Conn. Gen. Stat. » Title 07 — MUNICIPALITIES · Chapter 103a — Transit Districts
Connecticut General Statutes

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-273b (2026)

Legislative finding. Definitions. Formation of district. Withdrawal

✓ current as of May 2026
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(a) It is hereby found and declared that the development, maintenance and improvement of systems for the transportation of people and goods within the state, and particularly within the metropolitan areas of the state, by rail, motor carrier or other means of land transportation are essential for the welfare of the citizens of the state and for the development of the state's resources, commerce and industry, that the development and maintenance of modern, efficient and adequate systems of mass transportation are required; that private enterprise lacks financial or other resources necessary to provide such systems of mass transportation; and, that the formation and operation of transit districts with the powers enumerated in this chapter are thus a public necessity.

(b) As used in this chapter:

(1) “Transit facilities”, “transit services” and “transit system” include motorbus, minibus, tramline, monorail, rapid transit or other land transportation systems for the mass movement of persons and goods between locations within and between municipalities, including real property and interests therein, and equipment and facilities incident to the provision, operation, administration and maintenance of such transit system. The term “transit facilities” also includes a “transportation center”, as defined in subdivision (2) of this subsection, and “parking facilities”, as defined in subdivision (3) of this subsection;

(2) “Transportation center” includes a station or terminal for passengers and goods in local, intrastate or interstate transit by any rail, bus or other land transportation system, land, buildings, structures, parking facilities, roads and other improvements, equipment and facilities, and includes a station or center containing commercial, office, retail or other facilities which are necessary or incidental to transportation purposes or uses or which the district, by its board of directors, determines are not presently needed for such transportation purposes but should be included in such center for use in the future as the need arises. Those portions of existing buildings and properties acquired for a transportation center which are not used or have no potential for future use for transportation purposes may be used and improved for such commercial, office, retail or other uses which the district, by its board of directors, determines are necessary or appropriate to finance or operate those portions of the transportation center which are devoted to such transportation purposes or to finance or operate other activities of the district; and

(3) “Parking facilities” mean one or more lots, garages, parking terminals or other structures and accommodations for the parking of motor vehicles off any highway, as defined in section 14-1.

(c) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the continuation of any transit district formed under any special act.

(d) Any town, city or borough may, by itself or in cooperation with one or more other municipalities, form a transit district, in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter provided. The district shall be a body corporate and politic, and may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, hold and convey real or personal estate, adopt and alter a common seal, borrow on the faith and credit of the district for its purposes under this chapter, and, in addition to the powers authorized by this chapter or any other chapter of the general statutes, shall have such other powers as are necessary or incident to carrying out the powers and purposes of this chapter.

(e) The legislative body of any municipality may vote to establish a transit district or to join with any one or more municipalities to form such a district. Any municipality may at any time be included in the district if the legislative body thereof so votes and if accepted by a majority vote of the directors of the transit district. Any municipality may be an ex-officio member of another transit district if the legislative body thereof so votes and if accepted by a majority vote of the directors of such other transit district. An ex-officio member shall not have the right to vote. The district may contract with any town to supply transit service therein. It may also provide charter service.

(f) Any municipality included in the district may withdraw therefrom if the legislative body thereof votes to do so. In such case the board of directors of the district, including the members chosen from the withdrawing municipality, shall determine the share of the district's expenses and obligations remaining due from the municipality. The municipality shall pay or secure such amount to the district before such withdrawal shall become effective.

(g) Whenever any transit district is formed under the provisions of this chapter, no provision of chapters 244, 244a, 244b, 277, 281 and 285 shall apply to the operation of transit systems by such district.

(1961, P.A. 507, S. 1; 1972, P.A. 261, S. 1; P.A. 73-2, S. 6, 7, 11; P.A. 77-463, S. 1; P.A. 78-305, S. 1, 5; P.A. 83-469, S. 2, 5; P.A. 85-246, S. 2; P.A. 99-82, S. 1, 4.)

History: 1972 act inserted new Subsecs. (a) to (c) re necessity for public transit, definitions and protection of previously formed transit districts, relettered former Subsec. (a) as Subsec. (d) and granted power to carry out provisions of chapter, deleted former Subsec. (b), relettered former Subsecs. (c) to (e) as Subsecs. (e) to (g) and replaced references to actions of electors with references to actions of the legislative body and extended scope of Subsec. (g) to include all transit systems; P.A. 73-2 amended Subsec. (d) to give districts borrowing power and amended Subsec. (e) to remove requirement that district members be contiguous municipalities; P.A. 77-463 redefined “transit facilities” to include transportation centers and defined “transportation center” in Subsec. (b); P.A. 78-305 added multiple-use provision re transportation centers in Subsec. (b); P.A. 83-469 redefined “transit facilities” to include parking facilities, changed the term “parking areas” to “parking facilities” and defined “parking facilities” in Subsec. (b); P.A. 85-246 redefined “transit facilities”, “transit services” and “transit system” in Subsec. (b)(1) to exclude street railways which were previously included; P.A. 99-82 amended Subsec. (e) to authorize any municipality that is a member of a transit district to become a nonvoting, ex-officio member of another transit district, effective July 1, 1999.

