Tom Broderick
@trumbullbrod.bsky.social
Educator. Trumbull Town Council D5. CT Parking Reform Co-founder. UConn alum. Personal account.
Pro: homes, safe streets, utility regulation, hiking, local beer
Anti: parking mandates, snob zoning, authoritarians.
CT’s a beautiful place: let’s share it.
Pro: homes, safe streets, utility regulation, hiking, local beer
Anti: parking mandates, snob zoning, authoritarians.
CT’s a beautiful place: let’s share it.
Pinned
The election news everyone has been waiting for…meet your next town councilors for Trumbull’s District 5!
Ready to keep this a place where everyone is welcome and build a more walkable, just Trumbull! 🇺🇸🏳️🌈
Ready to keep this a place where everyone is welcome and build a more walkable, just Trumbull! 🇺🇸🏳️🌈
Reposted by Tom Broderick
Times are a changing here in CT. The land "East of the River" (That being the Connecticut River which bisects the state flowing from north to south) is seeing a surge in new long overdue housing projects that rivals far wealthier and far more in demand parts of CT
www.ctinsider.com/journalinqui...
www.ctinsider.com/journalinqui...
Towns east of the Connecticut River moved forward on thousands of new housing units in 2025
An overhaul of the languishing Enfield Square Mall could begin in the spring.
www.ctinsider.com
January 2, 2026 at 12:40 PM
Times are a changing here in CT. The land "East of the River" (That being the Connecticut River which bisects the state flowing from north to south) is seeing a surge in new long overdue housing projects that rivals far wealthier and far more in demand parts of CT
www.ctinsider.com/journalinqui...
www.ctinsider.com/journalinqui...
I can’t wait for a day when “townhomes are going to be built in a city of 65,000 with 3 train stations to GCT” isn’t worthy of a news story because it’s so routine and expected
link.ctpost.com/click/433285...
link.ctpost.com/click/433285...
Developers propose to build townhouse units a mile apart in Fairfield
One of the Fairfield projects is expected to take 18-24 months to complete.
link.ctpost.com
January 2, 2026 at 1:27 PM
I can’t wait for a day when “townhomes are going to be built in a city of 65,000 with 3 train stations to GCT” isn’t worthy of a news story because it’s so routine and expected
link.ctpost.com/click/433285...
link.ctpost.com/click/433285...
Reposted by Tom Broderick
Reducing the cost of construction is a job for state legislatures. A 🧵 w/ ideas for California's 2026 legislative session.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/20060...
threadreaderapp.com/thread/20060...
Thread by @CSElmendorf on Thread Reader App
@CSElmendorf: "For a typical mid-rise apartment in San José, construction costs can exceed $700k–$900k per unit." I 💯% agree w/ @MattMahanSJ that reducing construction costs should be a top priority f...
threadreaderapp.com
December 31, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Reducing the cost of construction is a job for state legislatures. A 🧵 w/ ideas for California's 2026 legislative session.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/20060...
threadreaderapp.com/thread/20060...
Remember when Governor Lamont endorsed Andrew Cuomo because he thought Mamdani would be bad for business
Could we get the governor to do the same for our state?
Could we get the governor to do the same for our state?
January 2, 2026 at 1:11 AM
Remember when Governor Lamont endorsed Andrew Cuomo because he thought Mamdani would be bad for business
Could we get the governor to do the same for our state?
Could we get the governor to do the same for our state?
Common dynamic that I’ve dealt with as an advocate.
Sometimes traffic victim’s families do not want the death politicized or believe common narratives about random accidents.
Issuing a letter like this is brave. You’re both honoring this victim and trying to save the *next* potential victim.
Sometimes traffic victim’s families do not want the death politicized or believe common narratives about random accidents.
Issuing a letter like this is brave. You’re both honoring this victim and trying to save the *next* potential victim.
There has been a huge number of emails among the 'trustees' at 'Walk Bike Princeton' about how to respond to this incident, as was the case for the two pedestrian deaths that happened earlier this year. It seems almost wrong to make a political point when somebody has died, but also necessary.
January 2, 2026 at 12:10 AM
Common dynamic that I’ve dealt with as an advocate.
Sometimes traffic victim’s families do not want the death politicized or believe common narratives about random accidents.
Issuing a letter like this is brave. You’re both honoring this victim and trying to save the *next* potential victim.
Sometimes traffic victim’s families do not want the death politicized or believe common narratives about random accidents.
Issuing a letter like this is brave. You’re both honoring this victim and trying to save the *next* potential victim.
