State of the art upgrades to Central New York’s transit system are on the way. In order to improve our public transportation system, the Assembly has worked to secure a $994,000 urban Transit Capital Grant for the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority/CENTRO. This money will be used for upgrades including transitioning to a fuel efficient system that will help safeguard the environment, strengthen the economy, and improve the lives of people who use public transportation every day.

The award, part of a $16 million package in Transit Capital grants statewide, supports the state’s vision to provide clean-fuel buses, and improve infrastructure and transit facilities. We use public transportation to get us to work, doctor’s appointments and to go shopping. By improving CENTRO’s infrastructure and reliability, we will give customers greater access to local businesses, and boost our economy.

CENTRO’s system, which includes Onondaga, Cayuga, Oneida and Oswego counties, carries 12 million passengers annually and transports 33,000 daily. Better service, on buses that are more fuel efficient, will decrease pollution and provide better connections to the places and people who are central to our lives.

By transferring to clean-fuel buses and additional transit upgrades, we can benefit the environment and help secure a healthy future for Central New Yorkers. Public transportation is an important piece of Central New York’s economic infrastructure and I will continue working to ensure we have high-quality public transportation.