Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's decision to back creation of a state constitutional amendment - assuring that revenues collected for transportation are used for that purpose - is a necessary step. While a proposed "lockbox" amendment would reach voters in November 2016 at the earliest, laying the groundwork for the amendment will bolster support for the governor's vision to overhaul Connecticut's transportation system.

Soon after his re-election, Gov. Malloy began hinting that transportation would be a priority for Connecticut in his second term. How big a priority became clear when the governor devoted nearly his entire State of the State Address to the topic, though the Democrat has yet to provide details.

There is no debate that the transportation infrastructure in Connecticut needs an upgrade. Hundreds of bridges need routine maintenance. An outdated Interstate 95 suffers from numerous chokepoints that can bring normal traffic to a stop and cause massive tie-ups when accidents occur.

Connecticut's commuter rail services need improvement and expansion. Its deep-water ports are underutilized, as are some regional airports. This region could benefit from numerous transportation initiatives.

Priorities will have to be set and a sustainable plan to pay for the massive undertaking created. According to the Tax Foundation, Connecticut already ranks fourth among states with the highest per capita debt, $8,351. The state ranking is somewhat deceiving because Connecticut has no county government, meaning the state assumes debt that would show up as county borrowing elsewhere. Still, that is a lot of debt.

This means that if Connecticut is going to get serious about transportation it needs a strong constitutional amendment to assure revenues are set aside to pay for it. The amendment must mandate that gas taxes, motor vehicle license and permit fees and, perhaps in the future, toll revenues, go into the Special Transportation Fund. It must prohibit the legislature from diverting the funds for other purposes, as happened repeatedly in the past.

Gov. Malloy vows to submit a proposed amendment without an escape clause that would allow for exceptions. Such an ironclad assurance will be necessary for the public to embrace the grand transportation plans, stretching decades into the future, that the governor is preparing to announce.