www.ny - GOVERNOR PATERSON AND CONGRESSMAN MAFFEI ANNOUNCE $82 MILLION IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY FUNDING FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK INFRASTRUCTURE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 8, 2009

GOVERNOR PATERSON AND CONGRESSMAN MAFFEI ANNOUNCE $82 MILLION IN ECONOMIC RECOVERY FUNDING FOR CENTRAL NEW YORK INFRASTRUCTURE

ARRA Infrastructure Funding Will Create an Estimated 1,968 Jobs in Central New York

Governor David A. Paterson today announced that Central New York is expected to receive at least $82 million in transportation and infrastructure funding through the recently enacted federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This critical funding will go toward much-needed highway and road repair, bridgework and other long-term improvements to the region’s infrastructure and will create an estimated 1,968 jobs. Governor Paterson was joined by Congressman Daniel Maffei at the Onondaga East Maintenance Residence in Syracuse.

“New York’s outstanding Congressional Delegation recognized the immediate need for this funding and fought tirelessly until it was secured,” said Governor Paterson. “This money will not only put our residents back to work, it will create safer roads, stronger infrastructure and a cleaner environment for generations of future residents. The projects announced today represent just a small number of the opportunities that will be funded with economic recovery dollars. In addition to these funds, the State Department of Transportation will award $88 million in highway and bridge contracts next year and Central New York 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 Central New York will receive over $220 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 Central New York, DOT Region 2 is expected to receive $25 million, and DOT Region 3 is expected to receive $57 million The funds are allocated to projects that are selected by the 13 regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs) across the State, which are comprised of local elected officials, local transit operators and members of the Department of Transportation (DOT). MPOs 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 MPOs are served by DOT, which consults with local elected officials and selects projects for the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. DOT is working with local officials and the Governor’s Economic Recovery Cabinet to identify priority shovel-ready projects eligible for economic recovery funds.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn said, “Thanks to the leadership of Governor Paterson, the funding for these local projects will be utilized effectively and expediently. These important transportation infrastructure improvement projects will create and sustain jobs for Central New Yorkers and help revitalize the local economy.”

Governor Paterson has recently certified $60.8 million in projects for Central New York, which includes $59.6 million in ARRA funding. Specifically, the projects include:

Nearly $7.7 million of ARRA funding for the replacement of the bridge carrying Bartell Road over Interstate 81 in the Town of Cicero, Onondaga County. The new bridge will increase safety. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2010;

$10 million in ARRA funding for a $10.8 million project to resurface almost five miles of Interstate 690 eastbound and westbound from the Teall Avenue interchange to the Interstate 481 interchange. This essential maintenance in the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County, includes guiderail upgrades and drainage and landscape improvements, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2009;

$1.41 million in ARRA funding for a project to rehabilitate the Dorwin Avenue bridge over Onondaga Creek in the City of Syracuse, Onondaga County. The bridge deck and superstructure will be removed and replaced with a new multi-girder steel superstructure and cast-in-place concrete deck. Construction is expected to be completed by fall of 2010;

$10.2 million in ARRA funding for a project to reconstruct Taft Road from South Bay Road to Northern Boulevard in the towns of Clay and Cicero, Onondaga County. The project will rehabilitate and widen Taft Road from South Bay Road to Church Street into a five-lane roadway with a center turn lane, and will resurface Taft Road from Church Street to Northern Boulevard. Construction is expected to be completed by spring of 2011;

$5.3 million in ARRA funding for a project to reconstruct County Route 121, Warren Road, from Route 13 to North Asbury Road in the Village and Town of Lansing, Tompkins County. The safety-improvement project will include new asphalt and fresh pavement markings. Construction is expected to be completed during the summer of 2010;

$10.8 million in ARRA funding for a project to resurface rural roads in Cayuga, Seneca, Oswego and Cortland counties. The top layer of worn, deteriorated pavement on these local roads will be removed and replaced with new asphalt and fresh pavement markings. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the year;

$1.4 million in ARRA funding for a project to resurface Route 20 from the LaFayette/Pompey town line in Onondaga County through the Town of Martinsburg, Lewis County. The top layer of worn, deteriorated pavement will be removed and replaced with new asphalt and fresh pavement markings. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of this summer;

$1.4 million in ARRA funding for a project to resurface Route 79 from the Tioga County line to Besner Hill in the Town of Caroline, Tompkins County. The top layer of worn, deteriorated pavement will be removed and replaced with new asphalt and fresh pavement markings. Construction is expected to be completed this summer;

