Coalition Urges Lawmakers to Increase Funding for Local Road Repairs

Glenn Pacchiana, President & CEO, Thalle Industries; Edward Cooke, Vice President, Westchester Putnam Building Trades and Business Agent Carpenters Local 279: Assembly Member MaryJane Shimsky; Assembly Member Chris Burdick; John Cooney Jr., Executive Director, Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley Inc.; Louis Picani, President Teamsters Local 456, and Jim Sasso, President, Operating Engineers Local 137.

Improving the state’s transportation infrastructure continues to be one of the BCW’s top legislative priorities. The BCW is part of a statewide coalition urging the governor and legislature to include the funding in this year’s Executive Budget.

On Wednesday, a coalition led by the Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley and local construction trade unions is demanding that state lawmakers allocate more funds for the repair and maintenance of the Hudson Valley’s crumbling and pothole-filled state roadways.

The coalition held a Hudson Valley Road Funding Rally on Wednesday at the Teamsters Local 456 Union Hall in Elmsford. The coalition thanked Gov. Hochul for her executive budget proposal to increase the NYSDOT Capital plan by $800 million, the increased funding will help the NYSDOT restore the buying power for its core program eroded by unprecedented construction materials inflation.

Further the coalition is urging the Hudson Valley’s State Assembly and Senate delegation to include an increase of $250 million in funding for the NYS DOT local roads program called CHIPS in their respective budget proposals. The increased funding need is driven by the same construction materials cost inflation experienced by the NYSDOT core program.

“While we have work to do to ensure the Hudson Valley receives its fair share of this proposal, increasing the overall investment is a great first step,” said CIC Executive Director John Cooney, Jr. “This funding will help ensure we can complete critical projects already in the pipeline by offsetting the impact of rising material costs caused by inflation. This increased investment will save New York State taxpayers money because the cost of deferred maintenance will only grow over time.”

NYSDOT Region 8 has had the worst road and bridge conditions in New York State for over 10 years. Region 8 has the most highway lane miles and the most bridges of any Region, yet on average Region 8 ranks third in terms of funding. Region 8 includes Westchester, Ulster, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Columbia counties.

According to TRIP, a Washington, DC-based national transportation research non-profit, roads and bridges that are deteriorated, congested and lack some desirable safety features cost New York motorists a total of $38 billion statewide annually due to higher vehicle operating costs, traffic crashes and congestion- related delays.

Attending the rally with Cooney were representatives from Local Construction Trade Unions, Teamsters Local 456, Laborers Local 60, Laborers Local 235, Operating Engineers Local 137, Operating Engineers Local 825, Laborers Local 754, Laborers Local 17, Carpenters Local 279. Also attending the rally were Assembly Members MaryJane Shimsky and Chris Burdick.