Senator Helming Meets With Local Highway Superintendents

ALBANY – Senator Pam Helming recently met with members of the New York State County Highway Superintendents Association, who were visiting the State Capitol to advocate for funding for local roads and bridges. The group included local Town Highway Superintendents from Cayuga, Monroe, Ontario, and Wayne Counties, and they shared with Senator Helming the importance of Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funding as well as the Pave NY and Extreme Winter Recovery programs. These critical programs help local Town and County Highway Departments maintain their roadways, bridges, and other infrastructure and keep them safe and reliable for residents. Senator Helming later joined her legislative colleagues as well as local Highway Superintendents for the Local Roads Matter news conference and rally. Together, they called on the Governor and legislative leaders to increase CHIPS funding in the final 2019-20 New York State budget.

“This time of year, when the winter weather causes our roads to become covered in snow and ice, our local Highway Department crews are never too far from our minds as we see the workers out in the snow plows at all hours of the night and day to keep our roads safe and clear for us. We cannot thank them enough for the outstanding work they do on behalf of our residents and our communities. Throughout the year, they are working hard to keep our roadways, bridges, and other infrastructure in good condition so the rest of us can enjoy safe, reliable travel to and from our homes, jobs, and other places. However, it is critical that they have the necessary funding to support this work as the cost of these projects continues to go up. That is why I am calling for an increase in funding for CHIPS and other important programs. I am proud to fight for our local Town and County Highway Departments, and I will keep advocating for them until we pass this year’s state budget,” Senator Helming said.