Senator Young Calls for State Funding Increase for Local Roads Maintenance

For Release: Immediate, March 10, 2014

CHIPS Funding Will Help to Reduce the Burden on Local Taxpayers 

            ALBANY - Senator Catharine Young (R, C, I-Olean) joins local highway superintendents from across New York State in calling for increased funding for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS). The CHIPS program is designed to alleviate the local tax burden by helping municipal governments meet costly infrastructure needs.

            “The potholes this year are terrible - probably the worst we’ve seen. The roads are crumbling because of the unusually harsh, sub-zero temperatures and repeated thawing,” Senator Young said.

            “I am deeply concerned about safety issues. These deep potholes are causing drivers to swerve on the road, and are blowing out tires,” she said.

            “We need increased funding to fix the state and local roads,” she said.

            Senator Young said she appreciated that the local highway superintendents visited Albany recently to advocate for adequate road funding.

            “Our ability to create jobs and grow our economy depends on a strong network of well-maintained roads, highways, and bridges. This is in addition to the serious safety issue presented by poorly maintained roads in our region. I stand with highway superintendents from across my district in calling for increased CHIPS funding so that local taxpayers are not shouldered with the heavy burden of making necessary repairs to the damages our roads have sustained this winter,” said Senator Young.

            CHIPS provides State funds to municipalities to support the construction, repair, and maintenance of highways, bridges, and roads that are not part of the State highway system. In last year’s State budget Senator Young and her Senate Republican colleagues led the charge to secure an additional $75 million in CHIPS funding.

            “Our local governments are shouldered with the responsibility of maintaining thousands of miles of roads and highways, as well as thousands of bridges. With the terrible pothole damage this winter’s weather has inflicted on our roads, they are in dire need of work, and with cash strapped municipalities already stretched thin, more CHIPS funding is a critical and necessary investment in our transportation network,”  said Senator Young.

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