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Connecticut
UConn is studying trucking in CT. The issue big rig drivers face might sound familiar.
Parking spots for truckers have become tougher to find off Connecticut highways.
On some nights, on and off ramps on Interstate 91 and Interstate 95 can be dotted with trucks because of the lack of parking spaces.
Researchers at UConn’s Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center and the Connecticut Department of Transportation are looking for ways to help. The goal is increasing safety, expanding parking availability, efficiency, and aiding truckers in complying with rest regulations.
“Truck parking has been a major focus of the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration) for the last four or five years,” said Eric Jackson, the executive director of the Connecticut Transportation Institute and the director of Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center. “We are trying to find ways to accommodate truckers and make it as efficient as possible.”
Jackson said his organization is in the process of creating a parking inventory across the state.
“Over the last year we were visiting sites and going on Google Earth to make sure parking is up to date and seeing if there are restrooms and a place to shower,” Jackson said. “We are documenting what exists and we are finishing that.”
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Jackson said the state Department of Transportation is also focused on public parking and his organization is researching private parking lots at and around Travel Centers of America off Exit 72 on I-84 in Willington.
A safety issue
In an example of the significance of trucks in moving goods in the United states, the American Trucking Association reports that the big rigs moved 11.46 billion tons of freight in 2022. The Motor Transport Association reports that “85.8% of Connecticut communities depend exclusively on trucks to move their goods.”
Trucks, as are other vehicles, are regularly part of the construction-related traffic jams seen across Connecticut, with some back ups stretching for miles and hours.
“We are looking to set up a pilot program to track in real time how many parking spots are available throughout the state,” Jackson said.
Jackson said there has been a recent switch from manual logbooks in trucker’s cabs to more efficient and electric logs that track drivers closely. Once 10 straight hours of driving has been reached, the driver must take break and pull over to avoid facing penalty, he said. In some case the rule is 11 hours of driving, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
“If drivers are running against hours of service and there is nowhere to park, they must stop – that’s when they start parking on off-and-on ramps on highways and that’s not safe for anyone,” he said. “It’s a major safety issue.”
Jackson said he saw firsthand around the country that there is a lack of parking. He took an RV to Kentucky and saw all spots full at rest stops and the highway ramps filed with trucks – like what is seen in Connecticut, he said..
“Just about every rest area we saw this issue,” Jackson said. “There are more trucks on the road.”
Jackson said his organization considered an app for drivers in the state but has shifted the philosophy.
“The landscape is changing rapidly,” Jackson said. “We are going to focus on how to populate the data and use it in existing apps. It doesn’t make sense to have an app just for Connecticut. We are going back to the drawing board a little bit and still in the process of seeing the best way to get the information to the truckers.”
UConn’s Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center is working with FMCSA and the CTDOT as well as other groups.
One of the ideas is to put cameras in parking lots and detectors to see where vacant spaces are and have a count of the number of open spaces as a sign on the highway. Jackson’s organization has a request for proposal to get some pilot data about parking.
“We are looking at different technology,” Jackson said. “We want a full inventory.”
The Connecticut Transportation Institute also collects and shares crash data in the state and is currently researching any crash information involving parked trucks.
John Blair, the president of Motor Transport Association of Connecticut said this has been a federal issue over the past few years and since U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited the state in January 2023.
“Secretary Buttigieg came to the state and spoke about the issue, and he spoke about the truck parking issue and improving infrastructure for some corridors,” said Blair, who has been the organization’s president for the last two years.
“The technology has improved over the years, but it doesn’t do much if all of the parking spaces are full,” Blair said. “If any of us are traveling on 91 or 95 you see cars parked along the entrance way and that’s not the safest place to park.”
“You have to build out the infrastructure for the rest stops,” Jacksons said. “They need to be expanded. At the federal level, the American Trucking Association has been pushing for improvement for truck parks and expansion across the country.”
Jackson, who grew up in Farmington and now lives in Hartford, said he would support technology that would improve drivers learning about spots, if it doesn’t come at too large of a cost for truckers to put it in their vehicles.
