County & Town Highway Superintendents Bring Local Roads Matter! Campaign to the Capitol

ALBANY, NY (03/11/2009)(readMedia)-- CONTACT: Don Higgins, President NYS County Highway Superintendents Association, Inc. Phone: (518) 465-1694; or Richard Walters, President NYS Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, Inc. Phone: (518) 694-9313

The New York State County Highway Superintendents Association, Inc. (NYSCHSA) and the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, Inc. (NYSAOTSOH) launched their annual Local Roads Matter! campaign to garner legislative and public support for the restoration of funding for the State's local roads and bridges infrastructure in the face of massive cuts in the Governor's original executive budget proposal. The Governor has recently announced that the infusion of federal transportation funds to New York will allow the State to fully restore Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) funds, but legislative action is still required. Further, the Executive Budget also eliminates $100 million in Multi-Modal funding, much of which goes to local transportation projects.

More than 500 county and town superintendents, commissioners and highway industry professionals rallied in Albany today for a Local Roads and Bridges Grass Roots Campaign. Members of both organizations spent two days meeting with state lawmakers to request the funding necessary to address the needs for local highway systems, which make up 87 percent of the state's roadways and 52 percent of its bridges.

"While the Federal Stimulus-American Recovery and Reinvestment Act-will provide New York with more than $1.1 billion to be used for critical infrastructure projects across the State, this money can only be used on that portion of the State's transportation system that is federally-aided," stated Richard Walters, NYSAOTSOH President and Superintendent of Highways for the Town of Onondaga, Onondaga County. "The Stimulus leaves out a huge portion of our local highway system. Many legislators recognize that and would like to find a way to create jobs locally and more immediately."

"Last year our Association performed a Local Needs Study indicating that almost $2.4 billion is required annually in local pavement and bridge investment," Walters continued. "Highway capital expenditures by local governments, outside of New York City, are in excess of $1.1 billion annually, but another $1.3 billion more is still needed each year."

NYSCHSA President Don Higgins, Livingston County Highway Superintendent said, "We have been saying for many years that the financial infrastructure for highways is in crisis. The Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund (DHBTF) was facing a deficit before the economic crisis began and now the situation has worsened. Additionally, inflation over just the last five years has stripped away the purchasing power of our funding by about 22%. For every million dollars allocated by the state for local roads, we are losing $220 thousand to rising prices. Skyrocketing petroleum costs impact not only diesel fuel, but the prices for asphalt, steel, and heavy equipment."

"To address the critical condition of our local transportation infrastructure," Higgins continued, "we are urging Governor Patterson and the NYS Legislature to include, as part of the 2009-2010 State Budget, the following program enhancements:

• Authorize CHIPs funding for fiscal year 2010 at $363.1 million, the same level as the current fiscal year. The Executive Budget originally recommended a CHIPs program decrease of $112 million, but with the passage of Federal economic stimulus legislation, the Governor has called for a restoration of local highway funding to current levels. NYSCHSA and NYSAOTSOH stand ready to work with the Budget Director and the Legislature to do whatever is necessary to implement the Governor's directive.

• Commit all new transportation-related revenue to the dedicated transportation funds pool. The Executive Budget recommends increases in the Auto Rental and Highway Use Taxes as well as Motor Vehicle Fees, but uses the new revenue to reduce the General Fund contribution to the Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund. Facing transportation infrastructure investment needs that exceed $175 billion over the next twenty years, it is clear that all available transportation revenue must be used to strengthen the capacity of the dedicated transportation funds.

• Integrate local road and bridge investment needs with those of NYSDOT and the MTA to arrive at a comprehensive and fair assessment of New York State's transportation infrastructure. NYSAOTSOH has completed a 20 year needs assessment for local jurisdiction highways and bridges that complements the transportation capital needs analysis prepared by NYSDOT in October 2007. Any transportation needs study that ignores or fails to adequately account for the condition of 87% of the roads and 52% of the bridges in New York State is not a reasonable starting point for capital planning.

• Develop fiscally sound, comprehensive and equitable five year transportation capital plans for both NYSDOT and the MTA. The severity of the transportation funding crisis in New York threatens the state's economic backbone. Leadership is required to help identify and secure the resources needed for both State and local highways and bridges."

Local roads are a crucial part of the State's infrastructure. Providing the much-needed additional funds for local roads and bridges also sustains local jobs, both public and private, in highway-related industries and professions.

Most New York families live on local roads. Manufacturing plants, office buildings and warehouses are located on local roads. Schools, hospitals, police stations and fire stations are on local roads. New York's economic and social life moves over local roads as much as State roads and interstate highways.

The mission of the New York State County Highway Superintendents Association, Inc. is to provide opportunities for professional development to its members while, as a unified voice, working to:

• provide information to the membership to aid in the operation of the highway departments;

• inform New York State lawmakers of county positions on proposed legislation involving highways and public works; and

• sponsor and promote the transfer of technology and information.

The mission of the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways, Inc. is to:

• act as a medium of instruction in highway construction and maintenance;

• ensure better and safer highways;• provide efficient public service;

• realize economies, through exchange of ideas, cooperation, and coordination;

• promote and support legislation that will benefit the best interest of the people in the towns;

• promote the principle of Home-Rule; and

• defend the town form of government.