MTP 2050
Introducing NVision50, the Metropolitan Transportation Plan for the NVCOG Region
About the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)
As the regional planning agency and a Metropolitan Planning Organization, NVCOG must prepare a long-range transportation plan every four years that lays out the vision for transportation in the future. This document, known as the Metropolitan Transportation Plan, is currently underway, and will identify the current needs and deficiencies within the transportation system, lay out a vision for transportation in 2050, and establish implementation steps to achieve that vision. The region’s last MTP update was completed in 2019. View the approved and adopted 2019-2045 plan here.
Updating our Plan
NVCOG staff has been working on the data collection, drafting the narrative, and completing the financial analysis for the CNVMPO’s new MTP, NVision50. As portions of the document are completed, they will be released as drafts in the We Want your feedback tab below. In coordination with the CTDOT, the final MTP draft will be brought before the NVCOG Board, along with an update to the region’s Air Quality Conformity analysis, at our February Board meeting.
We want your feedback!
Drafts of NVision50 are now being made available for public comment. Though a formal comment period will begin in several weeks, we are making chapters available as soon as possible and are happy to receive comments at any time. These drafts can be found below and comments are greatly appreciated. Please send comments to contactus@nvcogct.gov, or you can call our offices at (203) 757-0535.
Chapter 1 – Regional Profile Draft
Chapter 3 – Transportation Issues and Goals Draft
Draft Project Tables – Appendix A
Thank you to all who participated in our survey! With more than 600 responses, the survey was a valuable tool toward developing our long term vision for the region.
In addition, thank you to those who spoke with our staff at the Bristol Mum Festival and Shelton Day. These conversations are critical to matching the region’s needs to the long term plan.
Transportation in our Region:
The Waterbury Line of Metro North plays a critical role in connecting the communities of the Naugatuck Valley. CTDOT and Metro North recently completed projects to add passing sidings, modern signals, and PTC (positive train control) to the Waterbury line, allowing for the addition of 7 more trains per day in the 2022 fiscal year.
The following resources represent the planning effort around rail in the region:
Central Connecticut Rail Study – this study looks at the possibility of upgrading freight service and restarting passenger service on the existing track between the Waterbury Station and the Hartford Line through Bristol.
CTDOT is currently updating the state rail plan, a federally backed statewide plan identifying priorities and benefits of rail within the region.
NVCOG is in the final stages of preparing a Route 8/Waterbury Line Alternative Modes Study identifying opportunities for improved service, economic development, and better connections throughout the Naugatuck Valley.
Public transit in the Greater Naugatuck Valley provides options for residents and visitors while helping to mitigate congestion and transportation related greenhouse gas output. The region is served by several districts of Connecticut Transit, Greater Bridgeport Transit, an extension of the Connecticut Fastrak system, and the Valley Transit District.
WATS – NVCOG completed and adopted the Waterbury Area Transit Study in 2017 recommending specific service improvements to bus service in the region.
Concurrently with the 2023 MTP, NVCOG staff is creating the Greater Naugatuck Valley Active Transportation Plan.
The majority of trips in the NVCOG Planning Region are taken by car, and our robust network of highways, roads, and local streets makes up the backbone of our transportation system. Anchored by Interstate 84 and the Route 8 expressway, our road network is aging and prone to delays.
As we envision the transportation system of 2045, we seek to identify and propose solutions to the areas of our highway system that currently underperform while offering alternatives to those who can’t or don’t want to drive.
An equally important focus of the MTP is the movement of goods throughout the region. As part of the North East Mega Region, freight in the NVCOG Planning region involves a lot more than the goods coming to our municipalities. The freight infrastructure in our region supports the movement of goods throughout the region.
CTDOT is currently working to update the statewide freight plan, off of which NVCOG will make updates to our regional plan.
As part of the Metropolitan Area Planning Forum, NVCOG is included in a Freight Alternative Fuels Corridor Study
Our region is home to one general aviation airport. The Oxford-Waterbury Airport is administered by the Connecticut Airport Authority and provides recreational as well as commercial air services.
The CAA is currently updating their long term plan for the Oxford-Waterbury Airport.
Staff Contact
Rich Donovan
Director of Transportation Planning
rdonovan@nvcogct.gov
(203) 489-0361
HydroLand Kinneytown Dam Fish Passage
An ineffective fish ladder at Kinneytown Dam in Seymour, owned by HydroLand, is currently preventing migratory fish from accessing miles of restored habitat upstream. NVCOG has joined the Naugatuck River Restoration Coalition with the goal of returning migratory fish to the Naugatuck River by ensuring that safe, timely and effective fish passage is established at Kinneytown Dam. The Coalition has developed an Interactive Story Map to explain the issue.

