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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 08, 2009
GOVERNOR PATERSON AND CONGRESSMAN HINCHEY ANNOUNCE $89 MILLION IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY FUNDING FOR SOUTHERN TIER INFRASTRUCTURE
First Approved Projects Include Bridge Reconstructions, Maintenance and Drainage Improvements
Funding will Create an Estimated 2,136 Jobs in the Southern Tier
Governor David A. Paterson today announced that the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) regions in the Southern Tier are expected to receive at least $89 million in transportation and infrastructure funding through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This critical funding will go toward much-needed highway and road repair, bridge span work and other long-term improvements to the region’s infrastructure and will create an estimated 2,136 jobs. The Governor was joined by Congressman Maurice Hinchey for the announcement at the DOT Garage in Owego.
“I want to thank President Obama and New York’s Congressional Delegation for recognizing how important this funding is to our communities and working to ensure it was secured,” Governor Paterson said. “This money will finance new employment opportunities, better infrastructure and make the improvements we need for a better tomorrow. This means safer bridges in seven Southern Tier counties, including here in Tioga County. The projects we announced today represent a small number of those that will be funded with the economic recovery funds and I am committed to spending each federal dollar we receive.”
In addition to these funds, DOT will award $166 million in highway and bridge contracts next year and the Southern Tier will receive approximately $50 million in Consolidated Highway Improvement Program funding, which the recovery funds enabled us to restore to the State budget. In total, Southern Tier communities in DOT Regions 6 and 9 will receive more than $305 million in highway and bridge funding in 2009-10.
The economic recovery funds coming to New York for transportation projects must follow the same process required for distributing all federal transportation funds. In the Southern Tier, DOT Region 6 is expected to receive $33 million and Region 9 is expected to receive $56 million. The funds are allocated to projects that are selected by the 13 regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO’s) across the State. The MPO’s are comprised of local elected officials, local transit operators and members of the Department of Transportation. MPO’s vote unanimously on projects for their Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and economic recovery funds will be directed to projects on those lists. Similarly, regions of New York without MPO’s are served by the State Department of Transportation, which consults with local elected officials and selects projects for the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. The Department is working with local officials and the Governor’s Economic Recovery Cabinet to identify priority shovel-ready projects eligible for recovery funds.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn said: “These projects will preserve the integrity of the Southern Tier’s transportation infrastructure and improve the safety of motorists. Governor Paterson has worked hard to secure these valuable federal funds to bolster our transportation infrastructure and invest in critical job creation.”
Governor Paterson has recently certified $24.3 million in projects for a dozen Southern Tier Counties, which includes $19.3 million in ARRA funding. Specifically, the projects include:
- $6.6 million of ARRA funding to paint 25 bridges on State Route 17 in Broome and Tioga counties in the towns of Vestal, Candor, Nichols, Barton and the Village of Waverly. The work will be entirely funded by ARRA. Bridge painting helps to preserve the structural integrity and delay deterioration of the steel superstructures. This work is expected to be completed by late summer 2010;
- $2.1 million of ARRA funding to perform bridge maintenance at various locations in Broome, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Tioga counties. The projects will be entirely funded by ARRA. This work includes repairs to bridge elements such as bridge joints, bearings, approach slabs, bridge railings and slope protection. This work is expected to be completed by late spring 2010;
- $1.1 million of ARRA funding for a $5.5 million project to paint bridges on I-86 and I-390 at various locations in Allegany and Steuben counties. The project will be completed in the fall of 2010;
- $1.9 million of ARRA funding for a project to replace the bridge on Route 415 over Wolf Run Creek in the town of Campbell, Steuben County. The project will be completed in the fall of 2009;
- $5.3 million of ARRA funding for a project to replace the I-86 bridge over Route 415 in the town of Painted Post, Steuben County. Project completion is scheduled for fall 2010;
- $1 million of ARRA funding to rehabilitate culverts in various locations in the towns of Urbana and Pulteney, Steuben County. Work is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2009;
- $800,000 of ARRA funding for a project to wash bridges and seal bridge decks at various locations in Allegany and Steuben counties. Work is scheduled to be completed by fall 2009; and
- $500,000 of ARRA funding for a $1.1 million project to rehabilitate bridges in various locations in Allegany and Steuben counties.
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