News from New York State Department of Transportation

For more information contact: Charles Carrier, 518-457-6400

Regional Forums to Focus on Transportation Needs

NYSDOT Commissioner Glynn to Host Public Roundtables Across State

ALBANY, NY (02/08/2008; 1108)(readMedia)-- New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) Commissioner Astrid C. Glynn today announced that a series of public roundtables will be held across the state in the coming weeks to prepare for federal authorization of legislation that provides essential funds for highways, bridges and transit for key infrastructure projects and to discuss the framework of NYSDOT’s 20-Year Needs Assessment and the agency’s goals for the next capital program.

The forums, which will focus on several types of transportation needs, will promote open discourse about future infrastructure investments necessary to provide a safe, modern, efficient transportation system that fosters a growing economy. Topics will include the condition of the state’s highways, bridges, buses, airports, rail roads and ports; what our transportation goals are and should be; how transportation investment can support broader policy goals; and why the impending federal funding authorization is critical.

There will also be six transportation themes - mobility and accessibility, energy and environment, the economy, freight transportation, traffic congestion and land use - that will receive special attention. Each of these themes will be highlighted at one of the meetings and serve as a subject of emphasis in the roundtable discussion.

“We have a unique opportunity to have a voice in the next authorization of the Federal transportation programs that fund almost half of New York's transportation investments in highways and transit,” Commissioner Glynn said. “That new authorization will set the terms under which states receive funding for the multi-year period after the current authorization expires in 2009. It is crucial that we secure adequate support from both the state and federal government to provide and maintain a 21st century transportation network across New York State.”

Forums have been scheduled for:

• Watertown, February 14;
• Capital District, February 15;
• Rochester, February 19;
• Binghamton, February 21;
• Staten Island, March 5; and
• Long Island, March 6.

Three meetings will be hosted by NYSDOT Executive Deputy Commissioner Stan Gee in:

• Syracuse, February 25;
• Poughkeepsie, February 29; and
• Buffalo, March 4.

As part of NYSDOT’s preparation for authorization, the agency is reaching out to stakeholders - both consumers and providers - to help explain to Washington why it is important that New York receive a significant increase in federal funding.

The forums will include a short presentation by NYSDOT regarding the department’s 20-Year Needs Assessment and 5-Year Capital Plan, followed by a local impact assessment by the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

A roundtable discussion will focus on a relevant transportation theme, such as energy or congestion, and will be led by the MPOs, representatives from the transportation and business communities and industry representatives appropriate to discuss each specific topic.

Locations for the theme discussions will be: Watertown -- Mobility and Accessibility; Capital District -- Energy and Environment; Rochester -- Transportation and Economy; Binghamton -- Freight Transportation; Staten Island -- Traffic Congestion; and Long Island -- Land Use and Transportation. The sessions in Buffalo, Syracuse, and Hudson Valley will focus on a general discussion of the Department’s 20-Year Needs and 5-Year Capital Program.

A public comment period will end the session, giving attendees an opportunity to have a dialogue with roundtable participants, have questions answered and raise locally significant transportation issues. For more information, visit www.nysdot.gov/20yearneedsassessment.

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