Young Calls for Transportation Plan
ALBANY – A state audit of New York’s bridges reveals serious defects with many local bridges and clearly demonstrates the need for a comprehensive statewide transportation plan, according to Senator Catharine Young (R, I, C – Olean)
The audit, released this week by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, concluded that the State Department of Transportation (DOT) did not address 33.8 percent of serious highway bridge defects found by its inspectors within the required time frame, allowing hazardous conditions, including possible failures, to linger much longer than they should.
“This is a glaring example as to why upstate needs a comprehensive road and bridge program,” said Sen. Young. “It is reprehensible and irresponsible that the governor refuses to fix our roads and bridges, creating a very dangerous situation that hurts our economy.”
In a separate report issued by the Comptroller, 93 bridges statewide were indicated to have a safety rating at or below the rating given to the Lake Champlain Bridge in Essex County, which was in such poor condition it was closed last year and later demolished. Of the local bridges named in the report, three were in Chautauqua County, one in Cattaraugus County and three others in Livingston County.
“We have an obligation to our taxpayers to keep them safe and with our aging infrastructure, rising construction costs and limited financial resources, we need to maintain our roads and bridges now or we will pay the price in the future,” said Sen. Young.
Senator Young said that Governor Paterson should make a five year capital plan a priority in order to sufficiently address these and other issues facing the state’s transportation infrastructure. Last fall, the Governor rejected a proposed five-year DOT capital plan for upstate citing its costs, but he has yet to request DOT officials to revise or re-prioritize the plan to make it more affordable.
“The Comptroller’s report echoes what was made very clear to the Governor last year, that the state cannot abandon its responsibility to ensure that our roads and bridges are safe,” said Sen. Young. “I urge the Governor and all of our colleagues to work together in a bipartisan fashion to get something done as soon as possible to fulfill our obligation to provide safe roads and bridges for every motorist.”
For a complete list of bridges named in the report click on this link: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/jan10/repair-high-priority-bridges.pdf
The audit, released this week by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli, concluded that the State Department of Transportation (DOT) did not address 33.8 percent of serious highway bridge defects found by its inspectors within the required time frame, allowing hazardous conditions, including possible failures, to linger much longer than they should.
“This is a glaring example as to why upstate needs a comprehensive road and bridge program,” said Sen. Young. “It is reprehensible and irresponsible that the governor refuses to fix our roads and bridges, creating a very dangerous situation that hurts our economy.”
In a separate report issued by the Comptroller, 93 bridges statewide were indicated to have a safety rating at or below the rating given to the Lake Champlain Bridge in Essex County, which was in such poor condition it was closed last year and later demolished. Of the local bridges named in the report, three were in Chautauqua County, one in Cattaraugus County and three others in Livingston County.
“We have an obligation to our taxpayers to keep them safe and with our aging infrastructure, rising construction costs and limited financial resources, we need to maintain our roads and bridges now or we will pay the price in the future,” said Sen. Young.
Senator Young said that Governor Paterson should make a five year capital plan a priority in order to sufficiently address these and other issues facing the state’s transportation infrastructure. Last fall, the Governor rejected a proposed five-year DOT capital plan for upstate citing its costs, but he has yet to request DOT officials to revise or re-prioritize the plan to make it more affordable.
“The Comptroller’s report echoes what was made very clear to the Governor last year, that the state cannot abandon its responsibility to ensure that our roads and bridges are safe,” said Sen. Young. “I urge the Governor and all of our colleagues to work together in a bipartisan fashion to get something done as soon as possible to fulfill our obligation to provide safe roads and bridges for every motorist.”
For a complete list of bridges named in the report click on this link: http://www.osc.state.ny.us/press/releases/jan10/repair-high-priority-bridges.pdf
.jpg)
Comments