“Many may not want to invest because the margins are so tight,” Jackson said. “But I believe improvements are coming. It hasn’t trickled down from the federal level yet, but we will probably see it more over the next year and a half.”
“I hope there is a focus on safety so we can provide safe roadways for our drivers and truck drivers and have more options for parking for the trucking community,” he said.
The state Department of Transportation released the 60-page Connecticut Truck Parking Study in June 2023. It also found issues with the quantity of spaces available.
The study looked at much of what Jackson’s group is researching, including: inventory of existing truck parking in the state and analysis of identified truck parking sites; analysis of undesignated truck parking at identified truck parking sites; truck parking supply and demand assessment of key corridors; summaries of truck driver surveys from a truck parking perspective and truck parking implementation strategies.
“Almost 92 percent of the estimated truck parking demand in 2019 (i.e., 642 out of the 700 truck parking spaces needed during peak hour) is concentrated on I-95, I-84, I-91, and I-395 corridors,” the report said. “Parts of I-84, I-91, and I-395 corridors have a non-uniform supply (i.e., lack truck parking facilities once every hour of truck travel).
“The non-uniformity in truck parking supply makes it difficult for truck drivers to meet their hours of service (HOS) regulations on the state’s transportation network. At the time of this analysis, a major supply shortfall location is identified as I-84 corridor between US 7 and I-691, which needs development of new truck parking sites.”
The report said peak hours are from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. at I-95 Darien north and southbound service plazas, I-84 eastbound in Southington and I-84 westbound in West Willington. These sites have longer term parking 4-to-8 hours or longer in duration. There is slower turnover and more parking in undesignated areas.
The sites of I-95 southbound at the North Stonington Welcome Center, Pilot Travel Center #882 and Pride Hartford Truck Stop all have 30 or more parking spaces apiece and regularly have more spots available – according to the report.
The report also said the demand for I-95 corridor segments is higher compared to the I-91 and I-395 corridors and should be prioritized for expansion around the existing truck parking sites or development of new truck parking sites.
Showers, laundry and truck washes are only present on I-95 corridors and laundry is available on I-95, I-84 and I-95, the report says, while pushing for the amenities to be more readily available.
The report states that there are 30 parking sites in the state, 20 are public and 10 are private. There are 1,226 total available parking spots for 5-axle and greater trucks in the state, it says.
The 10 private sites provide approximately 863 spots, which is 70 percent of parking spaces in the state. The 20 public parking spots provided 363 spots, the report says.
Luxury Homes
Kathie Lee Gifford and her late husband, football legend Frank Gifford, purchased the house in 1994.
Former “Today” show host Kathie Lee Gifford is selling her sprawling 13,163-square-foot Connecticut home. The asking price? $100,000,000.
Dubbed “Cedar Cliff,” the Greenwich estate at 108 Cedar Cliff in the Riverside section of town, was once owned by railroad tycoon Henry F. Shoemaker. Kathie Lee Gifford and her late husband, football legend Frank Gifford, purchased the house in 1994 for $7.8 million . The 13,163-square-foot, 29-room estate has eight bedrooms and 14 bathrooms (nine full, five half).
“They added a substantial addition to the house to make it work for their lifestyle,” listing agent Leslie McElwreath of Sotheby’s International Realty said. That addition is the east wing of the house, constructed in the early 2000s, which includes a private theater and wine cellar.
The eight bedrooms are similarly sized and have views of Greenwich Cove. The primary bedroom and two guest bedrooms have a balcony as well. The estate has a greenhouse, a screened porch, a sun room, a tennis court, and a billiards room currently containing Frank Gifford memorabilia. There are 10 fireplaces throughout the house.
Within the 2.91-acre gated peninsula is a spa, pool, and pool house.
McElwreath said “empty nester” Gifford is selling the property because “her children are grown and are married with their own children. Kathie Lee spends most of her time in Tennessee and is no longer using the house full-time.”
