The Northeast's first self-driving car test track and research facility planned for UConn

Natasha Sokoloff

MANSFIELD — Just a couple miles from the University of Connecticut's main Storrs campus, lies a stark juxtaposition to those lively school grounds. With acres of undeveloped land, abandoned buildings and overgrown weeds, a large portion of UConn's Depot Campus has sat unused for years.

But that is set to change, as the Depot Campus could see a renaissance as the new home to a planned test driving track for autonomous vehicles and research facility for high-tech transportation planning.

It would be the first of its kind not only in Connecticut, but in the entire Northeast.

UConn is working with a company to build a multi-million dollar "smart city" and research lab, which would allow companies and researchers to collaborate on emerging vehicle technologies and concepts.

The Connecticut Transportation Institute (CTI), which is part of the UConn School of Engineering, and Promesa Capital LLC have been developing plans for this "Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Smart City" and research facility at UConn since about 2019. 

"The thought and idea is that we take this property, we do some upgrades, we create kind of a sandbox or a test bed for future technologies that would increase transportation safety," said Eric Jackson, executive director of the Connecticut Transportation Institute and director of the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center at UConn. Jackson is spearheading the project alongside Steve Cortese, the owner of Promesa Capital.

At the smart city, the possibilities were practically endless, as Jackson said they could test things like traffic signals that talk to cars, smart lights, hydrogen refueling, electric vehicles, self-driving cars and more.

The development would essentially let car or startup companies to rent out the facility, fund research or work with faculty and students at UConn on testing, researching and developing technologies, he said, by figuring out how effective their technology is, how to improve safety or ways to build out infrastructure that help prevent and reduce motor vehicle crashes.

Eventually, the technology and algorithms developed at the Depot Campus could end up in cars, Jackson said.

The development itself is called a "smart city," which Jackson said refers to a worldwide movement in which physical infrastructure is smart and connected, with innovations like driverless cars linked to traffic signals. "So it's really using the internet and cell service to track vehicles to provide them with information and then prevent traffic crashes or collisions from occurring," he said. 

And that's what they aim to bring to UConn.

"It opens up a whole new world of research opportunities to have a facility like this in our backyard," Jackson said, "to be able to be kind of on the ground level of really being able to advance new technologies, work with companies and help with startup companies moving forward."

Construction of UConn's smart city would mean adding a 5G net over the area so that the technology can communicate, and creating physical infrastructure with various driving scenarios to test the vehicles and tech "in a controlled environment that's not going to endanger the traveling public," Jackson said.

"It just came up as kind of the ideal situation," Jackson said, "where the Depot Campus, the infrastructure here is falling apart to a point where it's very difficult that it could actually be used for anything... it can't really be habitable space for either residential or businesses. So this actually sets up really well for us to use it to drive cars around buildings that are kind of beyond repair."

Autonomous vehicle testing facilities, while groundbreaking, aren't completely new to the U.S., as there's a similar one at the University of Michigan, Jackson said. But that didn't diminish the significance of having one here.

"The Northeast is unique in that we have different weather conditions, we have a different driving culture," Jackson said. "So having something in the Northeast where we could interact with either other universities or other startup companies... in New York or Boston that are interested in testing and deploying this technology, this would put something kind of their backyard, where they would have the ability to bring their vehicles here."

Next steps

This is all getting closer to becoming a reality as the UConn Board of Trustees is soon expected to vote on an option agreement between the university and Promesa Capital for the purchase of 15 acres of the campus and development of the project.

The total cost is projected around $15 million, which includes the cost of developing the smart city and the purchase price of the land, according to board documents. Promesa Capital would be responsible for fully funding the land purchase and development and operation of the smart city.

"UConn's not paying for any of it," Jackson said. "We're essentially selling the land for Steve to build it out and then develop a partnership for future research and development."

And while they've had no trouble getting people on board for the concept, the actual logistics of development have taken time to sort through, with several different iteration attempts, Jackson said. A previous version of the development included 105 acres, but Jackson sees the scaled down version as a common ground for UConn and Promesa Capital.

"So I think we're finally at a point where we're kind of at the final iteration of what this would look like, and everybody's kind of in agreement that this can move forward," said Jackson, who is spearheading the project alongside Steve Cortese, the owner of Promesa Capital.

Under the new option agreement, UConn would grant Promesa Capital the right to buy approximately 15 acres of land at the Depot Campus for the future development of a Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Smart City and research facility. Jackson said that the agreement should be ready for approval during the next Board of Trustees meeting, which is next month.

The one-year option agreement would give Promesa Capital time to complete design documents, cost estimates and seek zoning approvals from the Town of Mansfield, according to the agreement. Promesa Capital may then close on the sale after certain conditions are met, including financing confirmation and completing an operating plan acceptable to the College of Engineering, and would then enter into a purchase and sale agreement with UConn.