As a hydroelectric generating facility, Kinneytown Dam is regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As part of the facility’s license exemption, Hydroland must provide for safe, timely and effective fish passage at the dam. FERC opened a docket in Fall of 2020 in response to a letter from the US Fish and Wildlife Service documenting inadequate fish passage at the facility. NVCOG is participating in the docket to ensure that regional and municipal voices are heard by regulators.
**Update** On December 14, 2022, the US Department of Commerce announced that NVCOG has been recommended for funding for a project intended to lead to the removal of Kinneytown Dam. The funding is being made available through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Restoring Fish Passage through Barrier Removal grant program. The Naugatuck River Restoration Coalition issued a press release in response.
Hydroland, HydroLand, HydroLand Omega, Hydroland Inc, Hydroland Corp, Hydroland Corporation,
Explore the Issue:
This interactive storymap details the effort to restore migratory fish to the Naugatuck River, and the current issues at Kinneytown Dam keeping fish from miles of restored habitat upstream.
9/30/2021 Legal Action
More Information:
Let the Naugatuck River Run Silver Again Op-Ed by John Waldman published in Hearst Media publications 12/4/2020
Our Opportunity to Restore Fish Passage at Kinneytown Dam Save the Sound Blog Post 12/10/2020
Staff Contact:
Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan Update
The final Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan and Municipal Annexes have been posted to the NVCOG Hazard Mitigation Plan webpage. The Plan has been adopted by all 19 NVCOG Communities, and the NVCOG Board endorsed the plan on December 10, 2021. FEMA approved the plan in January, 2022.
In 2019, NVCOG received funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to conduct a multi-jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP) for all 19 NVCOG municipalities.
An approved NHMP is required by FEMA to qualify a municipality for certain federal mitigation funding. NHMPs must be updated every 5 years. The purpose of this project is to update municipal NHMPs and develop a consolidated multijurisdictional plan for the entire Naugatuck Valley planning region in compliance with FEMA standards and requirements that will serve as the approved NHMP for each NVCOG municipality.

The NHMP will identify natural hazards and risks, existing capabilities, and activities that can be undertaken by a community to prevent loss of life and reduce property damages associated with the identified hazards. Public safety and property loss reduction are the driving forces behind this plan. Careful consideration will also be given to the preservation of history, culture and the natural environment of the region.
Milone & MacBroom Inc. (MMI) was selected to serve as the project consultant. MMI has extensive experience developing NHMPs in the region and across the state. NVCOG is administering the project and has prepared a detailed scope of work in collaboration with MMI. The project is expected to take 18 months and will include extensive public and stakeholder outreach and coordination with various municipal officials and departments.
Interactive Storymap:
Click on the tabs at the top of the Project Storymap and scroll through the narrative to learn about hazards impacting the region and view topical maps.
Staff Contact:
Aaron Budris
Senior Regional Planner
abudris@nvcogct.gov
COVID-19 Information
As our towns, the state, and country return to normal, NVCOG seeks to provide the best information available for the residents of our nineteen communities.
On this page, you can find links with information related to the COVID-19 pandemic for:
- Bus Transit, Commuter Rail, and Highway Updates
- Resources for Businesses
- Latest Press Releases and Executive Orders from Governor Lamont
- Local Health Districts
- Your Municipality’s COVID-19 Response web page
- Federal Departments and Agencies
NVCOG Current Status
Employees are back in the office and our office is open to the public. Public information meetings encourage in-person participation and will continue to have a virtual option for participation.
Information Sources
Below are links to trusted agencies with status updates, resources for municipalities and businesses, and the best data on how to prevent coming into contact with the virus and what to do if you do come into contact with the virus.

Click on a heading below for the resources NVCOG has compiled.
FTA Mask Travel Guidance Order and FAQ
TRB and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine resources
Bristol-Burlington Health District (Bristol)
Chesprocott Health District (Cheshire, Prospect & Wolcott)
Naugatuck Valley Health District (Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour & Shelton)
Housatonic Valley Health District (Oxford, Southbury & Woodbury)
Torrington Area Health District (Bethlehem, Middlebury, Plymouth, Thomaston & Watertown)
Emergency Orders issued by the Governor and State Agencies
Executive Order No 700 “Protection of Public Health and Safety during COVID-19 Pandemic and Response – Procedures for Local Appointments and Elections Requiring In-Person Vote”
Governor Lamont’s Press Releases
Connecticut COVID-19 Data Tracker
Find a Test Center Near You including No-Cost COVID-19 Test Sites
Department of Public Health (DPH) resources
Department of Housing (DOH) Housing Notices and Orders regarding COVID-19
Connecticut State Department of Education Supporting Student Participation
Department of Social Services for SNAP and Child Support Services
Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) resources for social distancing at state parks, beaches and more.
