WASHINGTON, D.C. – July 13, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Today, Congressman Paul Tonko (D-NY) released a Department of Transportation (DOT) report showcasing infrastructure needs in New York and highlighting the need for immediate action with only 21 days left until the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) expires on July 31st. Republican House Leadership was only able to extend the HTF for two months when it expired at the end of May, extending uncertainty for thousands of infrastructure projects and well-paying jobs across the state of New York and nationwide.
“House leadership must stop lurching from one manufactured crisis to the next and work with Democrats to find a long-term solution that repairs our deteriorating roads, bridges and rails – and provides certainty and stability to states as they plan for the future. Sixty percent of New York roads are rated poor or mediocre, and this can only be fixed by bold leadership in Congress that understands it is well-past time to invest in our infrastructure and the American worker,”said Tonko.
Broken infrastructure costs every New York motorist an average of $403 per year in extra vehicle repairs and operating costs. The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) recently graded the nation’s infrastructure with a D-.
In Albany, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties – an area that includes New York’s 20th Congressional District in the Capital Region – almost 40% of bridges are deemed “deficient” by the DOT. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has estimated the cost of upgrading and repairing the nation’s deteriorating bridges alone will cost $106 billion.
“The House can no longer kick the can down the road with short-term extensions that maintain the unacceptable status quo of American infrastructure. I once again urge GOP Leadership to work with their friends on the other side of the aisle to find creative solutions that creates jobs, enhances public safety, and saves taxpayer money down the road,”Tonko concluded.
