CHIPS

Press release:

Assemblyman Steve Hawley joined other legislators in the Assembly Minority in calling on the governor to ensure the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), PAVE-NY, and Emergency Winter Recovery Fund remain fully funded, if  funding is not increased.

This effort comes after the governor's 2021-22 Executive Budget proposed cutting all funding for the Emergency Winter Recovery Fund and shifting a significant portion of CHIPS funding to signature projects, as opposed to core preservation, which maintains local roads and infrastructure. 

While unfunded state mandates placed on localities have increased over the last decade, CHIPS base-level funding has remained stagnant since 2013. Local governments are responsible for maintaining about 87 percent of all roads in New York State and half of the state’s 18,000 bridges, of which 36 percent of bridges are deficient. Additionally, 38 percent of roads in the state have been rated poor or fair.

“By maintaining and improving our roads, we create jobs, make our communities safer, and avoid larger problems that may otherwise arise in the future,” Hawley said.

“Cutting Emergency Winter Recovery funds would only slow our economic recovery, and we should instead be talking about increasing CHIPS funding to put people to work and give families, businesses and healthcare providers the means to get where they need to be safely and efficiently."

The City of Batavia is getting its ducks in a row in anticipation of a $2 million rehabilitation of Richmond Avenue and Harvester Avenue in the summer of 2022.

Memos from Public Works Director Matt Worth to City Manager Martin Moore provide backup to a pair of draft resolutions:

-- The first one authorizing an agreement with the state Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to appropriate $358,000 up front to cover 100 percent of the federal and non-federal share of preliminary engineering, design and right of way incidentals;

-- The second one approving the selection of an engineering firm to oversee the preventive maintenance project.

Both resolutions are earmarked for discussion at City Council’s Conference Meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday via the Zoom videoconferencing service.

In a memo dated April 17, Worth wrote that the City was awarded federal highway funding through the Genesee Transportation Council for the renovation of Richmond Avenue from State Street to Oak Street and for the entire length of Harvester Avenue (from East Main Street to Ellicott Street).

The project is expected to cost $2,040,900, with the City’s share at 20 percent of the total expense.

Worth went on to explain that the City’s final share will drop to around $102,000 (5 percent) due to the utilization of two funding streams -- CHIPS (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program) and Marchiselli, the primary state aid match to Federal Highway Administration-funded projects.

The proposed schedule shows the awarding of an engineering contract this spring, preliminary design completion by the fall, advanced design completion in 2021, solicitation of construction bids in the winter of 2021 (into 2022) and the actual work in the summer of 2022.

Work will include a 3-inch mill and overlay treatment with fibers and milling and resurfacing with a hot mix asphalt course. Additional work includes miscellaneous spot pavement repairs, curb repairs, curb ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and shared bicycle lane pavement markings.

In a memo dated April 20, Worth wrote that the City solicited NYSDOT-approved engineering firms last month and accepted proposals through April 21.

A team of City employees, headed by Worth, is prepared to make a recommendation to Council at Monday’s meeting, with the expectation that it will be approved by the board at its May 11^th Business Meeting.

From Assemblyman Steve Hawley:

In light of years of stagnant investment in the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) and a proposed elimination of $65 in Extreme Winter Recovery funds by Gov. Cuomo, Assemblyman Steve Hawley rallied Wednesday in Albany with highway superintendents from around the state calling for infrastructure investment parity.

For several years, CHIPS funding has been held stagnant at $438.1 million statewide despite billions of dollars in increases to fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) and repair downstate bridges.

This funding is used to repair and pave streets and highways. Furthermore, Gov. Cuomo has proposed cutting $65 million in Extreme Winter Recovery funds which are used by areas experiencing harsh winters to speed up recovery and repair processes.

“Whenever the MTA cries broke Gov. Cuomo is right there willing to throw more tax dollars their way, yet Upstate has to fight tooth and nail each year for a little bit extra to ensure we have safe travel,” Hawley said. “Millions of upstate residents, emergency services vehicles, farmers and manufacturers use our roads each day and their safety and quality of life matter just as much as a subway patron.

"We are seeking a $100 million increase to CHIPS and a restoration of the $65 million Extreme Winter Recovery fund – a small and reasonable step toward parity in a budget totaling over $175 billion. I will continue fighting to see that upstate gets it fair share this year!”