As Albany grinds through Gov. Hochul’s massive $252 billion budget proposal, local officials are looking to make sure Long Island doesn’t get stiffed when it comes to highway funding.
They are zeroing in on the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), emphasizing the urgent need to address deteriorating roads across the region. Anyone driving on the Long Island Expressway, Sunrise Highway, or other state roads knows that Albany has dropped the ball in keeping the roads smooth.
“Our local roads and bridges are the backbone of the economy and vital to the safety of every resident on Long Island,” said Assemblyman Joe DeStefano, in raising a red flag on the issue. “Unfortunately, for too long, we have seen the infrastructure we rely on deteriorate due to insufficient funding. It’s time to prioritize our communities’ safety and invest in the future of our state.”
The CHIPS program, which helps municipalities repair and maintain local roadways, is critical to offsetting increasing labor and material costs, local officials say. However, CHIPS remains frozen at $637.8 million statewide despite inflation and growing infrastructure needs. It’s not enough for the nation’s fourth most populist state, officials say since local highway departments maintain 87% of New York’s roads, yet state budget allocations have not kept pace with demand.
Brookhaven Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro expressed frustration with the dearth of local road funding in Gov. Hochul’s latest spending plan. “This budget is exceptionally disappointing,” he said, lighting into the governor for acknowledging inflation’s impact by proposing an additional $800 million for the state’s Department of Transportation yet providing no new funds for local roads.
“This is no longer just a case of doing more with less,” Losquadro said. “The rate of inflation outstripped that mantra years ago. From where we were 4-5 years ago, we’re maybe getting 60, 65 cents on the dollar from what we were spending then.”
Assemblyman Ari Brown echoed his concerns, calling the governor’s budget a failure in addressing the state’s infrastructure needs. “Local highway superintendents and municipal leaders warn that this funding level is insufficient to meet the growing demands for repairs, maintenance, and improvements on local roads and bridges,” Brown noted. “The lack of increased funding will lead to faster deterioration of local roads, resulting in more expensive repairs down the line and posing a risk to public safety.”
Trying to pull a fast one on voters to enhance her reelection prospects next year, Hochul is looking to hand out $3 billion in so-called “inflation relief checks,” among other goodies in her record-breaking spending plan, but doesn’t pony up for local road repairs. Without a realistic commitment from Albany, Long Island’s roads will only worsen, leading to higher costs and safety hazards for residents and businesses alike.
A stunning example is the recent closure of the Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays, the 39-year-old span that connects the mainland to Dune Road. Engineers assessing its condition blame rusting girders for the shutdown, which they say will last “indefinitely.”