The state will begin accepting applications from municipalities for significant bridge and culvert rehabilitation projects under a new funding program designed to tackle the growing problem of structurally deficient and functionally obsolete state- and locally-owned bridges and culverts.
“The new BRIDGE NY money is desperately needed and will certainly help improve our vast system of highways, bridges and culverts to standards expected by the traveling public,” said Tracy J. Eldridge, President of the New York State County Highway Superintendents Association (NYSCHSA).
“Too many of our bridges, particularly in rural areas in Upstate New York, are weight limited and some completely closed to traffic. This can create problems for local deliveries, school bus routing and emergency response and can isolate communities and be an inconvenience for commuters and other travelers,” Eldridge explained.
Under BRIDGE NY, municipalities will be able to apply for funding from the state to address their priority bridge and culvert projects. In addition to other programs made available in the state budget for local transportation infrastructure, the funding will help address more critical highway, bridge and culvert needs.
“Eighty-seven percent of roads and more than half the bridges in this state are owned by local governments,” said Eldridge. “While a vital and indispensable part of the overall transportation infrastructure, with almost half of the vehicle mileage logged on these local roads, the ailing and aging local system has been greatly underfunded over the years.”
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