Promesa Capital would invest the money to do the upgrades, put the infrastructure in, and ultimately, work closely with the Transportation Institute to operate the facility, Jackson said.

Bridgeport soccer developer aims to score key zoning permits

Brian Lockhart

BRIDGEPORT — A "shipping-container-inspired" modular stadium design reflecting the city's industrial past. A waterfront brewery. A plaza shaped like a soccer ball.

Connecticut Sports Group's pending application for key local land-use approvals reveals some additional details about its proposed minor league soccer stadium, including how the building, if necessary, can be de-constructed and moved to make way for a major league facility.

The organization, which had initially wanted to erect the venue by spring 2025 but is now aiming for 2026, is hoping to secure a necessary special permit and site plan and coastal site plan reviews this fall. 

The planning and zoning commission had scheduled a public hearing on those requests as part of its regular meeting Monday, but the application was abruptly withdrawn this week with no make-up date announced. However, in a statement, Connecticut Sports Group clarified it needs to address unspecified "comments and feedback" from city and state officials and intends to go before the zoning board next month.

"We had to submit our application for initial consideration to receive the level of feedback we needed in order to develop a comprehensive application," read the statement. "We expect our case to be heard at the city’s zoning hearing next month in October. Once our application is finalized and the city’s comments are resolved, the final package will be resubmitted."

Two of the key agencies that would weigh in on the stadium's design and environmental impact, Bridgeport's economic development office and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, did not return requests for comment.

It has been a year since the man behind Connecticut Sports Group, Andre Swanston, went public with his vision to build a minor league stadium and, eventually, a major league one on the lower East side on a former greyhound racing track and ex-rubber factory at Kossuth Street and Stratford Avenue near the harbor. He then in January announced he had a team — Connecticut United — with the intention to start playing games in Bridgeport next spring.

But Swanston's efforts to secure significant public financing to complement private investment have faced hurdles, with Gov. Ned Lamont expressing hesitation and local state legislators now hoping to have more success obtaining aid in next year's session of the Connecticut General Assembly. And the $16 million in state dollars that were awarded to help clean-up any contaminated soil ahead of construction are still pending finalization of the necessary approvals. 

Meanwhile, the state Department of Transportation is going to be using a portion of the property in question as a staging area for an upgrade of the Stratford Avenue Bridge starting next spring through 2026, causing another complication.

While the application indicates that the extent of environmental contamination from prior uses is still being assessed, Swanston last month posted on social media that "pre-construction surveys revealed the need for additional foundation work to ensure the stadium’s safety, adding a few months to our timeline."

So on Aug. 30 Connecticut Sports Group formally announced that it was now planning on having the minor league stadium ready for 2026. 

According to the pending zoning application, "The stadium has been designed with open concourses to provide views onto the field and visibility from (nearby) Interstate 95. It features sleek and modern design with a shipping container-inspired architecture as a reference to Bridgeport's history. Extensive lighting of the stadium in various colors will add vibrancy to the area."

The building will be constructed atop 9.3 acres and would have a footprint of 235,000 square feet.

The document further states there are two future options for the structure. The first is for it to be permanent. The second is, should a major league team come to Bridgeport, the minor league facility would be "disassembled and relocated to another site and replaced with a larger, state-of-the-art major league soccer stadium."

While the initial minor league building will sell food inside, Connecticut Sports Group also envisions a separate brewery/restaurant along the adjacent Pequonnock River, where a 2.5 acre park is proposed "that will serve as a fan zone for pre- and post-game activities on game day."

"The area will contain a number of soccer-related features, including a central plaza in the shape and design of soccer ball," states the zoning submission. "On days without soccer games, the park will serve as a community asset with public access and recreation use on the proposed multi-sports fields. Children in Bridgeport will be able to play on a soccer filed with the backdrop of a professional soccer stadium behind them."

As for parking, according to the application while there will be lots onsite "the majority of attendees" will use "the several parking garages in the nearby vicinity within short walking distance."

"These garages are well below capacity and can accommodate a large portion of the attendees' vehicles" based on a study Connecticut Sports Group obtained. The stadium will also be located very close to the downtown train and bus stations.

New trail connecting to Farmington Canal Heritage Trail in Simsbury will be constructed in 2025

Natasha Sokoloff

SIMSBURY — After a years-long process, a new multi-use trail connecting the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail to a local park is finally set to be completed  by 2026.

The town is currently planning for the nearly $2 million construction of an approximately half-mile trail to connect the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail to Curtiss Park along Tariffville Road near the Farmington River.

It's a project that has been in the works for probably over a decade, said Deputy Town Engineer Adam Kessler.

"The town has always wanted to run a trail from the main trail, the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail that runs along Hopmeadow, to Curtiss Park and the soccer fields that are down there," he said. "It's always important to provide connections to parks."

