BRIDGE-NY funding awarded for local projects: O’Mara and Palmesano say state must keep taking steps to better support local infrastructure

Elmira, N.Y., December 15— State Senator Tom O’Mara (R,C,I- Big Flats) and Assemblyman Phil Palmesano (R,C,I-Corning) welcomed today’s announcement that local bridge and culvert improvement projects in Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tompkins and Yates counties are being awarded state aid through the latest round of funding through the state’s BRIDGE-NY program.

The funding was announced earlier today in Albany as part of $216.2 million in assistance going to 109 projects statewide.

O’Mara and Palmesano played an instrumental role in creating the BRIDGE-NY program as part of the 2016-2017 state budget, which has since awarded nearly $500 million to localities.  The aid helps localities across the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, and statewide, undertake bridge and culvert rehabilitation and replacement projects.

In a joint statement, O’Mara and Palmesano said, “BRIDGE-NY has been an important addition to the increased state support for local transportation infrastructure.  We must continue to take important steps to establish stronger state support for local roads, bridges and culverts in critical need of rehabilitation and replacement.  The state’s recognition over the past several years of the importance of local transportation infrastructure and parity in statewide transportation funding will continue making a significant difference for our local governments, local economies, local property taxpayers, and motorist safety locally and statewide.  We will continue working with Governor Hochul, our legislative colleagues, and local highway superintendents and leaders across this region and state on this vitally important challenge and priority. Every additional dollar of state support means a dollar less that our local property taxpayers have to pay.  We need to keep making these investments in economic growth and job creation throughout the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, and all across New York.”

O’Mara and Palmesano said that the following regional projects are included under the BRIDGE-NY funding announced today:

> $2.299 million to Chemung County for the replacement of the Latta Brook (CR51) bridge over Latta Brook;

> $1.958 million to the Village of Odessa (Schuyler County) for the replacement of the Cotton Hanlon Road bridge over Deckertown Creek;

> $4.566 million to Steuben County for the replacement of the Smith Road bridge over the Cohocton River;

> $3.675 million to Tompkins County for the replacement of the County Road 146 bridge over Taughannock Creek; and

> $1.462 million to Yates County for the replacement of the Haley Road bridge over Big Stream.

Palmesano, whose 132nd Assembly District also includes a part of Seneca County, said that Seneca County is receiving $710,000 for the superstructure replacement of the Marshall Road bridge over Kendig Creek.  The village of Interlaken (Seneca County) is receiving $999,000 for the replacement of the Route 96 culvert carrying Lively Run Tributary.

BRIDGE-NY funding is available to all municipalities authorized to receive and administer state and federal transportation funding. A competitive process is utilized to distribute the awards, which will support all phases of project development including design, right-of-way and construction. Evaluations are based on the resiliency of the structure, the current bridge and culvert structural conditions, and the significance and importance of the bridge based on traffic volumes, detour considerations, the number and types of businesses served and the overall impact on commerce.

O’Mara and Palmesano have collaborated with local highway superintendents and other local officials from throughout New York over the past decade to lead the fight in the Legislature for fairer and stronger state support for local transportation infrastructure, including bridges and culverts.