Outlines Approval Process for Transportation Projects Funded
through Economic Recovery Act

State Economic Recovery Cabinet Continues Work to
Identify, Prioritize Infrastructure Projects

Governor David A. Paterson today announced the first transportation projects eligible for federal funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be put to bid as early as March 5, creating thousands of jobs in Upstate New York. These projects include the replacement and repair of bridges in Steuben, Onondaga, Oneida and Herkimer counties, and will be fully-funded through the federal legislation. The Governor also outlined the process that will produce the final list of transportation projects to be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. 

“First, I want to reiterate my gratitude to the New York Congressional Delegation for their outstanding work in securing funding for these critical projects,” said Governor Paterson. “Clearly, there is a serious need in New York for federal infrastructure funding, and the projects announced today represent just a small number of the opportunities that will be funded with economic recovery dollars. This will be an open process with significant local input, and will create jobs across the State at a time when New York is facing widespread unemployment.”

The economic recovery funds coming to New York for transportation projects are required to be distributed through the same process that all federal transportation funds follow, and are not under the discretion of the Governor’s office. The funds will be allocated to projects that are selected by the 13 regional Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO’s) across the State, which are comprised of local elected officials, local transit agency staff and members of the Department of Transportation. MPO’s vote unanimously on projects for their Transportation Improvements Programs (TIP), and economic recovery funds will be directed to projects on those lists. Similarly, regions of New York without MPO’s are served by the State Department of Transportation, which consults with local elected officials and selects projects for the State Transportation Improvement Program. The Department is working with local officials and the Governor’s Economic Recovery Cabinet to identify priority shovel-ready projects eligible for recovery funds.

The 13 MPO’s around the State have established schedules to update their Transportation Improvements Programs. Upcoming updates include:

• Adirondack/Glens Falls Transportation Council:  3/3/09
• Binghamton Metropolitan Transportation Study:  TBD
• Capital District Transportation Committee:  3/5/09
• Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council:  2/27/09
• Genesee Transportation Council:  3/12/09
• Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council:  2/23/09
• Herkimer-Oneida County Transportation Study:  2/26/09
• Ithaca Tompkins County Transportation Council:  3/10/09
• New York Metropolitan Transportation Council:  Ongoing /li>
• Orange County Transportation Council:  2/24/09
• Poughkeepsie-Dutchess County Transportation Council:  3/3/09
• Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council:  2/25/09
• Ulster County Transportation Council:  3/5/09

A listing of MPO’s and links to their web sites are available at the State Economic Recovery and Reinvestment web site: www.economicrecovery.ny.gov. 

The Governor today also announced the first highway and bridge projects to be submitted to the federal Highway Administration for approximately $41 million of federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding. The State is able to announce the projects today because these projects already completed the federal aid process, as well as the many levels of environmental and design approval. The Federal Highway Administration has allowed the projects to be advertised for bid in advance of final approvals. Bids for these projects will be solicited as early as March 5.

“This is how the economic recovery package accelerates projects, puts people to work and frees up State resources for other projects, including transportation priorities that might not be eligible for federal funding,” the Governor said. “From the outset of this process our priorities were clear: identify critical infrastructure projects from across our State that put people to work quickly and efficiently. These projects will put thousands of New Yorkers to work.”

The projects include:

• Replacement of the I-86 Bridge over Rte. 415 in the Town of Erwin,  Steuben County
• Reconstruction of Delaware Avenue and Madison Avenue, Albany County
• Bridge Replacement of the Rte. 415 Bridge over Wolf Run Creek in the Town of Campbell, Steuben County
• Replacement of the Bartell Road bridge over I-81 in the Town of Cicero, Onondaga County
• Resurfacing of I-690 City of Syracuse
• Drainage Improvements in Steuben County
• Rehabilitation of the Route 169 Bridge over CSX and the Erie Canal, Herkimer County
• Resurfacing Routes 5a and 69 in Oneida County
• Bridge Repairs in Oneida County
• Bridge Maintenance including cleaning in Allegany, Steuben, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Madison and Montgomery counties
• Culvert repairs in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties

These projects represent a fraction of the shovel-ready projects already identified throughout the State, and are only a portion of the funding these regions will receive. Most projects funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be selected though the traditional federal, state and local processes. The Governor also created the State’s Economic Recovery Cabinet to ensure that the funds are not delayed because of permitting and other issues, to oversee reporting and transparency, to advise municipalities on the qualifying for federal funds and to ensure statewide distribution of the funds. This Cabinet’s work includes:

• Reviewing the federal legislation to ensure the State is taking advantage of all available funds
• Providing economic recovery criteria and regional outreach to municipalities, to guide local proposals
• Overseeing project management and permitting processes to ensure selected projects are expedited through the process to stay within the federal timeframe for work
• Ensuring compliance with all federal requirements, including Disadvantaged Business Enterprise targets, prevailing wages for laborers and mechanics, and transparency requirements

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