Assemblymember Phil Steck (D-Colonie) announced that he successfully fought for funding increases for Department of Transportation and more funding to fix our roads and bridges to be included in the Assembly’s budget proposal (E.1047).

“Infrastructure investments are a core purpose of government. These projects will bring jobs and promote growth in our region,” Assemblymember Steck said. “Road maintenance and rail upgrades aren’t necessarily headline-grabbers, but history shows that this important work is vital to our region’s prosperity. This plan will ensure that our local roads, bridges, and airport are not shortchanged.”

Anyone who has driven through New York knows that our roads and bridges are in dire need of repair, Steck noted. The Assembly’s budget provides the Department of Transportation’s five-year capital program with $405 million in funding.

Funding to be dispersed over four years includes:

• $250 million for non-MTA downstate and upstate transit systems,
• $100 million for rail projects and
• $55 million for projects at airports throughout the state.

The Assembly budget also provides $208 million in operating assistance for upstate transit systems, an increase of $15 million over the governor’s budget proposal.

To help make needed repairs to our roads, the Assembly budget includes an additional $200 million over four years for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs), for total funding of $488 million for 2016-17, an increase of $50 million annually above the governor’s proposal.

“This is all part of a broader budget plan that addresses the totality of our infrastructure needs,” Steck said. “This means transportation, but also things like our $300 million proposal for drinking water upgrades. My colleagues and I are determined that New York does not become a state that puts its citizens at risk because of penny-wise, pound foolish thinking.”

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