The house has a recently installed Ludowici terra cotta roof, sun decks that have been rebuilt, and there is access to a full-property generator as well as a private beach.
McElwreath said there are additional aspects that make this property worth the monstrous price tag.
“The setting is extraordinary. Elevated high above the water with over 1,250 feet of frontage, the property offers the rare combination of commanding panoramic views and direct waterfront access via a private pier and deep water dock,” she said.
McElwreath said the kind of buyer looking at this property is attracted to Greenwich for its high quality of life and proximity to Midtown Manhattan.
”High net-worth buyers do not compromise. They seek exceptional properties in prime locations. Cedar Cliff is a one-of-a-kind opportunity and will attract buyers looking for privacy and resort-like amenities,” McElwreath said.
The task of selling the estate was entrusted to McElwreath by Gifford after McElwreath represented the seller of Copper Beech Farm in Greenwich, which sold for just under $139,000,000 in 2023.
“[Copper Beach] is still the highest sale ever in Greenwich and the state of Connecticut. I plan to use the full resources of Sotheby’s International Realty to find the buyer for Cedar Cliff,” McElwreath said. “I also represented the seller of 100 Field Point Circle, the second highest sale in Greenwich at $50 million. My proven track record, combined with the marketing expertise of Sotheby’s, will prove to be a winning combination.”
Connecticut
Hailey Van Lith waived by Connecticut Sun after just nine games, marking second cut in under a month
Hailey Van Lith’s rocky WNBA start took another unexpected turn Thursday.
The Connecticut Sun waived Van Lith after just nine games with the team, including three starts.
CHICAGO, IL – AUGUST 25: Hailey Van Lith #2 of the Chicago Sky high five during the game against the Las Vegas Aces on August 25, 2025 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, IL. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images) ((Photo by Melissa Tamez/NBAE via Getty Images))
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith poses before the WNBA basketball draft in New York on April 14, 2025. (Pamela Smith/AP)
Van Lith was once one of college basketball’s brightest stars at Louisville, but her path has become increasingly turbulent in recent years. After a disappointing stint at LSU stalled her momentum, Van Lith revived her draft stock with a standout final season at TCU.
CHICAGO SKY WAIVE HAILEY VAN LITH ONE YEAR AFTER SELECTING HER WITH THE 11TH OVERALL PICK
The former NIL standout was selected 11th overall by the Chicago Sky in the 2024 WNBA Draft. She struggled to establish herself as a rookie, averaging 3.5 points and 1.6 assists in 12.4 minutes per game across 29 appearances before Chicago waived her on May 4.
Hailey Van Lith’s brief stint with the Connecticut Sun ended Thursday after the franchise waived the former first-round pick. (Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images) ((Photo by Ali Gradischer/Getty Images))
Hailey van Lith drives past opponents during the women’s 3×3 basketball bronze medal game between the United States and Canada at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on Aug. 5, 2024, in Paris, France. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
TCU’s Hailey Van Lith jogs onto the court during introductions before the first half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament game against Louisville in Fort Worth, Texas, on March 23, 2025. (Tony Gutierrez/AP)
Van Lith also helped Team USA win a bronze medal in 3×3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Connecticut quickly gave Van Lith a second chance, but the reunion lasted just over two weeks.
“The Connecticut Sun has activated Leïla Lacan,” the team announced on X. “In a corresponding move, Hailey Van Lith has been waived.”
EX-WNBA STAR CRITICAL OF SKY ROOKIE HAILEY VAN LITH, BELIEVES POPULARITY PLAYED ROLE IN DRAFT SELECTION
The move comes as Lacan — the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 draft — returns after averaging 10.4 points and 3.7 assists with Connecticut last season.
Van Lith appeared in Wednesday’s 71-61 loss to Portland, finishing with seven points, no assists and two turnovers in 13 minutes.
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Van Lith averaged 8.1 points and 2.2 assists in nine appearances with Connecticut before Thursday’s move, marking her second waiver in less than a month.