CT State Library for updates on local libraries.
Connecticut COVID-19 Charity Connection (4-CT) was launched as a non-profit that unites donors with state-wide programs that will help make an immediate impact.
Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (ACIR) news and resources
Connecticut Conference of Municipalities (CCM) resources
Connecticut Council of Small Towns (COST) news and updates
Municipal Guidance Document #1 “Suspension of In Person Open Meeting Requirements”
Municipal Guidance Document #4 “Suspension of Tax Deadlines and Collection Efforts”
Municipal Guidance Document #5 “Suspension of In-Person Voting Requirements by the Public in the Municipal Budget Process”
Municipal Guidance Document #8 Index of Executive Orders Pertinent to Municipalities
The Federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) includes funds for Connecticut governments to pay costs incurred in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Office of Policy and Management (OPM) has established the Municipal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) Program to reimburse municipalities for such costs.
Rules on Use, Allowable Costs & Ineligible Costs and Program Overview
CT DECD – Stop the Spread in English and Spanish.
CT CBIA – Reopen Connecticut resources and materials.
CDC – Print Resources web page with information covering a variety of topics.
Watch live updates on global and national counts of COVID-19 by Johns Hopkins University
Also see state-by-state testing trends by Johns Hopkins University.
Regional Plan of Conservation and Development
RPOCD 2023 – Regional Planning Starts with You!
The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments (NVCOG) is currently working on its first Regional Plan of Conservation and Development (RPOCD). The RPOCD is an advisory policy document which helps guide regional development and investment in the NVCOG community over the next ten years to 2033. We anticipate this RPOCD to be completed in 2023. Please click the tabs below to learn more about our RPOCD, participate in online surveys and other public outreach and follow the progress of our work.

MEETINGS THIS MONTH WITH MUNICIPAL PLANNING AND ZONING COMMISSIONS
We are currently meeting with NVCOG area municipal Planning and Zoning Commissions and Land Use Departments to better understand the planning issues they are addressing now and in the near future.
In December 2022 we are meeting with:
SOUTHBURY – Planning Commission on December 13, 2022.
BEACON FALLS – Planning & Zoning Commission on December 15, 2022.
ASKING FOR YOUR THOUGHTS – PLEASE TAKE OUR ONLINE SURVEY!
The Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments invites you to share your thoughts about where you live, work, learn and play in the Naugatuck Valley Region. All responses are anonymous! Survey open to January 31, 2023.
ONLINE SURVEY IN ENGLISH – tinyurl.com/RPOCD1
ENCUESTA EN LÍNEA EN ESPAÑOL – tinyurl.com/RPOCD1Esp
Your survey resposnes will help us identify the land use issues and goals most important to our region’s residents and workers. This information will be used to develop our first Regional Plan of Conservation and Development (RPOCD) which will suggest strategies for our communities and regional non-profits to meet those goals over the next ten years.
Though there are legal reasons to write a Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), we think the practical ones are far more important. Learn more about POCD’s through the questions and answers below:
What is your current Regional Plan of Conservation and Development?
Current regional planning work is being guided by the three POCD’s from the three regional planning agencies which consolidated as the NVCOG in 2015: the Valley Council of Governments, the Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley, and the Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency.
What is a Regional Plan of Conservation and Development?
The Regional Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD) is the NVCOG’s advisory policy document on the future physical development of the region. The POCD addresses planning issues which transcend municipal boundaries, such as water supply, economy, housing and transportation, presents a metropolitan perspective, and recommends general policies that will guide the NVCOG region’s residents and decision-makers in responding to future change.
Why prepare a regional POCD?
Legal reason: State Statute 8-35a mandates that regional council of governments prepare such a plan at least once every ten years.
Practical reason: We live in a regional community. Each city and town in the NVCOG region relies on each other for employment, housing, retail, healthcare, and other services and needs. The regional POCD provides planning linkages between towns and cities and offers policies to more efficiently coordinate development to improve its residents’ quality of life.
How will the Plan be used?
The Plan will guide NVCOG in setting priorities, reviewing state, regional and local proposals, implementing programs, and assisting member communities.
Relationship between Local, Regional and State Plans?
LOCAL: Each municipality in the region has a local POCD. These plans address local issues and are connected to local zoning codes.
STATE: At the State level, its POCD is much broader in scope. State POCD recommendations guide major state initiatives and local and regional projects involving state funding in excess of $200,000.