We know what to do to lower these numbers, but so far we’ve lacked the political will and concomitant financial support to make it happen
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
Connecticut traffic deaths down in 2025, but pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities remain high
The data shows there have been a total of 256 traffic deaths in all categories as of Dec. 17, down from 304 at the same time last year.
www.ctinsider.com
January 1, 2026 at 11:58 PM
We know what to do to lower these numbers, but so far we’ve lacked the political will and concomitant financial support to make it happen
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
I had this new Flu strain three weeks ago and it absolutely wrecked me, it’s no joke. Took me 2+ weeks to feel like myself again.
Even if it can’t fully stop it, get vaxxed if you haven’t 💉💉💉
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
Even if it can’t fully stop it, get vaxxed if you haven’t 💉💉💉
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
Connecticut's flu season is bad and getting worse, with 'no end in sight,' doctors say
The flu season is being driven by a variant called subclade K.
www.ctinsider.com
January 1, 2026 at 11:53 PM
I had this new Flu strain three weeks ago and it absolutely wrecked me, it’s no joke. Took me 2+ weeks to feel like myself again.
Even if it can’t fully stop it, get vaxxed if you haven’t 💉💉💉
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
Even if it can’t fully stop it, get vaxxed if you haven’t 💉💉💉
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
Hard to beat a New Years dim sum brunch in Flushing. Riding the 7 line has to be the most culturally diverse few miles in the country
January 1, 2026 at 8:43 PM
Hard to beat a New Years dim sum brunch in Flushing. Riding the 7 line has to be the most culturally diverse few miles in the country
There’s no housing crisis in Fairfield County, look you could buy this outdated fixer-upper on a main road for $980k
www.realtor.com/realestatean...
www.realtor.com/realestatean...
December 31, 2025 at 6:32 PM
There’s no housing crisis in Fairfield County, look you could buy this outdated fixer-upper on a main road for $980k
www.realtor.com/realestatean...
www.realtor.com/realestatean...
Reposted by Tom Broderick
biggest technological revolution of our lifetimes and it's not AI or blockchain or cryptocurrency or metaverse.
“South Africans like Dr. Booley have found a remedy for power cuts that have plagued people in the developing world for years. Thanks to swiftly falling prices of Chinese made solar panels and batteries, they now draw their power from the sun.”
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/30/c...
Cheap Solar Is Transforming Lives and Economies Across Africa
www.nytimes.com
December 30, 2025 at 6:35 PM
biggest technological revolution of our lifetimes and it's not AI or blockchain or cryptocurrency or metaverse.
New Haven’s Doug Hausladen often says “I didn’t hear the question, but I know sidewalks are the answer.”
Sidewalks are both essential for mobility *and* and an asset, and cities should very obviously be in charge of building and maintaining them.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Sidewalks are both essential for mobility *and* and an asset, and cities should very obviously be in charge of building and maintaining them.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Who Should Pay to Fix the Sidewalk?
Denver has made sidewalk upkeep a public responsibility, becoming the largest US municipality to fund and maintain this critical but unsung pedestrian infrastructure.
www.bloomberg.com
December 30, 2025 at 4:09 PM
New Haven’s Doug Hausladen often says “I didn’t hear the question, but I know sidewalks are the answer.”
Sidewalks are both essential for mobility *and* and an asset, and cities should very obviously be in charge of building and maintaining them.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Sidewalks are both essential for mobility *and* and an asset, and cities should very obviously be in charge of building and maintaining them.
www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
Reposted by Tom Broderick
🧵 Drivers have killed 69 pedestrians/cyclists, so far, this year in Connecticut.
The most recent preventable death happened last night in Waterbury; this was the fourth fatal pedestrian crash in that city in 2025.
www.realhartford.org/pedestrian-m...
The most recent preventable death happened last night in Waterbury; this was the fourth fatal pedestrian crash in that city in 2025.
www.realhartford.org/pedestrian-m...
December 29, 2025 at 9:51 PM
🧵 Drivers have killed 69 pedestrians/cyclists, so far, this year in Connecticut.
The most recent preventable death happened last night in Waterbury; this was the fourth fatal pedestrian crash in that city in 2025.
www.realhartford.org/pedestrian-m...
The most recent preventable death happened last night in Waterbury; this was the fourth fatal pedestrian crash in that city in 2025.
www.realhartford.org/pedestrian-m...