Cited. 235 C. 1.

Subsec. (f):

Trial court properly determined that where transit district ceased to exist after all four municipal members withdrew and formed a new transit authority, which assumed all assets and liabilities of the former transit district, the requirement that former transit district's board of directors determine the share of the district's expenses and obligations remaining due from each municipal member was obviated. 101 CA 243.

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Notes of Decisions
Cited in 9 cases, 1989–2016 · leading case: Westport Taxi Serv., Inc. v. Westport Transit Dist., 664 A.2d 719 (Conn. 1995).
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Westport Taxi Serv., Inc. v. Westport Transit Dist., 664 A.2d 719 (Conn. 1995). · cites it 4× “to 1966) § 7-273b. 7 Initially, pursuant to a financial grant from the federal Urban Mass Transportation Authority (transportation authority), the defendant had intended to establish only a fixed route bus service in Westport.”
Ward v. Housatonic Area Reg'l Transit Dist., 154 F. Supp. 2d 339 (D. Conn. 2001). · cites it 6× “HART is a regional transit district created under Conn.Gen.Stat. § 7-273b and is a provider of public bus services.”
New Britain Transp. Co. v. Comm'r of Transp., 151 A.3d 823 (Conn. 2016). · cites it 4× “I emphasize my specific disagreement with the majority's reliance on the statutory scheme governing transit districts; see General Statutes § 7-273b et seq. ; and specifically General Statutes § 7-273e (a), 15 which gives transit districts the power of eminent domain over bus…”
In Re Westport Transit Dist., 165 B.R. 93 (Bankr. D. Conn. 1994). · cites it 10× “Conn.Gen.Stat. § 7-273b(a). 3 . Section 7-273b(d) provides; Any town, city or borough may, by itself or in cooperation with one or more other municipalities, form a transit district, in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter provided.”
Greater Bridgeport Transit Dist. v. Local Union 1336, 559 A.2d 1113 (Conn. 1989). · cites it 2× “The plaintiff, Greater Bridgeport Transit District, is a transit district created and governed by General Statutes § 7-273b et seq. The plaintiff provides public transportation for the communities of Bridgeport, Stratford, Fairfield and Trumbull.”
Luysterborghs v. Pension & Ret. Bd., 927 A.2d 385 (Conn. Super. Ct. 2007). · cites it 2× “[t]o sue and be sued”); General Statutes § 10-241 (“[e]ach school district shall be a body corporate and shall have the power to sue and be sued); General Statutes § 7-273b (d) (transit district “shall be a body corporate and politic, and may sue and be sued”); General Statutes…”
Greater Bridgeport Transit Dist. v. State Bd. of Labor Relations, 653 A.2d 229 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1993). “Section 7-273b et seq. and is a municipal employer within the meaning of Section 7-467 (1) of the Municipal Employees Relations Act.”
Greater Bridgeport Transit Dist. v. City of Bridgeport, 920 A.2d 1028 (Conn. App. Ct. 2007). · cites it 5× “The plaintiffs focus on General Statutes § 7-273b (f), which provides: “Any municipality included in the [transit] district may withdraw therefrom if the legislative body thereof votes to do so.”
Dattco, Inc. v. Comm'r of Transp. (Conn. 2016). · cites it 4× “I emphasize my specific disagreement with the majority’s reliance on the statutory scheme governing transit districts; see General Statutes § 7-273b et seq.; and specifically Gen- eral Statutes § 7-273e (a),15 which gives transit districts the power of eminent domain over bus…”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-273b(a): 1 case
In Re Westport Transit Dist., 165 B.R. 93 (Bankr. D. Conn. 1994). “Conn.Gen.Stat. § 7-273b(a). 3 . Section 7-273b(d) provides; Any town, city or borough may, by itself or in cooperation with one or more other municipalities, form a transit district, in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter provided.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 7-273b(d): 1 case
In Re Westport Transit Dist., 165 B.R. 93 (Bankr. D. Conn. 1994). “Conn.Gen.Stat. § 7-273b(a). 3 . Section 7-273b(d) provides; Any town, city or borough may, by itself or in cooperation with one or more other municipalities, form a transit district, in the manner and for the purposes hereinafter provided.”
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