The Senate just placed on its consent calendar for unanimous approval the cancellation of $422 million in lingering bond authorizations that Gov. M. Jodi had no intention of putting before the State Bond Commission. In all, 255 capital projects would be axed under the bill, which next heads to the house. It’s part of an effort to rid the long list of local projects won by lawmakers in recent years, but which have not won allocation under the governor. Rell pitched it that clearing the bond commission’s decks would help the state’s bond rating. Here, from the bill, is a list of the projects cancelled for Bridgeport.
“Grants-in-aid for infrastructure projects and programs in the city of Bridgeport not exceeding $ 27,700,000, including, but not limited to, grants (1) for design and construction of a flood control project in the northeast corner of the city; (2) for the design and construction of the Congress Street Bridge; (3) for day care, a community room and a playground at West End School; (4) for purchase and installation of a public safety video surveillance system; (5) to the Fairfield County Housing Partnership for land acquisition, design, development and construction of an independent living facility; (6) for purchase of a water taxi, construction of docks and construction of the Pleasure Beach retractable pedestrian bridge; (7) to the Bridgeport Port Authority for improvements to the Derecktor Shipyard, including remediation, dredging, bulkheading and construction of Phase 2 of the Derecktor Shipyard Economic Development Plan; (8) for repair and improvements on State Road 59 between the North Avenue and Capitol Avenue intersections, including median and sidewalk renovations; (9) for the remediation of the waterfront, including any predevelopment costs; (10) for the Island Brook flood control project; (11) for improvements to the bus and transportation center; and (12) for restoration, new construction or property acquisition for expansion and improvement for Greater Bridgeport Transit.”