And while the 10-foot wide, concrete paved path of approximately 3,000 feet in length wasn't a massive scale project, it was still a major asset for connectivity throughout Simsbury, Kessler said. "It's a small little step that benefits a lot of people," he said. 

The multi-use trail would begin at the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail at the intersection of Tariffville Road (State Route 315) and Hopmeadow Street, and stretch up the north side of Tariffville Road. As it goes toward Curtiss Park, it would have a boardwalk portion that brings the trail out into the woods for a short section before continuing back up the road.

The closest the trail should be to the road is about five feet, Kessler said, with a grass shoulder between the curb and the path itself.

It would end with a small cul-de-sac at the existing driveway to Curtiss Park on Tariffville Road. There will also be a new crosswalk for a pedestrian connection to the soccer fields, with a rapid flash beacon to improve the crossing connection.

"Having that other mode of transportation, whether it's walking or cycling, that's separated from the road, makes it a little safer for really, all ages," he said. "When we look at multi-use trail projects, we design it with a child in mind, what's safe for a child. And that's the important thing for the community, is now we will have an established trail down to the park."

The Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, which runs from the coast in New Haven to the Massachusetts border, is a key portion of Connecticut's section of the East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile walking and biking route spanning Maine to Florida.

But around half of the state's route is not completed, as there are gaps that still need to be filled. Last year, a new trail connecting Bloomfield to Simsbury was completed, bridging about a 1-mile gap in the greenway.

And although it connects to the Farmington Canal Heritage Trail, the new Curtiss Park trail will not be a part of the East Coast Greenway, Kessler said.

While this trail was considered as a potential Greenway connector, Kessler said Simsbury was actually trying to move forward with an alternative route recommended by the Capital Region Council of Governments, which determined there would be a better option for an off-road trail connection to the East Coast Greenway than continuing the Curtiss Park trail.

The town already applied for a grant to initiate design and some of the construction of that alternative route, but a lot of work still had to happen before that could get underway, Kessler said. "That project in itself is complicated, much longer," he said, adding that it likely had a five to 10 year timeframe.

"So in the meantime, we'll occupy ourselves with the Curtiss Park trail," Kessler said. "We already have funding in place for the construction of this trail, and it's still an important connection from a local standpoint, a trail to soccer fields and river access."

And with federal funding and local and state approvals all finalized, the trail is on track for construction in 2025, Kessler said.

The total project cost is approximately $1.98 million, mostly funded through a State of Connecticut Transportation Alternatives Grant
administered by the Department of Transportation and a CT DEEP Trails Grant, according to town documents. The Town of Simsbury is contributing $396,000 for a local match of 20 percent

The town is aiming to finalize the new trail plans by December, he said, and "if everything fell into place," begin the 6-month construction process in the second half of 2025 for a 2026 completion. But that would be heavily dependent on weather.

Until then, the town will be conducting a public information meeting on Oct. 8 to receive community input on the project's development, during which officials will present updated renderings.

Fairfield Braces For Tax Hikes as $524M in Town Projects Loom

Sophia Muce

FAIRFIELD — With more than $524 million in town projects on the horizon, officials are grappling with how to manage rising costs and potential tax increases. 

At a series of finance board meetings this week, officials from the town, school board and Water Pollution Control Authority said that rising inflation, a reliance on federal pandemic funds and years of deferred projects have driven up current cost estimates for the foreseeable future.

“As we continue to increase this bonding, I’m very concerned about the taxpayers starting to say, ‘Enough with these tax increases,’” finance board member Jim Walsh said. 

According to the town’s new 10-year capital plan, projects include a $65.7 million rebuild of the aged Dwight Elementary School, a $49.7 million renovation of 

Jennings Elementary School, more than $42 million in sewer line design, construction and replacement projects, and about $21.8 million in overdue fire station renovations and replacement fire vehicles.

Since the town often relies on 20-year bonds to fund its projects, Fairfield expects its debt-to-budget ratio to jump from its current 6.63% to 9.9% by fiscal year 2033. Although Fairfield holds the highest possible municipal credit rating as of June, First Selectman Bill Gerber warned that town finances could be affected without significant changes to the plan. 

“We understand that’s really not something that we can do, and we’re going to have to refine this and smooth this out, or even potentially eliminate some things,” he said. “If we move forward, we would be getting too close for comfort.”

Many officials, however, cautioned against continued project cuts and delays. According to Finance Board Chair Lori Charlton, deferrals have been a major factor driving up costs for the town.

“We’ve deferred projects that should have been done for years … and all of that is bunching up now, and it’s a real problem. It created a huge cliff,” she said.

