Coalition of Contractors and Labor Leaders Send Open Letter to Governor Hochul, Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins and Assembly Speaker Heastie Pushing for More NYSDOT Capital Funding
Coalition Strongly Supports State Senate Majority Budget Plan to Invest in Repairing Roads and Bridges
(Albany, NY) A newly released letter calls for state policymakers to seize a once-in-a-generation opportunity to invest in repairing and replacing New York’s crumbling roads and bridges. The letter states: “Currently, New York already has 1,700 deficient bridges and more than 7,000 miles of highway in poor condition.”
Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, state lawmakers finally have a chance to get New York’s roads and bridges fixed.
Governor Hochul’s preliminary budget does call for a $32.8 Billion Capital Program, which includes $7.12B in local highway and bridge assistance, $4.15B for signature projects and $13.224B for core highway construction. However, the New York State Department of Transportation’s core highway construction program funding actually declines under the Executive Budget proposal.
Thankfully, the State Senate Majority, under Leader Stewart-Cousins and Transportation Committee Chairman Kennedy remedies the concerns by increasing funding for the NYSDOT Capital Plan, includes $2 billion in bonding authority to grow the program by $10-12 billion over 5 years, as well as increases in funding for CHIPS and Emergency Winter Recovery (EWR).
As stated in the letter: “We strongly support the Senate Majority’s proposal, as we believe it seizes the generational opportunity presented by the federal infrastructure bill to move our roads and bridges.”
The letter was signed by leaders from:
- American Council of Engineering
- Associated General Contractors of New York State
- Carpenter Contractor Alliance of Metropolitan New York
- Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley Inc.
- North Atlantic States Region Council of Carpenters
- New York City & Vicinity District Council of Carpenters
- The General Contractors Association of New York
- Laborers Employers Cooperation Education Trust
- Hudson Valley Building and Construction Trades Council
- International Union of Operating Engineers Laborers’ Local 137
- Laborers’ Local 17
- Laborers’ Local 60
- Laborers’ Local 210
- Laborers’ Local 235
- Laborers’ Local 621
- Laborers’ Local 754
- Laborers’ Local 825
- Long Island Contractors’ Association
- New York State Conference of Operating Engineers
- Operating Engineers Local 138
- Rebuild NY Now
- Teamsters Local’ 456
- Westchester Putnam Building and Construction Trades
To read the full letter click here.
About Rebuild New York Now:
Rebuild New York Now is a broad-based coalition comprising members of the construction industry, organized labor and business enterprises, representing more than 30,000 workers and their families with the common goal of investing in infrastructure to ensure the safety and economic health of New York State.
