Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square) raised concerns about the condition of local roads and the rising cost of transportation during the transportation hearing on the governor’s 2026 executive budget proposal on Tuesday. A recent report by TRIP, a Washington, D.C.-based national transportation research nonprofit, underscores the urgency: Drivers are now spending 44% more than they were in 2022 on vehicle ownership and maintenance as poor road conditions continue to take a toll.

During the hearing, Ra questioned New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez about the continued lack of investment in local and suburban roadways, particularly as inflation has eroded the value of flat-funded programs like the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), resulting in fewer roads being repaired each year.

Ra also called attention to the Long Island Suburban Highway Improvement Program (SHIPS), a statutory program that has gone unfunded since 1997. SHIPS was designed to direct transportation aid to suburban areas based in part on the number of licensed motorists, an approach Ra argued better reflects the needs of regions like Long Island and Westchester.

Recent reports show that poor road conditions cost drivers in the New York metropolitan area more than $3,700 per year in vehicle repairs, accidents and maintenance.

“We need increased investment in local roads, and there are ways to ensure Long Island receives its fair share,” Ra said. “One option is restoring the SHIPS program, which once provided targeted funding to suburban communities. Although SHIPS was discontinued nearly three decades ago, the need for dedicated suburban highway funding has only grown.”

Ra has also introduced legislation to direct the Department of Transportation to study current transportation funding streams to assess regional equity and determine whether reinstating SHIPS, or a similar program, is necessary.

“A dedicated review is long overdue,” Ra added. “Only by examining how funding is distributed can we determine whether our roadways are being adequately and fairly supported.”

In addition, Ra questioned Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman and CEO Janno Lieber about rising operating costs at the MTA, including $1.5 billion in overtime expenses, including approximately $300 million in budget overruns.

“That’s a big number,” Ra said. “Overtime and budget overruns at this level raise serious questions about management and priorities at the MTA.”

Watch Assemblyman Ed Ra speaking at the budget hearing with the New York State Department of Transportation commissioner here and with the MTA chairman and CEO here.