REGIONAL: The Regional Plan falls between the two, more specific than the State Plan and more general than the local plans. Furthermore, State statutes require a review of consistency between a municipal plan and regional and state POCD’s. Because the municipal plan is connected to zoning, it is typically the most influential. For this reason, the Regional POCD places a great deal of emphasis on local plans and zoning.
When will you update the POCD?
The NVCOG staff and Regional Planning Commission is currently in the process of reviewing the three regional POCD’s to create one new NVCOG POCD. Please check back to this page for NVCOG POCD progress updates and latest drafts.
I want to tell you what I think about the Regional POCD’s!
And we want to hear from you! Please check the “Surveys and Public Input” tab to participate in our current public online survey in English or encuesta en línea en Español, or contact Joanna Rogalski, Senior Regional Planner, at jrogalski@nvcogct.gov.
Public Outreach Events:
Woodbury Planning Commission meeting – October 5, 2022 – Presentation
Middlebury Planning And Zoning Commission special meeting – October 6, 2022 – Presentation
Naugatuck Planning, Zoning & Inland Wetlands Commissions special meeting – October 13, 2022 – Presentation
Waterbury City Plan Commission – November 9, 2022 – Presentation
Derby Planning and Zoning Commission meeting – November 15, 2022 – Presentation
Oxford Planning and Zoning Commission meeting – November 15, 2022 – Presentation
Plymouth Special meeting of the Commissions of Inland Wetlands and Watercourses, Economic Development and Planning & Zoning – November 30, 2022 – Presentation
Southbury Planning Commission meeting – December 13, 2022 – Presentation
Route 8 & Waterbury Branch Line Corridor/Alternative Modes Study
A study of options to reduce congestion and increase mobility throughout the Route 8 and Waterbury Branch Rail Line corridors
About the Study
The Route 8 & Waterbury Branch Line Corridor/Alternative Modes Study is assessing the needs and opportunities for improving service on the Waterbury Branch Line and the feasibility of alternatives to single occupancy vehicles. A draft of the final report is available to read, and a hybrid public information session was held on Dec. 15. These alternative modes include commuter rail, express bus and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), walking and biking. The project is being led by AECOM Technical Services, Inc. The study team has completed an overview of existing travel conditions within the corridor, an assessment of transit-oriented development opportunities within rail station areas, and the feasibility of instituting BRT service. A website has been set up to provide project details. Click here to access the Alt Modes Study website.
Transit Rider Input
In support of the study goals and objectives, the NVCOG conducted an on-board count and survey of passengers riding the Waterbury branch line trains. All inbound and outbound trains were counted and surveyed over a three-day period. The goals of the survey were to gain insight into the key concerns passengers have with quality and frequency of service.
Take a look at what the riders had to say about train service in the Naugatuck Valley: WBL Passenger Count Summary.
Transit-Oriented Development
An important task of the study was determining the feasibility of Transit-Oriented Developments (TOD) in the vicinity of the Waterbury rail line stations. A TOD integrates land use, transportation, and the environment and results in new housing, jobs, and more sustainable and walkable communities. They are characterized by compact, mixed-use land uses that provide a wide range of housing styles and commercial space choices. To guide the assessment, the study team conducted a series of workshops in each community along the rail line and developed a Visual Preference Survey that allowed residents to describe how they would like to see their downtowns in the future. From these preference surveys, model TOD blocks were created. To read more about possible TOD scenarios in the Naugatuck Valley: TOD Scenario Report
Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
While the primary objective of the study is to improve and enhance service on the Waterbury line, other transit actions were also explored. Regular fixed-route bus services operate in the corridor, but they do not provide travel time efficiencies that commuters find attractive. A BRT operation blends the positive features of rail with the flexibility of bus transit, to make riding the bus a higher-end service alternative. The study team explored the merits of enhancing bus service between Derby and Bridgeport, identifying five possible alternatives. The preferred option included the construction of a dedicated busway within the median of Route 8 with limited stops at newly created transit hubs. Feeder bus services would be implemented to move travelers from the transit hubs to their final destinations. This action is considered a long-term vision for the corridor. To learn more about BRT in Naugatuck Valley: BRT Scenario Report
Next Steps
The study is advancing to the final recommendations with a focus on a capital and operations improvement plan for the Waterbury Rail Line and a long-term vision of developing a Bus Rapid Transit system along Route 8 between Derby and Bridgeport. A visualization of recommended services is being developed and the study team will be meeting with municipal representatives to promote TOD land uses.
In the meantime, the NVCOG is working with its mayors, first selectmen, and its state legislative delegation to support funding for needed short-term Waterbury rail line improvements. In January 2020, NVCOG held the Naugatuck Valley Rail Conference to engage stakeholders in a dialog about the region’s rail needs.
Watch statewide news coverage of the event here.