Write to your local elected officials

Tell your town officials that you support Super 7. Also keep in mind that many towns in Connecticut are holding municipal elections this Election Day. Make your vote count and vote for candidates who support the highway's construction.

Contact Congressman Jim Maloney

Congressman Maloney has opposed the widening of the existing Route 7, and favors an expressway built to 'arterial' standards. Generally a parkway, Maloney's proposal will include a modern expressway which will serve the traffic needs for the Route 7 corridor and have a minimal impact on the environment and surrounding communities.

Express your support for the Route 7 Expressway by writing to Governor Rowland. He currently supports construction of the Brookfield Bypass, but favors upgrading mass transit between Danbury and Norwalk over constructing a limited-access highway.

The Department of Transportation still has the land available for Route 7. The highway, which should have been built over a quarter of a century ago is the only viable option to resolving daily gridlock in the Route 7 corridor. Mass transit and widening the existing Route 7 will provide only short term solutions. The only permanent solution is to build the Danbury-Norwalk expressway which was proposed more than 50 years ago.

Petitioning the DOT to revive expressway is a positive show of public support. Beyond the DOT, however, petitions have little significance, since the politicians determine which projects receive funding. Currently there is no funding for Super 7 between Norwalk and Danbury. While petitions are good, the most effective means of gaining support from area politicians is to write them. E-mail is not very effective, and the best method is spending 20 minutes writing a letter to your state senator or representative, as well as Governor Rowland and Congressman Maloney, clearly stating your support for Super 7, and mail it to them. Construction Super 7 will become a priority only if supporters take the initiative to write letters to the Governor, and to their senators and representatives in the General Assembly.