Of the $524,420,446 due by fiscal year 2034, Board of Education projects account for about 47%, compared to 29% for town projects and 24% for WPCA projects. At the Thursday meeting, Fairfield Public Schools representatives emphasized the impact of delays on pending school projects. 

Dwight and Jennings

Under state law, a school’s minority student population cannot exceed 25% above the district’s average minority population. If it does, the school is classified as racially imbalanced, requiring the district to submit a plan to address the issue.

Since 2006, McKinley Elementary School, located just one mile from the Bridgeport city line, has been out of compliance.

Along with tackling the racial imbalance, the school board has spent the past few years exploring redistricting options to alleviate overcrowding at some elementary schools and secure a permanent home for the district’s growing preschool program. 

Although the state legislature extended all deadlines for submitting a racial imbalance plan to July 2025, the years spent searching for adequate solutions to redistricting, overcrowding and the preschool program have stalled progress on improvements to Dwight and Jennings elementary schools. 

Built in 1962, the Dwight building lacks fire protection, a modern HVAC system and has experienced mold and sewer system problems. In a 2021 facilities plan, the school board scheduled a $30 million rebuild of the aged school for the 2025-26 school year, but under the new 10-year plan, the project was expanded and costs more than doubled.

Rather than rebuilding the school at the same capacity, School Board Chair Jennifer Jacobsen said the district plans to build five much-needed classrooms for the Early Childhood Center to accommodate the preschool program. Given recent enrollment projections, however, Walsh and other finance board members questioned whether the town should save money by instead renovating Dwight.

As of Sept. 6, 226 students were enrolled at the elementary school, which has a capacity of 378. This is 18 students fewer than the 2022 district enrollment projections. By the 2030-31 school year, enrollment is expected to rise slightly to 255 students.

While some meeting attendees argued that a new Dwight building would help address districtwide student capacity needs, Walsh warned that the costly project could mean delays for future projects as the town nears its fiscal ceiling. 

“The first selectman already said the other night we’re not going to do the 9.9 [% ratio]. We’re going to have to pull that back, and some projects are going to suffer because of it or not be done. And those could be your projects,” Walsh said. “You might be getting this one thing done, but missing out on five other things.”

Compared to the $65.7 million rebuild, Superintendent Michael Testani said a Dwight renovation would cost about $44 million. 

However, Testani and Jacobsen pointed out that the district has already explored and dismissed the option of renovating Dwight. While the current building could remain operational during the construction of a new one, they raised concerns about where students and staff would go during the renovation process.

Jacobsen urged the need for a rebuild.

“We’ve just done the spaghetti at the wall thing for a really long time,” she said. 

The Jennings school community has also requested improvements. Though only five years newer than Dwight, the building requires a new HVAC system to improve air quality, a sprinkler system and enhanced security measures.

Due to the smaller lot size at Jennings compared to Dwight, Jacobsen stated that the district plans to construct a two-level addition to the school to accommodate ECC classrooms and update the existing building. 

The district anticipates needing funding for the $49.7 million Jennings renovation in fiscal years 2029, 2030 and 2031. However, Walsh noted that the funding sought for fiscal year 2031 may not be achievable.

While the 10-year plan estimates that project costs will total about $62 million in 2030 and about $44 million in 2032, costs jump to almost $70 million in 2031. Walsh called the fiscal year a “glaring problem.”

“Somehow, something’s got to be reprioritized and pushed out,” he said.

Other major district projects include $39 million for the initial phase of air conditioning installations throughout the district, followed by subsequent phases costing approximately $66 million and $50 million.

Deferred improvements

Town Hall officials also argued on Tuesday that their projects have sat on the sidelines for too long. 

Chief Operating Officer David Becker, also chief of the Southport Volunteer Fire Department, urged the need to upgrade the town’s five fire stations.

Of the more than $21.8 million in Fire Department-related expenses in the capital plan, improvements to the firehouses account for about $9.2 million from fiscal year 2026 until fiscal year 2031.

Becker, who also serves as the interim chief financial officer, noted that the fire station has long been undersized and requires maintenance. He explained that as new trucks grow larger, more female firefighters join the station and industry mandates evolve, the demand for additional, separate spaces has increased.

“I practically begged both the current and prior chief to put them on [the capital plan],” Becker said. “Numerous times they did, at least, put some of these projects on, and then consistently strip them off for one reason or another.”

Becker said the $9.2 million ask would allow the department to undertake top-to-bottom renovations at the stations, which would last for more than 25 years.

The two finance board meetings served as planning sessions, and officials have not yet voted on any of the upcoming projects. 

According to the capital plan, projects set to be financed in fiscal year 2026 include approximately $9.4 million for school air conditioning projects, $4 million for WPCA plant equipment improvements, about $2.7 million to design the Dwight rebuild and $1.5 million for a North Stratfield Elementary School roof replacement.