Hartford ― The state Senate unanimously passed on Thursday a bill that would lead to a study of ways to mitigate traffic and parking problems in Mystic and the surrounding area, state Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, announced in a news release. The bill now awaits a vote by the House.

“Mystic has momentum,” Somers, who introduced the bill, said in a statement. “Our goal is to keep people coming to southeastern Connecticut and wanting to spend their money and their time here. But if there’s no place for them to park or any easy way for them to move around, they get frustrated and they leave. And when they leave, dollars go with them.”

The bill “calls for a study to look at how to ease congestion while exploring alternative ways to move around the Mystic-Stonington area. Options could include water taxis and additional bike paths,” according to the news release.