The Connecticut Sun waived Hailey Van Lith on Thursday, ending the former college star’s nine-game stint with the franchise. ((Photo by Mollie Handkins/NBAE via Getty Images))
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
The following article was submitted by Brody and Associates, LLC. It is posted here with permission.
The Connecticut legislature passed broad artificial intelligence legislation May 11, 2026 that includes a new framework governing the use of AI in employment-related decisions.
The bill, known as SB 5, is awaiting Gov. Ned Lamont’s signature, which is expected shortly.
Once enacted, Connecticut will join a growing list of jurisdictions that are imposing transparency and accountability requirements on employers that use AI tools in recruiting, hiring, promotion, discipline, scheduling, and termination decisions.
The statute regulates what it calls automated employment-related decision technology.
In general, AEDT refers to technology that processes personal data and generates an output that is a substantial factor in an employment decision.
The definition is broad enough to potentially cover resume-screening software, applicant ranking systems, video-interview analytics, skills assessments, productivity tools, and certain workforce management platforms when those tools materially influence personnel decisions.
What Does the Law Require?
The purpose of the law is to reduce the risk that algorithmic systems will continue or worsen historic discrimination while also giving applicants and employees more visibility into how these systems are used.
One of the most important features of the new law is its notice requirement.
Beginning Oct. 1, 2027, employers that deploy AEDT intended to interact with applicants or employees must disclose, in plain language, that the individual is interacting with such technology unless it would be obvious to a reasonable person.
When the tool’s output will be used as a substantial factor in making an employment-related decision, the employer must also provide a written notice before the decision is made.
The law does include protection for proprietary or trade secret information.
Notice must identify the purpose of the tool, the categories and sources of personal data being analyzed, how data will be assessed, and contact information for the employer.
If such employment-related decision is “adverse,” employers must provide a high-level statement disclosing the principal reasons for the decision, including “the degree to which, and manner in which” an AEDP output contributed to the decision, the type of data used, and the right to examine or correct such data.
The law does include protection for proprietary or trade secret information, but employers should not assume that vendor confidentiality excuses them from compliance.
If an employer withholds certain information regarding the AEDP based on a third party’s confidentiality claim, the employer must nevertheless disclose that the information is being withheld and identify the legal basis for the withholding.
As a practical matter, this means employers that rely on outside vendors for screening, testing, or candidate evaluation should begin reviewing vendor contracts now to ensure they can obtain the information needed to satisfy Connecticut’s notice obligations.
Anti-Discrimination and Related Obligations
The law also makes clear employers cannot avoid liability by blaming an algorithm.
Connecticut’s anti-discrimination framework will expressly provide the use of AI or automated systems is not a defense to a discrimination claim.
The employer may still be responsible even if the challenged output came from a third-party platform.
In other words, if an AEDT disproportionately screens out candidates or influences decisions in a way that has an unlawful discriminatory effect, the employer may still be responsible even if the challenged output came from a third-party platform.
This provision reinforces a principle regulators have increasingly emphasized nationwide: employers remain accountable for employment decisions, whether those decisions are made by people, software, or a combination of both.
What Employers Should Do Now
For employers, the immediate takeaway is AI governance can no longer be treated as an IT issue.
Human resources, legal, compliance, and procurement teams should collaborate to identify all tools used in recruiting or personnel management, assess whether those tools materially affect employment decisions, and determine what disclosures this new law may require.
Even companies that already use AI responsibly may need to formalize review procedures.
Employers should also assess whether internal policies, vendor agreements, and recordkeeping practices are sufficient to support compliance.
Even companies that already use AI responsibly may need to formalize review procedures, conduct bias testing, and create documentation explaining how automated outputs are considered by human decision-makers.
Connecticut’s new law reflects a broader regulatory trend: employers may continue using AI, but they must do so transparently, carefully, and with meaningful human accountability.
About the authors: Robert Brody is managing partner at Brody and Associates, LLC, which he founded in 1997. Matthew Chiota is a law clerk at Brody and Associates, awaiting admission to the Connecticut and New York Bar associations. Contact them at [email protected] or 203.454.0560.
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