Governor Announces Accelerated Road and Bridge Projects

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced an additional and accelerated $32,416,940 investment for 18 NY Works projects that will repair 227 miles of roads and 10 bridges in the Finger Lakes Region and create thousands of jobs. For the transportation component of NY Works, the Department of Transportation (DOT) reviewed its Capital Program and identified those projects, which can be accelerated by utilizing either the conventional design-bid-build project delivery mechanism or the newly-enacted design-build project delivery method.

NY Works will reinvent state economic development with an innovative new strategy that will put New Yorkers back to work rebuilding the state's infrastructure. The Task Force will create tens of thousands of jobs by coordinating comprehensive capital plans, overseeing all investment in infrastructure projects, and accelerating hundreds of critical projects across the state.

"For the second straight year, New York State has worked and passed a balanced and transformative budget based on fiscal responsibility, job creation, government efficiency," Governor Cuomo said. "The cornerstone of this budget is the New York Works program, a new and smarter strategy for putting New Yorkers back to work by rebuilding our aging infrastructure and helping put our state's economy back on track, just the way we have put our state government back on track. This significant investment will rebuild the foundation of the region's economy and create thousands of jobs for New Yorkers."

State Senator Joe Robach said,"I am happy that with this budget document the governor and legislature created a specific roads and bridges plan for Upstate New York to invest in important infrastructure and put to work thousands of people in construction related fields. Timing of this is critical because we need to do all we can to jump start the economy."

State Senator James Alesi said, "During this year's Budget negotiations I fought hard to ensure that Western New York received its fair share of transportation funding. With Governor Cuomo as a strong ally, we secured hundreds of millions of dollars for our region to help accelerate the repair, replacement and improvement of our roads and bridges. Most importantly, this crucial funding will improve the safety of our residents. Also, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, I recognize the positive impact that the Governor's NY Works Program will have on our region's economy."

"I am pleased that in the process of making these necessary funding commitments to our transportation infrastructure, at a time when the state has limited resources because of a tough economy, we are also creating jobs. This investment includes significant projects totaling more than $16.5 million for major road and bridge projects in and around Monroe County," said NYS Assembly Transportation Committee Chair David Gantt.

"The New York Works Program will not only improve the safety of the transportation system in our community, it will also be a major investment in our local infrastructure and economy," said Assemblyman Joseph D. Morelle. "This investment, including $5.5 million for the improvement of the I-390 corridor in the town of Brighton, will help put Monroe County residents back to work and provide better access to our region's top employer, the University of Rochester."

"The New York Works program is a win-win for our state," Assemblyman Harry B. Bronson said. "We can simultaneously repair and restore critical infrastructure throughout Monroe County including, in part, the towns of Chili, Rush, and the city of Rochester, while putting tens of thousands of workers back to work."

The Budget continues the Governor's commitment to fiscal responsibility while creating jobs and strengthening communities across the state. It closes a multi-billion dollar deficit with no new taxes, fees or gimmicks, limits spending growth to two percent or below for the second year in a row, and launches the NY Works Task Force to invest billions of dollars to rebuild the state's roads, bridges, parks, and other infrastructure and create tens of thousands of jobs.

The Budget includes key economic development and transportation initiatives, important reforms to improve government efficiency, and measures to strengthen communities across the state.


NYWorks

Establishes the NY Works Task Force

The NY Works Task Force will coordinate capital plans across 45 agencies and authorities, oversee investment in projects and access to funding, and facilitate the creation of tens of thousands of jobs.

Prior to the NY Works initiative, there was no comprehensive state plan for the $16 billion in annual capital expenditures by 45 state agencies and authorities. In some cases, including with respect to projects by the Port Authority, the MTA, and the Department of Transportation, billions of dollars of taxpayer or commuter funds were being used to fund transportation plans in the same region with no coordination between the agencies. For the first time, the NY Works Task Force will develop a coordinated capital infrastructure plan among agencies and authorities. The Task Force, made up of leaders in finance, labor, planning and transportation will also recommend financing options for projects and methods to accelerate construction of critical infrastructure.

The NY Works Task Force will consist of fifteen members. Nine of the members will be appointed by the Governor and six by the Legislature. All major state agencies and authorities will participate in an implementation council to coordinate capital planning.

All NY Works projects will be posted on the web with real-time updates so that New Yorkers can track the progress of projects in their community. The full list will be posted online over the next several days.

Rebuild Roads and Bridges

The Budget funds the NY Works program with $247 million in state capital funds and $917 million in new Federal funds for a total of $1.2 billion in new spending to accelerate repair, replacement and improvement of deficient roads and bridges. This funding is over and above the $1.6 billion already allocated this year to the core transportation capital program for road and bridge projects. This program is in addition to the advancement of the Tappan Zee Bridge replacement project that will inject billions more into the regional and state economy.

The additional $1.2 billion in accelerated projects will include: $212 million to address bridge deck and structural replacement or rehabilitation needs on approximately 115 bridges; $250 million for more than 2,000 miles of low cost pavement preservation and pavement treatments; and $687 million for transportation projects of regional or statewide significance throughout the state that had been delayed due to resource constraints.

The NY Works Accelerated Bridge and Pavement Preservation program will expedite projects to immediately create jobs, address critical infrastructure needs, and achieve savings. The Accelerated Bridge and Pavement Preservation program represents a different way of doing business for New York State. Rather than executing 100 different contracts for 100 different bridges, projects will be consolidated under regional contracts – a more efficient process that will enable the state to complete critical projects on time and on budget.

As part of the NY Works program, the Accelerated Bridge program is an innovative capital program delivery approach designed to reduce the backlog of deficient bridges in New York State that require replacement. The program will rehabilitate or replace many bridges over a quick time frame resulting in eliminating future maintenance costs as well as create thousands of constructions jobs and stimulate the New York State economy. Currently, 2,500 or 32 percent of the State's bridges are rated deficient. The bridges will be bundled into six statewide Design-Bid-Build contracts and four Design-Build contracts in four geographic areas: Long Island, Hudson Valley, Central and Western New York, and the North Country and Capital Region.

In addition, NY Works establishes a $250 million investment in a Pavement Preservation program that will improve nearly 2,000 additional lane miles of pavement conditions, which is equivalent to a round trip from New York City to Orlando, Florida. Forty percent of the state's pavement surfaces are rated deficient. Similar to the Accelerated Bridge program, paving and resurfacing contracts will be let throughout the State, creating jobs in every region.

The accelerated NY Works transportation Projects in the Finger Lakes Region are as follows:

Specific criteria for including a project in the NY Works Fund are as follows:

Accelerated bridge projects:

• It is on the State deficient bridge list.
• Projects that can begin construction in 2012 to immediately reduce the number of deficient bridges.
• Eligible for federal funding.
• Approximately 110 bridges can be rebuilt under the accelerated program.
• Half of the projects will use the State's new "design-build" authority to speed project completion

Accelerated pavement preservation projects:

• Statewide roadway segments rated fair or poor
• Best and lowest cost treatments, such single course overlay, mill and fill, etc.
• Eligible for federal funding.
• 2000 miles of road repaired

Accelerated regional projects:

• Projects of regional significance were programmed for outer years only because of lack of funds, but can be accelerated into 2012 to immediately create jobs, deal with critical infrastructure and yield savings.