Reposted by Tom Broderick
Developers & leasing companies have every incentive to provide the right amount of parking to meet market demand, and car-free residents shouldn’t have to pay for spaces they won’t use.
Parking mandates come with a heavy cost in dollars, labor and lost opportunities for the land that lots take up.
Parking mandates come with a heavy cost in dollars, labor and lost opportunities for the land that lots take up.
Parking spaces can cost developers up to $50,000 each. Dropping the mandate to have them at all opens the door to cheaper housing and walkable neighborhoods.
Lessons from Denver where decisions to eliminate parking minimums follow similar moves in other cities: buff.ly/CONT05v
Lessons from Denver where decisions to eliminate parking minimums follow similar moves in other cities: buff.ly/CONT05v
Denver study shows removing parking requirements results in more affordable housing being built
Structured parking can cost as much as $50,000 per space, making housing more expensive to build and for those living there.
theconversation.com
December 29, 2025 at 6:59 PM
Developers & leasing companies have every incentive to provide the right amount of parking to meet market demand, and car-free residents shouldn’t have to pay for spaces they won’t use.
Parking mandates come with a heavy cost in dollars, labor and lost opportunities for the land that lots take up.
Parking mandates come with a heavy cost in dollars, labor and lost opportunities for the land that lots take up.
On the high cost of free parking beat: Trumbull’s 5 Year Capital document incudes plans to build 110 spaces at our senior center at $8,000/spot and 35 spaces at our library for $5600/spot.
I think people would be shocked to learn that only 35 new library parking spaces will cost almost $200k!
I think people would be shocked to learn that only 35 new library parking spaces will cost almost $200k!
December 29, 2025 at 4:13 PM
On the high cost of free parking beat: Trumbull’s 5 Year Capital document incudes plans to build 110 spaces at our senior center at $8,000/spot and 35 spaces at our library for $5600/spot.
I think people would be shocked to learn that only 35 new library parking spaces will cost almost $200k!
I think people would be shocked to learn that only 35 new library parking spaces will cost almost $200k!
We’ve had this statewide moral panic about the dangers of kids using e-bikes (to the point where the CGA passed a new law), but we continue to accept that young people will drive cars as a matter of course
The costs of car dependency are just too damn high
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
The costs of car dependency are just too damn high
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
Recent CT high school grad and pizza chef killed in Stratford crash had 'bright future,' obit says
The 18-year-old who was was a manager and pizza chef at Clocktown Brewing Company was remembered as a "hardworking young man with a bright future."
www.ctinsider.com
December 29, 2025 at 1:51 PM
We’ve had this statewide moral panic about the dangers of kids using e-bikes (to the point where the CGA passed a new law), but we continue to accept that young people will drive cars as a matter of course
The costs of car dependency are just too damn high
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
The costs of car dependency are just too damn high
www.ctinsider.com/connecticut/...
A recurring problems for Connecticut public policy is that the residents of Fairfield County want to live w/in easy access to jobs, culture, NYC, and the coast but *also* want to imagine they live in rural New England w/no neighbors.
Here’s a 1985 article describing that dynamic.
Here’s a 1985 article describing that dynamic.
December 29, 2025 at 1:17 PM
A recurring problems for Connecticut public policy is that the residents of Fairfield County want to live w/in easy access to jobs, culture, NYC, and the coast but *also* want to imagine they live in rural New England w/no neighbors.
Here’s a 1985 article describing that dynamic.
Here’s a 1985 article describing that dynamic.
Finally finished Ken Burns new doc, and I loved it.
Strengths were its focus on:
✅ the diversity of the American army+the contradictions of slavery
✅ telling the stories of camp followers and other women
✅ the civil violence of the war
✅ the wars impact on native people
www.pbs.org/kenburns/the...
Strengths were its focus on:
✅ the diversity of the American army+the contradictions of slavery
✅ telling the stories of camp followers and other women
✅ the civil violence of the war
✅ the wars impact on native people
www.pbs.org/kenburns/the...
The American Revolution | All Episodes Now Streaming | Ken Burns | PBS
Thirteen colonies unite in rebellion, win their independence, and found the United States. Stream the full documentary from Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt.
www.pbs.org
December 29, 2025 at 4:00 AM
Finally finished Ken Burns new doc, and I loved it.
Strengths were its focus on:
✅ the diversity of the American army+the contradictions of slavery
✅ telling the stories of camp followers and other women
✅ the civil violence of the war
✅ the wars impact on native people
www.pbs.org/kenburns/the...
