A coalition led by the Construction Industry Council of Westchester and Hudson Valley (CIC) and local construction trade unions has demanded that state lawmakers allocate more funds for the repair and maintenance of the Hudson Valley’s crumbling, pothole-filled state roadways.
The coalition held a Hudson Valley Road Funding Rally Feb. 21 at the Teamsters Local 456 Union Hall in Elmsford, where it said that funding in this year’s New York state budget needs to be increased by $400 million for core roads and bridges, while aid to local highway departments needs to increase by $250 million to offset the effects of inflation.
The group said that the New York state, Department of Transportation, Region 8, has had the worst road and bridge conditions for more than 10 years. It also noted that Region 8 has the most lane miles and the most bridges of any region yet on average ranks third in terms of funding. Region 8 includes 13 cities, 75 villages and 107 towns in Westchester, Ulster, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Columbia counties.
“We are here today to send a message loud and clear to our lawmakers in Albany,” said John Cooney Jr, the CIC’s executive director. “This crisis must be addressed immediately, and it is not a political issue. The disgraceful conditions affect anyone who drives on our state roads. Enough is enough. It’s time for action, not talk.”
Cooney noted a recent report that crumbing roads and potholes cost the state’s drivers $8.7 billion last year – an average of $715 per driver – in repairs, fuel and wear and tear. The crumbling roads also pose a serious safety risk for drivers who swerve to avoid hitting potholes.
The rally showcased a chart produced by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association, which showed that in 2002, 78% of Region 8 roads were in good to excellent condition. By 2021, that number dropped to 44%. Roads in fair to poor condition rose from 22% in 2002 to 56% in 2021.
Attending the rally with Cooney were representatives from Teamsters Local 456, Laborers Local 60, Laborers Local 235, Operating Engineers Local 137, Operating Engineers Local 825, Laborers Local 754, Laborers Local 17 and Carpenters Local 279.
Also attending the rally were state Sens. Shelley Mayer, Peter Harckham, Rob Rolison, Bill Weber and James Skoufis, along with Assembly members Maryjane Shimsky, Matt Slater, Keneth Zebrowski and Jonathan Jacobson.
Mayer said, “For years, I have been pressing for increased state funding for roads and bridges in our community. Sadly, this year is no different. The governor’s proposed budget simply fails to meet the needs of our district and puts us even further behind in keeping roads and bridges in a state of good repair. Regularly, I hear complaints from residents about roads in need of paving and potholes that are craters, complaints that reflect a growing sense that our region is being underserved compared to the need.
“As the Hudson Valley faces increasingly severe storms, our roads require even more attention. I applaud NYS DOT for doing its best to address these issues, but they are simply not given the funding and tools they need to meet our needs. Thank you to CIC, my colleagues in the building trades,and my legislative colleagues for joining in this critical effort.”
A short video of rough road conditions in Westchester and Putnam counties was shown during the program. The video is available at the CIC website https://youtu.be/yX0HSsF2ipc
and the YouTube channel https://youtu.be/yX0HSsF2ipc.
