Assemblyman Jeff Gallahan (R,C-Manchester) joined highway superintendents, crews, advocates and fellow lawmakers at the State Capitol today in recognition of “CHIPS Day,” calling for an increase in funding for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) in this year’s New York state budget. CHIPS funding provides critical support to towns, counties and villages responsible for maintaining thousands of miles of local roads and bridges across New York. 

“Taking care of our roads is one of the most basic functions of government,” said Gallahan.“From getting food and medicine to traveling to work or school, safe and reliable roads are essential to everyday life in our communities.” 

Gallahan also highlighted the importance of well-maintained roads to the Finger Lakes economy, where tourism supports small businesses, local jobs and municipal tax bases throughout the region.

“Here in the Finger Lakes, tourism generates millions of dollars each year for our counties and local towns,” Gallahan said. “That economic activity depends on visitors being able to travel safely on well-maintained roads and bridges.” 

The assemblyman also raised concerns about the imbalance between proposed funding for local road infrastructure and other transportation priorities in the governor’s proposed state budget. 

“In the governor’s proposed budget, $648 million is allocated for CHIPS to be divided among every town and the 62 counties in the state, while $4.5 billion is proposed for downstate transit and the New York City subway system,” Gallahan said. “This is taxpayer money, and Upstate communities deserve to see more of it invested back into our local roads and infrastructure.”Local highway superintendents who joined Assemblyman Gallahan at the Capitol emphasized the importance of increasing CHIPS funding to keep pace with rising costs for materials, equipment, and labor. 

“CHIPS funding is one of the most important tools towns have to maintain safe and reliable roads. Our highway system is the backbone of our local economy, and increased CHIPS funding will help towns protect the investments we’ve already made in our infrastructure while ensuring safe travel for residents, school buses, emergency services, and local businesses,” said Town of Canandaigua Highway Superintendent Jim Fletcher. 

“As budget negotiations continue, it’s important that the governor and legislative leaders recognize the critical role local highway departments play in keeping our communities moving,” Gallahan said. “Standing with our local highway superintendents today sends a clear message, our communities need stronger support to maintain the roads that keep the economy of not just New York, but our country moving.”