BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Highway superintendents across New York State are frustrated over Governor Hochul's proposed 2025-2026 budget which includes no new funding for town highways and bridges.
The superintendents argue that the lack of increased funding comes despite rising construction and supply costs, making it difficult to maintain and improve local roads.
"We are just extremely disappointed for the second year in a row," said James Dussing, Highway Superintendent for the Town of Clarence and First Vice president of the State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways.
Richard Crawford, the highway superintendent for the Town of Grand Island, expressed similar concerns.
"It's frustrating," Crawford said. "Certainly the governor knows what cold weather does to the roads."
Dussing highlighted that while the governor's budget includes a significant increase for roads maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation, there is no increase in "CHIPS" funding, which towns rely on at the local level.
Local municipalities, towns, villages, and counties own and maintain 87% of the total road mileage in New York State, according to Dussing, who noted an imbalance in funding distribution.
Crawford warned that without increased funding, his department might only complete 20 to 40 percent of scheduled road projects in 2025, leading to faster road deterioration and higher future repair costs.
Highway superintendents plan to travel to Albany in March to advocate for increased funding, emphasizing the need for additional resources to maintain service levels for constituents and taxpayers.
I contacted Governor Hochul's office for a response on Wednesday, a spokesperson sent the following statement.
"Throughout her tenure, Governor Hochul has made transformative investments in infrastructure projects across New York. In the coming months, the Governor looks forward to working with the legislature to pass much-needed infrastructure funding, so the state can continue the work necessary to keep New Yorkers safe on our roads and bridges.”
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