$1.1 million in ARRA funding for a project to resurface Route 79 through the towns of Ithaca and Enfield, Tompkins County. The top layer of worn, deteriorated pavement will be removed and replaced with new asphalt and fresh pavement markings. Construction is expected to be completed this summer;

$1.5 million in ARRA funding for a project to rehabilitate the bridge carrying Route 169 over the CSX railroad and the Erie Canal in the City of Little Falls, Herkimer County. The project will include repairing deteriorated concrete and repaving the bridge deck. Construction is expected to be completed this fall;

$2.9 million in ARRA funding for a project to resurface Routes 5A and 69 in the City of Rome, Town of Whitestown and villages of Oriskany, Yorkville and Whitesboro in Oneida County. The project will include repaving, traffic signal replacement and new sidewalk construction. The project is expected to be completed this fall;

$285,000 in ARRA funding for a project to replace the bridge joints on five structures along Interstate 790 in the City of Utica, Oneida County. This preventative maintenance project will maintain the bridges’ structural reliability. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2009;

$144,000 in ARRA funding for an $187,000 project to resurface Route 67 through the town of Amsterdam in Montgomery County and the town of Mohawk in Herkimer. This preventive maintenance project will seal the asphalt surface to prevent water from entering cracks in the pavement, extending its lifespan. Construction is expected to be completed by fall of 2009;

$1.5 million in ARRA funding for a $1.6 million project to resurface approximately 15 miles of Routes 8, 12 and 20 through the towns of Trenton, Steuben, Forestport in Oneida County and the Towns of Cazenovia and Brookfield, Madison County. This preventive maintenance project will seal the asphalt surface to prevent water from entering cracks in the pavement, extending its lifespan. Construction is expected to be completed by fall of 2009;

$972,000 in ARRA funding for a $1.2 million project to resurface approximately nine miles of Route 12B in the towns of Marshall, Augusta and Kirkland, Oneida County, and the Town of Madison in Madison County. This preventive maintenance project will seal the asphalt surface to prevent water from entering cracks in the pavement, extending its lifespan. Construction is expected to be completed by fall of 2009;

$3.0 million in ARRA funding for a project to paint and wash bridges carrying state highways in Oneida, Madison, Herkimer, Hamilton, Fulton and Montgomery counties. These preventative maintenance treatments will inhibit deterioration and extend the useful life of the bridges. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2009.

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer said: “This critical investment in our bridges and roadways will not only create jobs during a time in which they are desperately needed, it will also improve the quality of life for residents of the Central New York by making travel smoother, safer and more pleasant. Investing in our infrastructure now will also save us money on repairs in the future, when they would be more costly.”

U.S. Senator Kirsten E. Gillibrand said: “I welcome today’s announcement by Governor Paterson that stimulus funds we passed in Congress have started making their way towards Central New York State’s vital infrastructure needs. These critical federal dollars will not only create safer roads, but will also start to revitalize the economy by putting almost 2000 men and women in the region back to work.”

Congressman Daniel B. Maffei said: “Governor Paterson is using ARRA funds to do exactly what Congress and President Obama intended – get people back to work. These are good projects that will create jobs, make an injection into our local economy and rebuild our infrastructure.”

Congressman Michael A. Arcuri said: “These are more examples of the Recovery Bill delivering results for Upstate New York that will improve our infrastructure and create jobs. Improving Upstate New York infrastructure is critical to achieving future economic development. I will continue to work with the Governor and municipalities to ensure that the Recovery Act addresses our local priorities.”

Senate Majority Leader Malcolm A. Smith said: “Investment in our state’s aging infrastructure is a sure way to create new jobs and breathe new life into the local economy. Central New York and the Southern Tier are home to some of the most beautiful communities anywhere in the northeast, and the more we can attract new investment and tourism, the better our economy as a whole will be. Transportation investment helps achieves that. I believe swift action by the Governor in putting federal stimulus dollars to work is very commendable, and that coordinated efforts such as this by state, federal and local officials will help turn our economy around.”

State Senator Martin Malavé Dilan said: “Under Governor Paterson’s leadership, Central New York and the Southern Tier today break ground on a series of statewide road improvements. Through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding, not only do we begin repairing the State’s infrastructure, we put New Yorkers back to work; both of which are long view solutions to this economic crisis.”

State Senator David J. Valesky said, “I am pleased that a large portion of these projects have been designated for Central New York. Beginning these shovel ready projects represents a good first step in jump starting the Upstate economy by creating jobs and improving our aging infrastructure.”