues such as economic security, institutional trust, access to healthcare, and public safety. The latest data will allow DataHaven to create even more granular portraits of Connecticut towns and neighborhoods, as well as statistical data for groups that share specific demographics or life experiences.

Over time, 45,000 randomly-selected adults in every Connecticut ZIP code have participated in the DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey, which was also fielded in 2012, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. This year, thousands more will participate in in-depth, multilingual interviews.

As with prior years, Connecticut’s leading hospitals, non-profits, and charitable organizations are supporting the program (see below). To ensure that the survey topics reflect the interests of communities, an Advisory Council of representatives from 300 different organizations around the state once again helped choose the questions to include this year. For example, the parents and caregivers who are selected to take the survey may receive a significantly expanded set of questions about child well-being and mental health, which emerged as a top issue of concern during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the spring and summer, randomly-selected residents in each town will receive phone calls from survey-takers at the Siena College Research Institute – typically appearing as a 203, 860, or 518 area code – and in some cases, may receive a letter, package, or text message with information on how to participate. Beginning this fall, survey results will be included in many local and statewide publications and community health needs assessments, including DataHaven’s widely-used Town Equity Reports.

“Make a difference: Pick up your cell phone, help your community learn more about your needs, and tell us what you want to see to promote greater happiness and well-being in your neighborhood,” says Abraham.

“UNITED BY DATA”: SPONSORS OF THE 2024 DATAHAVEN COMMUNITY WELLBEING SURVEY

Many organizations throughout Connecticut, including those listed below, provide funding to support the 2024 DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey. Major sponsors are highlighted in bold font.

Foundations and Philanthropy

Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
Fairfield County’s Community Foundation
Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
Connecticut Health Foundation
The Connecticut Project
Connecticut Community Foundation
Valley Community Foundation
Main Street Community Foundation
American Savings Foundation
United Way of Greater New Haven
United Way of Coastal and Western CT
United Way of Central and Northeastern CT
NewAlliance Foundation
Tremaine Foundation

Health Care

Yale-New Haven Health
Hartford HealthCare
Stamford Health
Trinity Health of New England
Nuvance Health
Yale Cancer Center
Connecticut Children’s
Eastern Connecticut Health Network
Waterbury Health
Griffin Health
Middlesex Health
Day Kimball Healthcare
Planned Parenthood of Southern New England

Government / Agency / Community

Naugatuck Valley Health District
Stamford Health Department
Bridgeport Health Department
Hartford Dept. of Health and Human Services
Yale University
University of Hartford
Connecticut State Office of Rural Health
New Haven Health Department
Danbury Health Department
Norwalk Health Department
Ledge Light Health District
Eastern Highlands Health District
Central Connecticut Health District
Northeast District Department of Health
North Central District Health Department
Quinnipiack Valley Health District
Newtown Health District
Stratford Health Department
Fairfield Health Department
Trumbull Health Department
Monroe Health Department
Milford Health Department
City of Bristol
Town of Bethel
Capitol Region Council of Governments
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
South Central Regional Council of Governments
Southside Institutions Neighborhood Alliance
Workforce Alliance
Trinity College
Southern Connecticut State University
DMHAS Center for Prevention Evaluation and Statistics at UConn Health

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For more details and interviews, please contact Mark Abraham at 203.500.7059, info@ctdatahaven.org. Promotional graphics are attached and may be shared.

About DataHaven

DataHaven is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization with a 30-year history of public service to Connecticut. DataHaven is a formal partner of the National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership, a collaborative national effort by the Urban Institute and approximately 40 local partners. For more information, visit www.ctdatahaven.org.

PRESS RELEASE: Advancing Toward Safer Roadways: NVCOG Releases NVision Zero Progress Report 2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 2, 2024

Contact:
Richard Donovan
Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments
203-757-0535
Rdonovan@nvcogct.gov

Advancing Toward Safer Roadways: NVCOG Releases NVision Zero Progress Report 2022

(Waterbury, CT) – The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) is proud to announce the release of its inaugural NVision Zero Progress Report, covering calendar year 2022. This publication marks a significant milestone in the region’s journey towards safer roadways for all. Grounded in the Vision Zero movement, NVision Zero serves as the name of the Naugatuck Valley’s campaign to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2060.

Since endorsing Vision Zero principles on September 9, 2022, safety has become the top priority for the Naugatuck Valley. The NVCOG is the first Connecticut Council of Governments to adopt a Vision Zero commitment advocating for a new approach to transportation planning that recognizes that traffic deaths are preventable. Vision Zero utilizes a combination of engineering, education, enforcement, and emergency response to address safety from all perspectives, paying special attention to equity concerns in the process.

The NVision Zero Progress Report 2022 is the first in a series of annual updates on the region’s Vision Zero progress. This report contains information about crash frequency, severity, location, and mode disparity. Utilizing regional crash data, the NVCOG identifies locations with the highest number of fatal and serious injury crashes, laying the groundwork for focused investments and improvements in these critical areas. In 2022, 12,427 total crashes occurred on streets within the Naugatuck Valley, revealing a stark reality of 243 fatalities and serious injuries. The NVCOG intends to leverage transportation planning, design, policy, enforcement, education, and communication to achieve its goal of safer roads for all.

For more information on the NVCOG’s Vision Zero visit the web page at nvcogct.gov/highway-safety-program/. The NVision Zero Progress Report 2022 is available on the NVCOG website at nvcogct.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/NVision-Zero-Report_2022.pdf.

About the Naugatuck Valley’s NVision Zero

In October 2023, Connecticut’s Congressional Delegation secured a pivotal $1.7 million for traffic and road safety projects in our state through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Within this funding, the NVCOG was awarded $320,064 through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program. Staff engineers and planners meticulously extracted crash data from the Connecticut Crash Data Repository (CTCDR), a web tool designed to offer comprehensive crash information collected by state and local police. Briefings were conducted before the NVCOG Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC), who provide recommendations to the NVCOG Board on transportation infrastructure, safety and maintenance. U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and other officials commemorated the award on November 20, 2023, at a press conference on the Waterbury Green. The NVCOG will use this funding to update the NVision Zero Action Plan, which will employ a data-driven approach to identify dangerous roadway locations, propose conceptual improvements and address systemwide actions that will promote safety for all road users.