Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Chair James Brennan and Transportation Chair David Gantt today announced the approved 2016-2017 SFY Budget agreement includes $28 billion for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and $27 billion for the Department of Transportation (DOT) Capital Plans, $950 million in additional funds for the Second Avenue Subway project and a $400 million increase to the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS).

"The transportation investments we made in this budget are essential to the state's future," said Heastie. "A critical component of our ability to build the economy and create opportunities for our residents is a statewide transportation infrastructure that is dependable, efficient and safe. This budget provides the MTA, DOT and localities with a significant funding commitment of state resources to help meet the transportation needs of today's New Yorkers and for the generations to come."

"The funding in this budget helps to pay for necessary investments in the transportation infrastructure of our state and local governments," said Gantt. "These funding commitments are critical to our economy and the safety of the traveling public. I am especially pleased that we were able to make a significant investment in the DOT Capital Plan and boost funding for CHIPS, a program that localities throughout the state depend on to keep their roads and bridges in good repair."

"It's a relief to know that the MTA Capital Plan will have the resources it needs to carry out its plans to modernize their equipment and facilities in order to better serve the growing number of transit riders who rely on their services daily," said Brennan. "The Assembly fought to fund the MTA's Capital Plan in this budget to ensure that the authority has the ability to give the MTA region's residents the highly efficient and affordable transportation infrastructure they are entitled to and deserve."

The 2016-17 SFY Budget will provide a $2.9 billion appropriation to support the MTA's $28 billion 2015-19 Capital Plan. This is the first of the four annual appropriations which will total $7.3 billion. This funding will pay for improvements to the authority's transportation infrastructure, which includes the purchase of new buses, subway and train cars, transit station improvements and modern signal systems.

The MTA's Second Avenue Subway project will receive $1.5 billion in funding, an increase of $950 million, which includes $500 million in the MTA's 2015-19 Capital Plan. In addition, the project will receive, as part of the budget agreement, Capital Program Review Board approval of another $450 million for the authority's next capital plan in order to extend subway service to New York City's East Harlem area.

The budget funds DOT's five-year Capital Plan with $27 billion, a significant increase of $1.04 billion, which includes $860 million to the state's Highway and Bridge Program. Over four years, the DOT Capital Plan also will provide increases of $100 million for non-MTA downstate and upstate transit systems; $50 million for rail projects statewide; and $30 million for the Air99 aviation program.

To help local governments pay for road and bridge improvements in order to ensure their safety and reliability, the budget increases funding by $400 million over four years for CHIPS.