Town residents had a chance to join in a brainstorming session about transportation and infrastructure Thursday with U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy.

Nearly 75 people were on hand for Murphy’s “community conversation” at Town Hall as part of a joint program of Murphy’s office and town officials.

The format was informal, with Murphy talking about the $1 trillion package proposed by Senate Democrats to fix the country’s decaying infrastructure and add thousands of jobs.

The effort could win bipartisan support, he said. During his campaign, President Donald Trump said he wanted to spend more money on projects to replace failing roads, bridges and other transportation links.

“Every time I criticize the Trump administration for things I disagree with, whether it be immigration or health care, I try to say there are places like this where, if they took it, we could find agreement,” Murphy said. “I think Connecticut will do well if we make a big investment.”

A microphone was passed around to take comments or questions from those in the audience and the dozen officials sitting as panelists for the roundtable discussion.

“Right now, the United States is spending about 3 percent of its (Gross Domestic Product) on infrastructure,” said Murphy, who is on the Senate’s Appropriations Committee and Transportation Sub Committee. “Europe, even in the midst of all these economic crises, is spending twice that at 6 percent of its GDP. China is spending 12 percent of its GDP on infrastructure. It’s no wonder they have the high speed trains and we have trains slower than they were in 1950.”

A trillion dollars “is a scary number, but you have to explain to people that we’re going to have our economic lunch handed to us if we don’t start to spend in a manner that is at least close to consistent with all of the other economic powers,” he said.

Historically, Murphy said, Connecticut has gotten $1.06 back in federal transportation funds for every dollar it sends to the federal government in gas taxes. If the infrastructure bill gets through Congress, Connecticut could be in a good place to get money to help pay for projects ranging from widening I-95 to replacing Norwalk’s Walk Bridge.

“At any moment this could accelerate very quickly and we could be in a debate ...about a big, major transportation investment project,” Murphy said. “If that happens, I want to make sure we get everything we need here in Connecticut.“

The Greenwich members of the bi-partisan panel included Selectmen John Toner and Drew Marzullo, Board of Estimate and Taxation member John Blankley, town Director of Zoning Katie DeLuca, Commissioner of Public Works Amy Siebert, Chairman of the Greenwich Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Sam Romeo, Greenwich Preservation Trust Chairman Jo Conboy and town Chamber of Commerce CEO Marcia O’Kane.

The panel also included Stamford Mayor David Martin, Darien First Selectman Jayme Stevenson, Westport First Selectman First Selectman Jim Marpe and State Rep. Gail Lavielle (R-143rd).

The event was organized locally by Marzullo.

“A trillion dollars is a lot of money, but when divided by 50 (states) with thousands of competing projects, how will Connecticut rank?” Marzullo asked. “Senator Murphy is committed to making sure our state sees its fair share. As dysfunctional as Washington D.C. is, infrastructure is an area where Democrats and Republicans may just agree.”

Siebert said a 2009 infrastructure bill required projects be “shovel ready” before money was granted, which left Greenwich at a disadvantage. She asked if the new infrastructure bill would have those same restrictions.

“I will be advocating that any transportation infrastructure bill that we do not prioritize shovel-ready projects,” Murphy said. “The stimulus bill was a different moment in time when it was really about restarting the economy as fast as possible. This bill should be about priority projects that have the biggest long-term benefit for the economy.”

Romeo said he wanted Congress to consider alternatives to simply replacing older roads and bridges.

“Anybody who travels I-95 in Fairfield County from the 287 corridor all the way up to Bridgeport will know what a nightmare it is to travel during the morning rush hour and evening rush hour,” Romeo said. “I think we should be looking at elevated platforms and a monorail system.”

Conboy suggested getting goods shipped by barges to reduce truck traffic. He also worried major highway expansions or high-speed rail could damage historical landmarks along the I-95 corridor.