Strengths were its focus on:
✅ the diversity of the American army+the contradictions of slavery
✅ telling the stories of camp followers and other women
✅ the civil violence of the war
✅ the wars impact on native people
www.pbs.org/kenburns/the...
Thinking about how CTDOT thinks that adding two new lanes to I-95 in Stamford will finally solve congestion.
Meanwhile, the *entire* pitch for building the original CT Turnpike in the 40s/50s (now I-95) was that it would solve…traffic congestion.
Doesn’t seem like that worked, guys!
Meanwhile, the *entire* pitch for building the original CT Turnpike in the 40s/50s (now I-95) was that it would solve…traffic congestion.
Doesn’t seem like that worked, guys!
December 28, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Thinking about how CTDOT thinks that adding two new lanes to I-95 in Stamford will finally solve congestion.
Meanwhile, the *entire* pitch for building the original CT Turnpike in the 40s/50s (now I-95) was that it would solve…traffic congestion.
Doesn’t seem like that worked, guys!
Meanwhile, the *entire* pitch for building the original CT Turnpike in the 40s/50s (now I-95) was that it would solve…traffic congestion.
Doesn’t seem like that worked, guys!
This type of walkable, transit-rich, mixed use urbanism is illegal to build in most of Connecticut
December 28, 2025 at 12:42 AM
This type of walkable, transit-rich, mixed use urbanism is illegal to build in most of Connecticut
Actually I want to build on this a bit, as it’s something I’ve been thinking about as I’ve made the leap from advocate to elected official.
Thoughts on the lack of local government capacity 🧵/
Thoughts on the lack of local government capacity 🧵/
And perhaps even more insane is that most P&Z’s don’t have any research help/capacity.
The way New England governments starve their electeds of help is wild. People who are in charge of all development in a town (bringing with it tons of complexity!) are usually operating on ~vibes~
The way New England governments starve their electeds of help is wild. People who are in charge of all development in a town (bringing with it tons of complexity!) are usually operating on ~vibes~
December 27, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Actually I want to build on this a bit, as it’s something I’ve been thinking about as I’ve made the leap from advocate to elected official.
Thoughts on the lack of local government capacity 🧵/
Thoughts on the lack of local government capacity 🧵/
I’ve been thinking about these comments from a Woodbridge P&Z member. This man is in charge of development in town, but has *zero idea* about modern multifamily buildings being the safest we have re: fire.
Governance by part time volunteer: objectively wild on so may levels!!!
Governance by part time volunteer: objectively wild on so may levels!!!
December 27, 2025 at 8:12 PM
I’ve been thinking about these comments from a Woodbridge P&Z member. This man is in charge of development in town, but has *zero idea* about modern multifamily buildings being the safest we have re: fire.
Governance by part time volunteer: objectively wild on so may levels!!!
Governance by part time volunteer: objectively wild on so may levels!!!
It’s wild to me that we’ve just accepted as a society that cities and towns can snow plow hundreds of miles of a municipal roads in a day but are somehow incapable of doing the same for municipal sidewalks
December 27, 2025 at 1:55 PM
It’s wild to me that we’ve just accepted as a society that cities and towns can snow plow hundreds of miles of a municipal roads in a day but are somehow incapable of doing the same for municipal sidewalks
ICYMI: @datahaven.bsky.social has released their 2025 Town Equity Reports.
They’re an unbelievable window into your town and region.
ctdatahaven.org/report/conne...
They’re an unbelievable window into your town and region.
ctdatahaven.org/report/conne...
Connecticut Town Equity Reports – DataHaven
ctdatahaven.org
December 26, 2025 at 2:54 PM
ICYMI: @datahaven.bsky.social has released their 2025 Town Equity Reports.
They’re an unbelievable window into your town and region.
ctdatahaven.org/report/conne...
They’re an unbelievable window into your town and region.
ctdatahaven.org/report/conne...
Reposted by Tom Broderick
"Like Amazon Prime, but with human beings."
December 24, 2025 at 5:50 PM
"Like Amazon Prime, but with human beings."
Reposted by Tom Broderick
the fact that there is free parking at all in manhattan is wild to me
“Pairing free buses with paid parking says we value people in motion more than cars at rest,” writes Nicolas Rohatyn.
Opinion | The Way to Pay for Free Buses Is to End Free Parking
Free buses would be transformative not only for riders, but for the ecosystem of the city as a whole.
nyti.ms
December 24, 2025 at 1:38 PM
the fact that there is free parking at all in manhattan is wild to me