Senator Fuschillo: State Budget Delivers Over $347 Million in Funding for Long Island Transportation Projects

        Senator Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr. (R-Merrick), Chairman of the Senate’s Transportation Committee, today announced over $347 million in funding for road and bridge improvement projects on Long Island as part of the recently adopted New York State budget. This includes $56 million in accelerated projects through the recently created New York Works program.

        “Creating jobs, economic development, and rebuilding our infrastructure are three critical priorities. We've addressed all of them as part of the state budget. This is a major investment in Long Island that will help complete important road, bridge, and highway projects, create new economic opportunities for Long Island’s businesses, and put people back to work. I’m pleased that we were able to work together to deliver this important funding," said Senator Fuschillo.

        Over $291 million will be invested in Long Island’s roads, highways, and bridges through the Department of Transportation’s capital plan. The funding will help pay for repairs and maintenance, as well as some new road construction.

        The budget also contains over $56 million in funding through the New York Works program. The program will accelerate repair, replace, and improvement of deficient roads and bridges. Approximately one-third of the state’s bridges are rated structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. Forty percent of the state’s pavement surfaces are rated deficient.

        Additionally, a new New York Works Task Force will be created to coordinate funding among 45 state agencies and authorities, as well as recommend financing options and ways to accelerate project construction.

        “This is a victory for Long Island's infrastructure and its economic future, but more important, it is a victory for a state government that is demonstrating how it can forge effective bipartisan coalitions to create results that benefit our region. Our collective thanks to Senator Fuschillo for his leadership role,” said Marc Herbst, Executive Director of the Long Island Contractors’ Association.