By Jay Lawson
A bipartisan group of 114 New York State legislators, along with county and town highway superintendents from across the state, has joined together in calling for increased state funding for local highway improvements.
State Senator James Seward (R/C/I – Oneonta) was among them, as the coalition was announced on Wednesday, March 4.
“Motorist safety and economic vitality depend on the condition of these roads and the state must step up and fund [their maintenance],” he said.
Local roads, bridges, and culverts are the foundation of our state’s infrastructure, according to Seward.
“Every time you leave your house, chances are high that you are doing most of your traveling on a local road maintained by dedicated county, town, and village transportation workers,” he said.
Two years ago Senator Seward helped win an additional $75 million in state funding for Consolidated Highway Improve-ment Program (CHIPs), the first increase since 2008.
That funding level was maintained in the 2014–15 state budget and was bolstered by a special $40 million “pothole fund” to help municipalities make repairs following last year’s severe winter weather.
“For several years, upstate roads were neglected, but…added CHIPs funding helped maintain and improve local highways without depleting county budgets. Now, with recent bank settlements, New York has a little more than $5 billion in revenue to work with and it is time we commit to a long-term investment in our local infrastructure,” Seward said.
Drivers on local roads contribute nearly half of the gas taxes collected by the state, according to Seward.
Yet less than 12 percent of the taxes and fees paid to the state by these drivers go back to maintaining local roads, he said.
In a letter to Governor Cuomo and legislative leaders, Senator Seward and his senate and assembly colleagues called for a $200 million increase in CHIPs funding in the 2015-16 budget.
“Investment must be given to our local needs, particularly for critical pavement, bridge and culvert work,” the letter states.
The letter describes the need of a multi-year strategy.
“[This will] help provide our citizens, local property taxpayers, tourists and motorists with the kind of local transportation system they need and deserve,” it states.
Exacerbating the problem is a shrinking of funds already allocated.
“A 25-percent increase in statewide salt contract prices will have a detrimental impact, not only on many snow and ice budgets, but on overall local highway maintenance budgets as well,” the letter states.
High-profile state roads tend to get the attention, but local road maintenance is critical too, according to the group’s letter.
“Tourism industries are equally dependent upon a well-maintained and viable local infrastructure. Going from a well-conditioned state road to a deteriorating local road…does not send the right message to our local visitors,” the letter states.
“A stronger state-local partnership is the only answer,” the group concludes.
And the 2015-2016 New York State budget must solidify our fundamental belief that “local roads matter,” said the group.
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Editor’s Note: It has been reported to us that the Pothole Hotline number (1-800-POTHOLE), which many have used in the past in requesting repairs to Route 28 locally, is currently non-operational. Alternatively, a reader suggested that pothole problems be reported to the New York State Department of Transportation website at https://www.dot.ny.gov/main/feedback-form?p_url=/
about-nysdot/contact.